Assignment 8: Mollie

“The Parks of Stonecrest”, built 2005 in Lithonia, Georgia, provide its residents with the illusion of living in the English countryside in close proximity to a metropolitan area with the comforts of city services. “The Parks” is marketed to “new money” – young couples with growing families that embody Gan’s “upper middle culture.” The median price of homes is $175,000. Its location near an urban area makes it ideal for the “sophisticated urban socialite”, but its suburban character and large size with an average of four to five bedrooms is well suited to those young families who like a large square footage and protection from the city.

“The Parks” is slightly obscured by hilly topography, but the masonry monument sign gives the first indication of the style and message the developers sought to convey – an English countryside on the edge of metro Atlanta. A lions head placed in a fountain-like setting faces small shrubs instead of water, a cheaper solution to an English countryside staple. The plantings at the entrance have been left unattended, a sign of the economy. Evidence of the economic downturn is obvious in “The Parks” with numerous foreclosures and discounted prices.

A nod to the English countryside continues with the use of roughhewn stone, brick, and wood. The extremely popular stick style of the Victorian era is obvious in the house pictured above with slight ornament and use of shingles in the gables. Street names like Pine Oak, Dogwood, Redbud, and White Oak abound, adding to this park-like setting. The ostentation becomes obvious as the full mass of the grossly oversized houses is seen. The final abandonment of the quaint character of the English countryside is exposed as the perceived masonry structures reveal their vinyl siding on secondary facades.

Finally, park space has been made available to the residents of this neighborhood, making the namesake a true indicator of what is found within. However, the lack of shade trees and covered areas make the space seemingly unsuitable for daily use in Georgia. This was evident as it was unused on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.