From Paris to Red Bank: Couple finds home at Fortune Square

RED BANK, NJ – Energized by a physical connection to history, engagement and purpose, David and Julia Applefield were one of the very first occupants of Fortune Square in Red Bank. This intimate offering of 31 rental residences from Roger Mumford Homes are nestled on a one-acre piece of property located to the rear of the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, which was restored and gifted to the T. Thomas Fortune Foundation by the builder.

The couple moved to Red Bank from Paris because they were excited to be part of such a reinvigorated community built on the site of a National Historical Landmark. “At first, we thought of Fortune Square as if the word ‘fortune’ was connected to its primary [literal] meaning, and thus we assumed this was smart real estate marketing,” Applefield remembered. “But the real fortune here, and the source of our enduring feeling of being fortunate, comes from the true source of the house and its accompanying accommodations: T. Thomas Fortune – one of America’s most significant, yet under-reported literary figures and journalistic influencers in the history of our nation.”

Most can attest to Fortune Square as being a “value-added” community, but Applefield says “nothing comes close to being able to live at the site of a great writer and thought-leader, especially one who played such a significant and selfless role in fostering racial equality and giving a powerful voice to the ardent battle for a stronger African-American voice in American society.”

The Applefields’ apartment overlooks the Fortune House. “We can feel the moral commitment of the builder, Roger Mumford, in both his thematic approach to this community as it relates to the legacy of Thomas Fortune, as well as design and craftsmanship,” he said. “The choice of quality materials and aesthetic intentionality all speak to the decision to create places to live that have been made with love and pride. So, living in Fortune Square becomes an act of complicity and solidarity. You live here because you want to be part of something greater than your own little needs.”

When it comes to location, nothing quite compares to living on what Applefield refers to as the creative edge of a town that has a real-life pulse. “Even the whistle of the freight train that barrels past in the early morning has become a source of local charm,” he said.

For those looking to move to Red Bank, New Jersey or even the United States, the Applefields’ story attests to the fact that you never know where life will take you next. “I’m a Jersey boy, but my wife is Parisian,” said Applefield. “We moved here from Paris… not only to Red Bank, but a part of Red Bank that is appropriately named Fortune Square.”

To learn more about Fortune Square at Red Bank, visit FortuneSquareRedBank.com.

About Roger Mumford Homes
Roger Mumford Homes was founded in 2005 by Roger Mumford, former President and Co-founder of the Matzel & Mumford Organization, which built over 75 new home communities in New Jersey. The builder has since earned multiple awards in recognition of its excellence in design and detail, reinforcing its brand and reputation. To learn more, please visit RogerMumfordHomes.com or call 732.842.1580.