Assignment 7: Simone

Before The Alexander at the District and The District at Howell Mill plaza came into existence the area went through cycles of prosperity and decay. Now thanks to the new developments in the area it is once again prosperous, but before this it was a largely ignored spaced, with long-term established neighborhoods in it, like Berkely Park.

The Alexander at the District is an example of the stucco box, written about by John Beach, and the garden apartment. Similar to the stucco box, The Alexander at the District apartments were constructed as in-fill housing because the surrounding neighborhoods were already well established. On the other hand unlike the stucco box the colors used in this apartment complex are not pastels, they are neutrals. This however may be a reflection of today's modernism and use of natural building materials and colors. The District apartments can be classified as a 1940s garden apartment. As a larger building access to the apartments can be made through a central landscaped courtyard, which also connects to the pool. This corridor is open, increasing the communal feel of the area. As residents step out their front door they can look down at the courtyard and pool area. The apartments have also been lifted to accommodate parking underneath the building, as is seen with the stucco box.

Before the redevelopments that brought The Alexander at the District and The District at Howell Mill plaza, home to Walmart, the area these sites now occupy were plagued with prostitutes and druggies who would cluster around the old Castlegate Hotel. Historically the hotel was an upscale and thriving lodge, and before that it was a dumping grounds. When redevelopment started in the early 2000s, construction workers uncovered dumping areas under the hotels tennis courts. Now this area is targeted to young urban professionals. It surrounds other apartment complexes, houses, recording studios, and many redeveloped mills. The apartment and plaza are both visible from the highway, but the apartments are not visible from the main road, like the plaza is. It is tucked away on a side street, although is connected by a bridge to the plaza, and therefore visible from here. The apartment complex is filled with amenities always being used. There's a gym, business room, 2 courtyards, one with a fountain and benches and the other with a patio table with chairs, both nicely landscaped, as well as a pool and BBQ area. The bridge that connects to the plaza is also extremely utilized by the residents.