Foster on the Park

Great Apartment Building in Downtown

Foster is an excellent albiet expensive living option in downtown Durham. In my opinion, the location is the best in Durham. Foster is located next to Durham Central Park across from the Food Hall. It is no more than a 10-minute walk from basically anything in downtown Durham, including the baseball stadium. During the spring and summer, I am able to roll out of bed on Saturdays and walk through the farmers market. Make sure to check out the Carolina Theater, too!

The rooms are generally quite nice quality and many have had two or fewer prior tenants. The higher up in the building you go, the better the views of the downtown. The amenities are quite good, too, but the pool is small.

For all the good, there are plenty of bad, though. The downtown apartment complexes, including Foster, have taken particular advantage of the post-Pandemic rent spikes in Durham. After my first lease, management tried to raise my rent by almost $250 per month. I was able to negotiate down to $100 increase, but I still feel like I overpaid. I want to emphasize that I live in a studio–the smallest apartment in the buidling–and I am still paying significant rent. I'm one of the rare 20-somethings in the building who have stayed past a single lease period because of the dramatic rent hikes the building has been trying to pull. Unfortunately, older mid-professionals with dual incomes are happy to pay the higher rents, so I do not expect prices will decrease in the building.

Management is also an issue. Foster was recently purchased by a large national management company that maintains very little oversight over the building. They operate it purely for income and I feel like the services they provide in return are minimal. The front desk is generally responsive, but the property managers are often unable to solve tenants' problems. Most tenants are not satisfied with the in-building managers. The building has had some repeated maintenance issues with elevators and the pipes seem to be of poor quality.

Overall, I still think the building is one of the best housing options downtown. The apartments are nice, the location is great, and the community of tenants is friendly. While price and oversight are an issue, it is not enough to detract from living there if you are interested.

One of the best parts of living at Foster on the Park is the location- right across from the Durham Food Hall, next to the Farmers Market/Central Park, and within walking distance of bars and restaurants downtown. The amenities (pool, gym, overlook, lounge) are awesome and the maintenance team is super quick. The studio feels like a one-bedroom and has plenty of storage/cabinet space. The cons: The parking garage is very tight and sometimes there aren't enough spaces, there have been some security concerns with bikes going missing, and it is a bit expensive.

Living here has been great. The staff are kind and maintenance staff work hard to solve any issues quickly.

The apartment is super modern having been built just a couple of years ago. The location is excellent to have the downtown atmosphere and proximity to nightlife and Central Park. However, you would likely need a car to get to Fuqua, which is about a 12 minute drive away.

Amenities offered are awesome. Gym is small, but has everything. Poolside BBQ is popular. Rooftop clubhouse can be used by residents and it’s beautiful. Common room is also well maintained and used daily for those wanting to get some work done. Think co-working space vibes.

This building is stunning and has an amazing location right in the heart of downtown Durham. It has so much to offer. The Farmers market is right next door, along with Central Park. It is truly the heart of Durham and has been amazing to live next to and get out of the Fuqua bubble (while still being <5 mins away from 9th Street). The apartments are brand new with beautiful finishes, friendly neighbors, responsive management team.