West Hartford, CT

A richly layered landscape defines the site’s distinctive arboretum character with wooded trails and landscaped ponds, connecting residents to the surrounding open space.

1401 Farmington Avenue is a retirement community with an Arboretum as its central feature on 68 acres in West Hartford, overlooking the Metropolitan District Reservoir. The residential community includes a mix of villa-style homes and mid-rise buildings with a health center and rehabilitation facility. The parcel was originally part of Batterson Park, owned by the City of Hartford. Historically, this site was part of a larger parcel of land proposed to be the Hartford Arboretum. A 1936 “Hartford Arboretum Plan,” completed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, provided inspiration for the current arboretum design.

An extensive walk system provides recreational access to a central wooded area with boardwalks, overlooks and a pavilion. Views over a reservoir and surrounding open space highlight its prominent location. Ponds with extensive landscape plantings frame a tree-lined entry boulevard, creating a distinctive natural frontage along Farmington Avenue.