Assignment 8: Lydia

The Promenade at Northplace is a brownstone condominium community located next to GA-400 at the Abernathy Road exit. The homes fit into Ford’s category of The Row House Cities of the East and an English-style house type from the entrance. They have a faux-brownstone facade that faces the road and covers the corners of buildings that can be seen from the entrance to the community (Photos 1 and 2). It is only after one drives further into the community that one notices that the brownstone effect is lost. The buildings and units located further away from the entrance abandon the style all-together and look like they do not even belong in the same development (Photo 5). The mixed usage of the styles confused me so much that I thought the development was townhomes until I saw the rear of the buildings and then read all of the print on the advertisements near the entrance (Photo 3).

The roads of the development also end abruptly and there are two large tracts of land to the rear and side of the complex that could have been abandoned after the economic downturn. The outside space in between the units is small, as you would expect with a townhome or brownstone neighborhood, but the developer attempted to create an almost suburban feel as people’s trash cans were pulled to the curb of the small driveways as would be in a subdivision (Photo 4). Instead of the spacious feeling that was attempted in the Olmsteadian suburb, or a traditional urban brownstone lot, the driveway space is a cramped and confusing space that attempts to be both bucolic suburb lot and downtown brownstone. There are even wide terraces that overlook the thin strip of grass behind each building.

The Brownstone or Row House style creates an atmosphere of urban living, reflective of Gans’ lower middle taste culture. The developer is experimenting with adapting the row house style, which is inhabited by the high class culture in older urban areas. However, the area surrounding the development is not very pedestrian friendly, as those homes were meant to be. There are no grocery stores or convenience stores in a distance that is accessible on foot. The noise coming from 400, which is separated from the condos by a field, should provide a truly urban ambient experience for the residents.

The developer marketed the brownstones with the idea of accessibility, not on foot but with their cars as the location is so close to 400 and 285 making them convenient for commuters.The price is also much cheaper than other townhomes in the area at rates around $180,000 when the developments further away from 400 are selling in the $200,000 and low $300,00 range, which is evidence of how the style of these homes reflects in their price. According to Ford, a house type, size, and design can affect its market price. If each condo had more space, for example the entire facade of the brownstone reflected the unit within, then the asking price probably would be hirer for the remaining units.