Dwell Design Studio has released a series of renderings of Decatur Crossing, the Fuqau development across the street from the coming Suburban Plaza Walmart. On their site it’s called “The Point”. Here are a few of those renderings for your perusal…
Cubalibre
LOL
LOL
At Home in Decatur
Dan Whisenhunt
Cubalibre
J_T
FM Fats
Robert Butera
Steve
Walker1
Richard W. Lewis II
nice.
tres beigey.
Looks very similar to Emory Point. I guess this is how everything will look for the next decade or so. Homogenized.
Yep, agree to that. Looks like most everything getting built these days is in this same style. Guess what’s still here in 50 years will be considered historic – like 1950’s ranch houses.
+1. But I love that these projects are right on the pedestrian front. Feels more urban.
At least they included my yellow Lambo in the picture
These renderings don’t look very mixed usey. Is there really a retail or commercial component to this?
Also, on their website, what is “The Reserve at Decatur?”
http://www.dwelldesignstudio.com/#!reserve-at-decatur/cbzh
I believe that is on DECATUR Street, heading into ATLANTA. Near GA State Univ.
Nope. This is Scott Boulevard and Church Street in unincorporated DeKalb northeast of Decatur.
I think what Decaturight was trying to clarify was that the link LeeOnCandler posted went to a development called “The Reserve at Decatur” which is not at Scott and North Decatur. If you flip through the linked website’s other developments, you eventually get to “The Point on Scott” which is the development being discussed.
The Reserve at Decatur is the luxury apartment community being built by Atlantic Realty Partners at Church St and Milscott Dr.
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2014/06/11/apartment-complex-planned-for-vacant-car-dealership-lot-on-church-street/
The commercial piece is separate now since Fuqua sold off the multifamily. The commercial will be behind the residential across Church Street from Suburban Plaza and Walmart.
I think that style will hold up a lot longer than the mixed element styles used at the 315 W. Ponce and Commerce developments.
Speaking of which, that Alexan color scheme a commenter warned us about a couple of Fridays ago has crept around the corner onto the Commerce facade. In the renderings from April, the artist did show the colors but forgot to show those bath, dryer, or kitchen vents sticking out the sides. Will be interesting to see what blows out in cold weather.
Considering the more substantial nature of building materials in the structures on either side, I hoped the developer would add a little more brick or stone or concrete or something. In its current lightweight state (except for the parking garage), the project really reminds me of a budget motel on the interstate. Maybe should be renamed The Relaxan in honor of the motel Decatur lost in the project formerly called Trinity Triangle, now called The Arlo, which itself might be renamed Arlo Johnson or ArJo’s if only they would add an orange roof to that parking garage. (The development will have ice cream!) And sticking with that naming theme, The Place on Ponce could become The DoubleDeadTree (although that would not recognize all three planting failures along Ponce de Leon Place). Additional suggestions welcome.
Could say these projects are ugly, but that might be moderated, and I guess my real point is that they’re unimaginative and interchangeable. Seriously, quickly glance at a portion of the renderings for any one of these (or even the little we saw for Cousins’ proposed Callaway development) and see if you can tell which it is. (OK, maybe panels painted in five colors would be a giveaway.) And all of them could be plopped down on suburban properties around 285 and appear just as much “in place.” Nothing ties them to their context.
Can you imagine any one of these in 10 years wearing its age as well as The Artisan or the 335 West Ponce Condos or the new townhomes on East Howard? With real estate investment trusts driving construction of these apartment developments, the job title of the architect/designer has been reduced to that of “investor profit maximizer,” and the design goal has become to use the least expensive materials acceptable to house the largest number of renters possible in the smallest space available. I suppose we can take some solace in that the Hardie board can be repainted every decade to reflect the latest trend in apartment exterior palettes.
Of course, I don’t expect these investment trusts to care about the long-term architectural appeal of their developments, but are these projects really the best design the city planning group and the Decatur Cowtown Development Authority can get out of these developers?
Not to defend the Alexan which, like you, I don’t personally care for architecturally, but I’m a silver lining kind of guy and perhaps there’s one upside: If the building’s construction quality ultimately pales to the Place on Ponce or Arlo, coupled with the fact that of the three, it’s got the worst location (worst street and nothing much in the way of “lifestyle” just outside its front door), maybe the rents will come in some degree less than the others once they all start competing. If nothing else, that’d be a plus for broader economic diversity, which I support.