Masonry Magazine September 2007 Page. 46
MASONRY AROUND THE NATION
MASONRY: For Solid Construction and Solid Marketing
By Kate Parrott
MASONRY HAS LONG BEEN THE SUPREME BUILDING SYSTEM FOR ALMOST ANY TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION. While masonry is almost always the best choice, it unfortunately isn't always the first choice. However, that is far from the case with the Chateaux on Central town homes in Phoenix. Nestled in the midst of the downtown district, these one-of-a-kind, brownstone-style homes provide upscale residential living, with an extensive use of masonry in its European, turn-of-the-century architecture.
The design stemmed from our location here in Phoenix," said developer Phil Anderson, a managing partner with Central PHX Partners LLC who began his career 35 years ago working on Victorian restoration homes in Minneapolis and St. Paul. "We're nestled here in the downtown Phoenix area, between several residential and historic districts: Willo district, Aldarado district and Roosevelt district. Early on when we were in the designing process, we met with members of the neighborhood, and they wanted something that would complement the historic nature of the neighborhood built on that site, so we set about doing that."
But working on a project that would preserve the community's historical integrity was no easy feat. Anderson said that he and his team delved deep into the city's historical architecture archive, searching for elements they could incorporate from turn-of-the-century buildings, some of which were torn down years ago.