| Club
is a 44-unit garden property in Bay Minette, Alabama,
designed for, and by, senior adults. In 1985, after
seven years developing and building affordable properties
for families and the elderly, Fred Bennett grew tired
of replicating “customary” designs for
older adults and decided to consult the residents
themselves as he searched for new ideas. He met with
focus groups in two of his “elderly” properties
and asked, “If we had to do it over again, and
weren’t too worried about cost, what would you
suggest we change.”
He
got solid ideas from these groups which were incorporated
into the Club Continental design. Suggestions for
the exterior included: parking at the front door
for each unit; arranging the buildings in a “campus”
setting with the focus of outdoor living in the
more secure center of the campus; a covered rear
porch, with privacy between units and a “personal
planter.” In Hawaii, they call this feature
a “lanai.”
Interior
requests included: an open “great room”
design, flowing from front door to the rear “garden
doors;” a vaulted ceiling to add volume to
this space; a galley kitchen open to the great room;
a hotel-style bathroom with sink and vanity separated
from the rest of the bath; bedrooms large enough
to position a queen bed on at least two walls; more
closet and storage space.
Club
Continental, designed by Rory McKean of McKean and
Associates, Montgomery, Alabama, incorporated all
of these ideas, and more. Completed in 1986, it
became the benchmark design for affordable garden-style
senior housing in Alabama.
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