With Community Manager Andrea Phillips
By Krista Martinelli
I sat down with Arden’s Community Manager Andrea Phillips and got to know a little more about this magical community and what lies inside its gates.
AW: What makes Arden unique?
AP: The agrihood aspect, the farm. How cool is it to be able to eat produce that your own farm grows?
AW: Tell us about the sense of community that you have here.
AP: It’s very family oriented. We have a lot of young families or “starter families.” I love hearing (from my office) the sounds of little kids laughing in the pool, the sounds of life.
AW: Explain what an agrihood is. Is Arden the only agrihood in the area?
AP: Arden is, for now, the only agrihood in the area, the only farm-based community. Lennar may be using Arden as a template for future communities. Arden is very nature-friendly and has an all-natural aesthetic to it. Our parks, within Arden are very woody.
AW: What kind of vegetables do the residents get from the Arden farm? Does everyone get vegetables? How often?
AP: Everyone who lives here is entitled to their farm share. From November 1st to May 31st, they get fruits and vegetables every four weeks. The share includes: tomatoes, potatoes, collard greens, onions, bananas, mangoes and many more.
AW: Tell us about the other amenities at Arden.
AP: The resort-style pool is amazing – it’s a hot spot here. We have basketball courts, 4 tennis courts, pickleball courts, a beautiful lake house with a café and a gym downstairs. Arden also features a winding trail system that goes throughout the whole property, with over 20 miles of trails.
AW: When was Arden built? When did residents start moving in?
AP: Ground broke in 2017 and the first residents started moving in during 2018. There are 1300 homes today with a plan of over 2300 homes after the total build out.
AW: How has the community changed over the past couple of years, if it has?
AP: It’s the first time for a lot of the people moving to Arden from up North for being in an HOA. The dynamics of the community change as new neighbors move in.
AW: What kinds of activities do you offer for residents?
AP: Our Lifestyle Director Robynn recently did a successful Back to School event. She has also done a 4th of July event, story times for kids, sip and paint events for adults and several other holiday events. Every Friday thru Sunday, food trucks come to the Lakehouse at Arden. In terms of physical activity, there are classes offered at the gym like boot camps, Hustle 360, water aerobics for both kids and adults, Zumba, youth soccer, flag football, tennis and swimming lessons.
AW: Tell us about your current farm director Charmaine Peters, who writes “Living Green” for AroundWellington.
AP: Charmaine (pictured above) is a breath of fresh air. She is a kind, welcoming, beautiful soul and a hard worker. I love the way she treats her staff. I am blessed to have her as part of my team. For her articles in AroundWellington, visit “Living Green.”
AW: Tell us about yourself. What’s your former experience? What attracted you to Arden?
AP: Since 2003 I’ve been in property management. First, I learned Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable and how to do financials. Then I got my degree in Property Management. I was Executive Director at Ibis Golf and Country Club for ten years. Then I came here to Arden.
What attracted me to Arden was that it was still developer owned. I liked the fact that it was a new, beautiful community. I really wanted to help build a community and grow with that community. I also liked the size of the community at Arden.
