1970s "Contemporary" Homes - Love? Hate? Live in One? (Atlanta: condo, neighborhood)

[koko339]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I re-read your post. You seem to think they are a novelty--for people that live or grew up in most parts of East Cobb, they are really a fairly significant part of the housing stock. Loch Highland, for example, is one of the main neighborhoods of the Lassiter district (and in my opinion, it is the contemporary-style neighborhood). Look up the neighborhoods I listed above (and there are more) and just drive around and tour them.


Plus there are other East Cobb neighborhoods that have significant (but not entirely) contemporary-style housing stock:

Chimney Springs
Chimney Lakes
Indian Hills
Indian Springs
Oak Creek Estates
East Spring Lake
Liberty Ridge
Hembree Hills
Jamerson Forest
Country Plantation


--and several more...

I do find them novel, only because more traditional style homes have historically been favored in Atlanta. You don't find homes like these in today's subdivisions. I did note that there are a lot in Cobb, as that's the area I'm most familiar with outside of intown Atlanta. I grew up in Woodstock, but my grandparents actually lived in Jamerson Forest and Indian Hills.
Anyone know any other specific areas in the metro with a large concentration of this style?

[plessthanpointohfive]

Well, there's 70s contemporary:

http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/files/ascent-homebuilding/images/1009barlow_elevation.jpg (broken link)


And there's 70s contemporary:

http://www.idahohomes4sale.com/Repository/1/3/2/7/8/1/132781/ce6e36fd-0908-4953-a078-d2cdf37ff24b.JPG (broken link)

But even that second one could be cool-looking with some updates.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by koko339

I wonder if they'll become fashionable again in the way Mid-Century ranches have. A decade or two ago, 50s/60s houses were shunned, but spiffed up and furnished the right way, many of them are quite nifty . Plus, you get the benefit of mature landscaping.

I'm of the opinion that they'll become fashionable again. It may not be as popular as it once was, but I think the contemporary home style will return at some future point.

Our economy thrives, or at least did before the Great Recession, on changes in fashion and style. Designers have to eat, too, and they purposely change fashions and style to generate dollars flowing their way.

White kitchens were in style in the '80s. Now, white kitchens are not nearly as popular as they once were.

If you did own one of these contemporary homes, I would think shag carpeting would be a nice touch. It's very '70s.

Driving a car with a vinyl top might be a little tooooooo '70s, though.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by koko339

I do find them novel, only because more traditional style homes have historically been favored in Atlanta. You don't find homes like these in today's subdivisions. I did note that there are a lot in Cobb, as that's the area I'm most familiar with outside of intown Atlanta. I grew up in Woodstock, but my grandparents actually lived in Jamerson Forest and Indian Hills.
Anyone know any other specific areas in the metro with a large concentration of this style?

Understood...

And (refering to highlighted/underlined above) that's pretty cool...

I grew up in a classic 5-4-and a door East Cobb neighborhood, but our neighborhood was nearly surrounded by many contemporary-style neighborhoods.

[spacelord75]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

They also built a few in Peachtree Corners, Roswell, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Basically any locale that was developed in the 1970s will have some contemporary homes. But in those areas, I am unaware of whole neighborhoods of contemporary houses. Usually they are mixed into subdivisions that are predominately traditionals or ranches.

They are extremely ugly to me. Obviously more people found them attractive back then, but I am sure there were just as many who were saying, "WTF?" It was the tail end of that whole modernism trend that dominated architecture from the 50s-70s. Supposedly they are very spacious inside and let in a lot of sunlight.

I could never live in one, and I would suspect that if "tear-downs" ever become popular in 70s-vintage suburbs, they will be a prime target.

Also, what were they thinking with split levels? Those are just as bad.

There is a gorgeous one down in that Chapparel Estates subdivision off D'woody Club Dr. Can't remember exactly which road it's on but they must have recently restained the wood, the grass is lush green and you feel like you just teleported to Forest Park in Oregon when you walk by it!

In general, I would not personally buy one of these here in Atlanta, as I think the overall taste (including mine) is more geared towards classic colonial style homes, so re-sell would be tough. But if I moved somewhere where the style was more prevalent (like Pac NW) then I would love to play with the style and utilize the clean lines and angles with a more modern interior design slant.

[RainyRainyDay]

Following up on aries' posts, the above house is just around the corner from my house (a classic 4-5-and-a-door) in East Cobb. I live in the Lassiter school zone, near the Loch Highland subdivision mentioned by aries.

There are several houses similar to this in the neighborhood. I think they're a bit drab (especially at this time of year!) but they certainly are affordable family homes with great schools. I'm always puzzled by the claims by some people that you "can't find anything under $500K in East Cobb." That's not at all true, unless "anything" really means "anything over 4,000 square feet and under two years old".

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

... but they certainly are affordable family homes with great schools. I'm always puzzled by the claims by some people that you "can't find anything under $500K in East Cobb." That's not at all true, unless "anything" really means "anything over 4,000 square feet and under two years old".

Exactly.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by koko339

You know what I'm talking about: weird roof angles, diagonal wood siding, funky shaped windows. I know there's a ton of these neighborhoods in Cobb County, and I suspect elsewhere in the metro.

My question for anyone alive during that time period is, "What were you guys thinking?!" LOL Were these really a hot commodity back in the day?

We have friends who live in such a neighborhood in northern Cobb, and I love the look. Octagonal windows all over the place!

Would I buy one? I dunno. I like our classic "five, four, and a door" with a front porch, thank you.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

There is a gorgeous one down in that Chapparel Estates subdivision off D'woody Club Dr. Can't remember exactly which road it's on but they must have recently restained the wood, the grass is lush green and you feel like you just teleported to Forest Park in Oregon when you walk by it!

In general, I would not personally buy one of these here in Atlanta, as I think the overall taste (including mine) is more geared towards classic colonial style homes, so re-sell would be tough. But if I moved somewhere where the style was more prevalent (like Pac NW) then I would love to play with the style and utilize the clean lines and angles with a more modern interior design slant.

One thing about the contemporary style neighborhoods is that because they were built in the 1970's, most of the homes are well-integrated into the woodsy and hilly terrain. Tree saving and natural landscaping are major elements in most of the neighborhoods.

I think they are a good fit for most parts of Metro Atlanta.


One more thing--for those that don't already know--the Sprayberry Crossing shopping center was built in the contemporary style in the 1970's. It was built when many of the contemporary-style neighborhoods were built in posh East Cobb. Drive by and take a look at the design.

Sprayberry Crossing is decrepit and abandoned now (there's story of why and how--but that's another thread), but it used to be one the places to shop in East Cobb from the 1970's to the mid-1980's (along with the old Merchant's Walk and the old Parkaire Mall).

[SW30303]

I had forgotten this yesterday, but the only neighborhood that I know of that is entirely contemporary homes is on Northcrest just outside of 285 barely in DeKalb, I believe. Doraville is its postal address. I think the neighborhoods are called Northcrest, but not 100% sure.

These look more mid century (Frank Lloyd Wright) flat roof types. I think they were built either in the late 50s or late 60s.

I don't think as many of these were built inside the perimeter, so there are fewer ones sacrificed for "in-fill" housing, unlike small boxy post-war ranches with fewer than 1000 sq. ft. in East Atlanta area or elsewhere.

I'm a big fan of unusual architecture and there are a few round geodesic (or entirely round) residential houses in the metro, but off-hand, I know of only about a dozen or so.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1043...y-neighborhood

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1671429/designer-s-touch-mid-century-modern-in-northcrest-for-sale-

http://www.trulia.com/property/30093...ville-GA-30340