Some consider Park Forest Village a predecessor of newer suburban developments. When developed back in the 1950s, it deviated from the typical post-World War II style to include residential streets that curved instead of following a straight line and lots and lots of trees.
Park Forest Village, which is part of State College, is the epitome of Pennsylvania suburbia
Some consider Park Forest Village a predecessor of newer suburban developments. When developed back in the 1950s, it deviated from the typical post-World War II style to include residential streets that curved instead of following a straight line and lots and lots of trees.
Park Forest Village, which is part of State College, is the epitome of Pennsylvania suburbia. If your idea of the suburbs includes cute cul-de-sacs, tree-lined streets, single-family houses, grassy lawns and a swimming pool here and there, you'll find all that and more in this quiet area. It's a smallish community that spans just 2.6 square miles, though it provides a home to many comfortable and content residents. It's really big on things like ice cream shops and grocery stores and very small on big-city amenities like concert halls and nightclubs. If what you want is easy living away from a whole lot of hustle and bustle, you'll have no problem finding that in Park Forest Village.
People who like living in the suburbs tend to like knowing their neighbors. If you show up to tour apartments looking disreputable or downright scary, you'll have a hard time finding housing for rent in the land of welcome baskets and neighborhood watch volunteers. Do yourself a favor and clean up a little. Then show up at each rental property on time. Punctuality shows landlords that you're also likely to do other things on time, such as pay the rent.
You'll need all of the usual things to find an apartment in Park Forest Village. You'll need good credit or someone to cosign for you, rental references, and proof that you can afford that cute place you have your eye on. You'll need money too, so make sure you bring your checkbook along on your rental hunt. If you have a furry friend, leave him at home, but be sure to have a little extra money for him. Many landlords will want you to cough up a pet deposit if you plan to share your new digs with Rover or Midnight. Some may even want extra monthly rent instead of a lump-sum deposit.
Wondering what Park Forest Village is all about? For starters, many people describe it as a nice, beautiful place to live, but it's also a community with a bit of an identity issue. You see, it's not really a town with a bunch of neighborhoods of its own. Instead, it's like a really big neighborhood that's part of State College. Don't hold that against it, though. It still has plenty of places to call home and lots of suburban-style amenities.
While you will find an apartment complex here or there, it's houses and townhouses that rule the day. However, if you have your heart set on an apartment, you can still find one. Look for one in a smaller apartment building or even in a home converted to apartments instead. Keep in mind that rents aren't necessarily cheap, but you can find some real treasures for your hard-earned bucks in this part of town.
Park Forest Village gets the same WalkScore as State College: 48. This means you won't be stranded forever if you don't own a car, but most places you want to go will require some sort of vehicular transportation. And there are plenty of places to go. Check out Trader Joe's for groceries, Starbucks for coffee, and the Chrome Lounge when you want to knock back a few. Want to fill your belly without cooking? Grab some dinner at C & D Brewery Ventures.
