Elizabeth HinsonArticle published by AL.com
You may have noticed a major construction project underway on the highly sought-after Strip adjacent to the campus of the University of Alabama, home of the 17-time NCAA National Championship Football team. This time it is not another student apartment building, but rather University Boulevard’s first and only luxury condominium building.
July 15, 2019, was ground-breaking for the newest John Poole & Company Architects-designed project, Park Place Luxury Condominiums. Located at 1501 University Boulevard, this new location is certain to revolutionize the way Bama fans and fans of Tuscaloosa live.
Two names should sound familiar here. First, the name “Park Place” should spark some modicum of nostalgia in those who grew up playing Monopoly. The second name which should sound familiar is John Poole & Company Architects. To date, Park Place Luxury Condominiums will be the fifth set of luxury condominiums that this architecture firm has designed in Tuscaloosa. If you are reading this, chances are you probably know someone who lives in The Chimes or Champions Place, two of the more lavish abodes in the Tuscaloosa area. Or, perhaps you’ve had one of those moments of jealousy as you drove by Camelia Place, the building with the stunning traditional tall white columns and rows of stone archways on Hackberry Lane and 13th Street. The point is, Park Place Luxury Condominiums is the newest member of an illustrious pedigree of aesthetically pleasing architecture, posh interior design, and upscale condo living.
The location and size of the Park Place Luxury Condominiums are clear market differentiators. About a block away from the bars and restaurants on the University Strip and just a five- to ten-minute walk to and from both Bryant Denny Stadium and a vibrant Downtown Tuscaloosa, Park Place Luxury Condominiums offer the best of all possible worlds. With only 13 residences, Park Place will have a high element of exclusivity. Imagine having a five-star hotel on the Strip of one of the most fun and iconic college campuses on the planet. Then imagine that it’s not a hotel, it’s a condo…and you OWN it!
“We bought this as an investment,” Allyson Sutter, a pre-sale buyer, explains. “The location is just amazing. You walk out of the building, you go right and you’re headed for the Strip and the Campus and all of the athletics—the football stadium, basketball and all. You go left and you are on the edge of downtown with all of the nice restaurants. You’re just in the middle of everything.”
“The building is more of a boutique kind of arrangement, small and not so overwhelming like being in some massive complex with a bunch of other people,” Allyson says.
So, what makes Park Place a luxury condominium? Quality of construction, attention to detail and amenities. Secured and gated parking when you arrive with multiple covered parking spaces for every owner. When you enter the secured access building, the lobby and hallway areas are heated and cooled providing the feel of a luxury hotel or a high-end beach condominium. And, of course, the units have all of the attributes and attention to detail you would expect – 10’ ceilings, 8’ solid doors, heavy crown molding, high end granite, hardwood floors, etc. while utilizing the best soundproofing insulation to allow for peace and quiet when needed. Most importantly you feel the construction quality throughout the building. The units are luxury residences. The corner units on floors 2 – 4 are either 2,124 square feet (1,801 heated and cooled) 3 bedroom/3 bath or 2,173 square feet (1,851 heated and cooled) 4 bedroom/4 bath. The center units are huge at 2,851 square feet (2,449 heated and cooled) 4 bedroom/4 bath. The balconies are a true extension of the living space of these residences and are absolutely massive—running the length of the entire outside of each unit. That’s more space for entertaining guests, more space to incorporate outdoor furniture and, in general, more space for living your best life. Each balcony also comes with a large preinstalled, vented, hooded grill: great for game day cookouts and family barbecues. These grills complement the high-end interior appliances that each unit has already. Most of the residences will feature a Sub-Zero and Wolf appliance package – the best for the best. You’ll be cooking like Rachel Ray or Emeril Lagasse after your first year of living here.
Not only is Park Place on the main drag of the Strip, it’s also wedged between two of the most beautiful, traditional neighborhoods in the area: Pinehurst and Audubon Place. John Poole & Company Architects drew heavily from the aesthetic themes of these neighborhoods so that the building wouldn’t look out of place and would meld into the surrounding environment seamlessly—red brick façade, large white columns framing large balconies. The building is around 48’ tall and 145’ wide. So, it’s not an imposing building—far homier than a hotel—yet, it has a considerable footprint on University Boulevard compared to some of the other properties around it.
Parking for Alabama football game weekends can be quite stressful. As a Park Place resident, you will have multiple parking spaces and exclusive access to private, security-monitored and gated parking. That way, you won’t have to get into a shouting match with an unruly LSU fan or a miscreant Mississippi State fan over dibs to a parking spot the next time you come into town for a football game.
Twenty-six cameras cover every inch of the properties exterior and public interior spaces. Safety and security are top priorities for the folks at Park Place. They want their residents to feel at ease, focusing more on living in luxury than looking over your shoulder or peeking out your window every five minutes.
There’s also an exercise area that spans 64’ with an etched glass wall encompassing weights, elliptical machines, pull up bars and weight machines. So, get rid of that pricey gym membership once you move in. This is a great way to meet your neighbors and stay fit after those long benders of pork ribs, hamburgers, and hot dogs on game days.
“If you are on the fence about purchasing one of these condos,” another pre-sale purchaser, Kevin Jones, from Texas points out, “just remember, there are only thirteen of these units available, so you are going to have the opportunity to own something that not many people in Tuscaloosa are going to have access to. They are going to feel like it is money well spent. And, the quality of construction, I think, is going to be better than what most are used to.”
It appears Park Place Luxury Condominiums is going to be a welcome complement to the Tuscaloosa skyline and an amazing addition to the luxury lifestyles of anyone who purchases one.
Kevin Jones adds, “It has been a while since there has been a luxury condo like this done. So, this is going to bring some newness to the Strip and they are going to be in high demand.”
None of this would have been achievable in such a short amount of time without collaboration from the City of Tuscaloosa, the design team and construction team all who have been working diligently to make this dream a reality.
Although the crew has just begun the construction process, Park Place Luxury Condominiums are scheduled to open their doors to residents in July of 2020—less than a year from now. And, while that may or may not seem like a long time from now, these units are already starting to sell pretty fast. Of the thirteen units that will make up the bulk of the building, four have already been sold in the pre-sale process of development. That means there are less than ten units left for grabs as you are reading this.
Before you know it, you could be living in one of these luxury condominiums, relaxing on the balcony, sipping on a glass of chardonnay and listening to the buzz of the Tuscaloosa nightlife right below you. Call (205) 393-3044 to speak with us on how to own your own slice of the good life. And, the sooner the better!
