The development will consist of fifteen two-story quadplexes, each with garages, elevators, and visitor parking. The design will allow for aging in place, with assisted living care available on-site. In addition, senior residents will have access to a dining hall and recreational facilities.
From a design point of view, the plan looks solid. I particularly like that the 3-4 story assisted living building will front Alameda (see the picture below), as the height of this building, along with its short setback, will enhance the urban feel of Alameda and hide the development's surface parking.
This will make for the third large senior center in downtown Lakewood, which reflects market reaction to the aging of the baby boom generation. It also represents an increasing rejection of suburban living by all demographics. Young and old, more and more Americans want to live in urban areas, with easy access to shopping, dining, and recreation.
Do you know the exact meaning of the abbreviations on the drawing - MB, SC, etc? I assume they refer to features and finishes... I got to say the design looks a bit blah
ReplyDeleteBR- Brick, SC- Stucco, PST- Precast Stone, ST- Stone, MA- Metal Awning, MB- Metal Juliet Balcony, Ct- Covered Balcony
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that the use of brick and precast stone has been specified means we'll see a quality building overall.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that this building isn't a standout architecturally. But for me, it's less about the design of this particular building than how it adds to the overall fabric of downtown Lakewood.
Think about what makes Paris such a great city-- your typical building in Paris is, in fact, pretty blah. What makes the city great is the way all those average buildings work together. It's all about the short setbacks, the windows facing out to sidewalks, the hidden parking, the pedestrian orientation.
I think it's great we're seeing these New Urbanist principles being applied now outside of Belmar proper.