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Residents of downtown Montgomery and those involved in the revitalization effort are excited that renovation has begun on the Hilltop Arms building at the heart of Five Points.
The new owner has a vision for its future which is much like the vision that has come to so many investors in downtown metropolitan areas across the country. It is a vision for improvement and community development. A vision for Montgomery’s renewal. A vision for urban loft residences. And the visionary’s name is Kim Henderson.
A Montgomery native who currently resides in Virginia, Henderson purchased the property at the corner of Goldthwaite and Montgomery Street in June 2006. When asked what originally sparked his interest in the downtown, Henderson stated that he first became interested several years ago when he learned of the City’s plan for downtown revitalization. In 2002, armed with the knowledge that the City was set to invest significant resources in an effort to change the face of downtown, Henderson embarked on a 3-year search for the right investment property. He eventually chose a 1950’s-era mid-rise with remarkable views of the Alabama River and Montgomery’s downtown.
Seated in the heart of the renaissance district, The GrandView at Cottage Hill has some of the best views in the city, and the units are preselling now.
Plans for The GrandView include 30+ luxury condominiums that will range in size from approximately 1400 – 5000 square feet of living space, designed by the award-winning architects at Goodwin, Mills & Cawood. The GrandView offers future residents all the comforts of a luxury home with Florense kitchens and baths with oak finishes, opaque glass cabinets, granite countertops, and innovative storage systems, all combined with the convenience and culture of downtown living. These state-of-the-art lofts will create an entire lifestyle and community experience as loft owners enjoy the fitness center, private-viewing theater, and other beautifully-appointed public spaces. Prices range from the $300,000’s to the $600,000’s.
The redevelopment in the downtown area is seen as an asset to the vitality and strength of the city’s community, and excitement about Henderson’s GrandView project is shared widely in the nearby neighborhood of Cottage Hill. In a recent edition of the Cottage Hill Foundation newsletter, Mary Webster wrote, “This location will be in prime demand, setting the stage for an influx of eateries, shops and entertainment venues along Goldthwaite Street. [With] favorable effects upon the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Just down the street from the GrandView at Cottage Hill, another luxury loft development is taking place. This one by urban pioneer, Byron Berry, owner of Phoenix Homes.
Berry purchased 109-111 S. Court Street next to New South bookstore in March 2006, and began restoration work on the building immediately. His plans: four 1000-1700 square foot loft residences and one 1200 square foot commercial space. The lofts, designed by Doug McNab of Cherry McNab Architecture, will be completed this summer, and the commercial space has already been purchased by New Orleans native, Darien Clark, who plans to open a Smoothies-n-Things there.
Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Berry has performed much of the restoration and renovation work himself, and his eye for detail and creative design has served him well in this project, as these lofts are the ultimate in urban chic. Exposed brick walls, high ceilings and flexible track lighting set the mood in these high-end homes, which are all pre-wired for networking and full home automation. The gourmet kitchens are equipped with stainless appliances and and quartz counters. The bathrooms feature heated floors, air tubs and stunning glass tile. The lofts also utilize cost-efficient tankless water heaters which are space-saving and convenient. A trendsetter by nature, Byron already has his eye on a couple of buildings downtown for his next project. He’s interested in urban townhomes and infill development, and says that his next endeavor will likely be more affordable housing, attractive to younger professionals, artists and students.
Berry is a huge proponent of Smart-Code, which allows for mixed-use buildings, combining retail and residential spaces, and providing greater quality of life benefits for those who live there. Of course, SmartCode has only recently been adopted for downtown redevelopment, and Berry says that until the downtown revitalization has really taken off, urban pioneers must be willing to exchange the convenience of being right next to a grocery store for the convenience of being right next to work.
But suffer, they won’t. With restaurants like Lunde’s and long-time establishments such as Lek’s Railroad Thai and The Brew Pub, residents certainly won’t have to look far for a great meal. And with the completion of the Riverwalk Park and amphitheater, residents of the new downtown lofts now have entertainment options like the free TGIT Concert Series, the Riverwalk Summer Film Festival and Biscuits ballgames all within walking distance.
Berry’s passion for preservation and restoration goes beyond the buildings he renovates. Berry also serves as Associate Pastor of Creative Arts at CityChurch.
“The improvement of Montgomery’s downtown will have a ripple effect throughout the entire city,” says Mark Lawrence, of Seay, Seay & Litchfield. “The uniqueness of Montgomery lies in its downtown, and under the current Mayor’s leadership, we are now rediscovering the city’s core assets,” he said.
Seay, Seay & Litchfield is the firm responsible for such historic renovations as the exterior of Troy University’s Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, the interior and exterior of the sanctuary and chapel of St. John’s Episcopal Church, the new wing of The Archives and History Building in Montgomery, and the long-range restoration plan for the Governor’s mansion. Lawrence first began working with Seay, Seay & Litchfield during an internship while studying at Mississippi State, and came to the firm full-time following his graduation in 2003. With a passion for preservation and history, Lawrence enthusiastically shares his views on Montgomery’s rich history and the benefits of the trends that are currently being seen in the city.
“The geographical features and spatial aspect of downtown make it compelling and rich. It’s where the culture is. Downtown is a virtual pop-up book for the history of this city,” states Lawrence.
According to Lawrence, the influence of new urbanism is having a positive effect in Montgomery, as people are beginning to realize that the quality of life is better when you’re closer to everything you use. He believes that Montgomery is shifting from the nomadic tendency toward sprawl, and moving toward an urban/metropolitan revival, the likes of which has been occurring in major cities across the United States for well over a decade. The efforts of Mayor Bright and other city leaders combined with private investment have provided foundational pieces to build on, but Lawrence says that’s only the beginning. “We need creative, vibrant young twenty to thirty-somethings to bring energy into the city. People that find value in gazing upon and appreciating the history of Montgomery which is right before our eyes,” says Lawrence.
Lawrence runs daily from his 1924 Capitol Heights bungalow into downtown, down Dexter Avenue and up the Capitol steps. (Yes, like Rocky.) He says it gives him the chance to check on how construction is progressing, and to do his own history-gazing. Lawrence says he loves studying the urban fabric of any town, but finds especially fascinating the shifts in American culture that began here in Montgomery.
“Montgomery’s downtown has a permanence to it that should not be underestimated, and the full cross-section of Montgomery and its people groups that are represented are all the more reason to embrace the revitalization effort,” he says.
http://www.grandviewatcottagehill.com
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