.... the celebration of 40 years
Opened in 1969, The Plaza Towers was the first residential high-rise in Atlanta. The architect was Ted Levy and the development was financed by Invesco. The two towers were built simultaneously, with the construction crews in a friendly contest to see which would finish first.
The architectural style, known as Brutalist Modernism, was as striking then as it is now. It makes creative use of concrete, minimal surface decoration, open floor plans and floor-to-ceiling windows. Great attention was also paid to interior details and finishes, such as the ribbed walnut paneling in the double-height lobbies.
The Plaza Towers was built as a condominium, but this approach was ahead of its time for the Atlanta market, so the building was leased as apartments for about 10 years before going condo. Since then, Plaza Towers has been home to hundreds of Atlantans who appreciate its spacious design, excellent amenities and superb location.
The architectural style, known as Brutalist Modernism, was as striking then as it is now. It makes creative use of concrete, minimal surface decoration, open floor plans and floor-to-ceiling windows. Great attention was also paid to interior details and finishes, such as the ribbed walnut paneling in the double-height lobbies.
The Plaza Towers was built as a condominium, but this approach was ahead of its time for the Atlanta market, so the building was leased as apartments for about 10 years before going condo. Since then, Plaza Towers has been home to hundreds of Atlantans who appreciate its spacious design, excellent amenities and superb location.
One unusual feature of The Plaza Towers when it opened was the restaurant, Tango, which was designed as an integral part of the building. Open 7 days a week from 4:30pm until 11:30pm – and until 2:30am on late nights – Tango was the stylish place to see and be seen in a city which, at that time, had few restaurants of its caliber.
The restaurant closed when the buildings went condo, and its location became the Plaza Room, which is used today for the residents’ Spring Fling and Holiday parties, and by individual residents for their own entertaining.
The two towers are each 250 feet tall and originally contained a total of 176 units. Over the years, several have been combined into larger homes, so today, Plaza Towers has 160 units, along with 11 offices and 3 guest suites (which residents can rent for out-of-town visitors). Three lower decks provide 333 parking spaces.
Other amenities include the Plaza Room (with its catering kitchen), conference room with wireless internet, library, a well-equipped fitness center, men’s and women’s saunas, and an enclosed dog run. Concierges are on duty 24/7 in both towers, and security is provided by keyless access control and closed-circuit TV systems.
Plaza Towers floor plans are an exercise in the maximization of both space and comfort. Each tower is served by three elevators, shared by at most four homes per floor. The towers have a square footprint, and each home occupies a corner of that square – so everyone enjoys views in two directions. On floors 6 and above, all units feature balconies in both directions. They don’t build ’em like this any more!
The restaurant closed when the buildings went condo, and its location became the Plaza Room, which is used today for the residents’ Spring Fling and Holiday parties, and by individual residents for their own entertaining.
The two towers are each 250 feet tall and originally contained a total of 176 units. Over the years, several have been combined into larger homes, so today, Plaza Towers has 160 units, along with 11 offices and 3 guest suites (which residents can rent for out-of-town visitors). Three lower decks provide 333 parking spaces.
Other amenities include the Plaza Room (with its catering kitchen), conference room with wireless internet, library, a well-equipped fitness center, men’s and women’s saunas, and an enclosed dog run. Concierges are on duty 24/7 in both towers, and security is provided by keyless access control and closed-circuit TV systems.
Plaza Towers floor plans are an exercise in the maximization of both space and comfort. Each tower is served by three elevators, shared by at most four homes per floor. The towers have a square footprint, and each home occupies a corner of that square – so everyone enjoys views in two directions. On floors 6 and above, all units feature balconies in both directions. They don’t build ’em like this any more!
Half the floors have four 2-bed/2-bath homes. On the alternating floors, a bed/bath from one unit is given to the adjoining unit, creating a 3-bedroom unit and a 1-bedroom unit. Ceilings are 9 foot throughout. Internally, all units have the same, very open plan, with almost no wall that cannot be moved. Over 40 years, this has allowed different homeowners to remodel their units in countless imaginative ways. It is this variety of living spaces that makes Plaza Towers such an interesting place to visit – and to live.
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We'll be there tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI really like the new 'you might also like:' feature, I might have to try that one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for explaining all. I'd never heard the term Brutalist Modernism, but my father was an architect who believed in creative uses of concrete for building of all the way up and down the line.
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