When One West Victory is a little closer to completion, this column will take a closer look at the interior spaces and at any new businesses that set up shop there, including Hugh Acheson’s restaurant The Florence.
But the exterior work is largely finished on One West Victory (http://www.onewestvictory.com), so today we’re taking a broad look at how the development fits into the urban landscape.
One West Victory, which is being developed by Atlanta-based Jamestown Properties, occupies a big piece of land on the south side of Victory Drive between Bull and Barnard streets. The railroad tracks and a short stretch of West 44th Street lie to the south.
There’s a parking garage near the corner of Bull Street and Victory. The commercial space is a little farther west, close to where Whitaker Street ends. The 114 apartments, which are being marketed primarily to college students, take up much of the western and southern portions of the complex.
As I have discussed before in this column, earlier plans for the site made better use of the corner of Bull and Victory. By “better” I simply mean the previous concepts had the goal of turning that corner into an inviting hub of public activity and commerce.
But those plans were always complicated by the presence of the railroad tracks, which cut diagonally through the busy intersection. The awkward placement of the tracks has resulted in some oddly shaped lots along Victory Drive and in the various neighborhoods to the southwest and northeast.
One West Victory has addressed the unusual configuration of the lot by creating a densely planted buffer at the corner of Bull Street that softens the overall effect of the complex.
Some had feared the parking garage would visually overwhelm the intersection of Bull and Victory, but those concerns have been mitigated by the plantings, by various design elements including the open stairwell and ample windows and by the simple fact that the garage is set pretty far back from the nearby streets.
The south face of the garage still looks stark if you’re traveling north on Bull, but a little landscaping would work wonders there.
The design has incorporated the old commercial facades along Victory and preserved the historic red brick building that many have coveted over the years. That structure will eventually hold One West Victory’s leasing office and amenities center.
I’ve heard one landscape architect lament that the development comes so close to Victory Drive, but the setback of the new construction is consistent with the historic buildings in the complex.
I don’t know if I would want to live in one of the ground floor apartments with windows just a few paces off Victory Drive, but the proximity of residents will have all sorts of positive ripple effects for the neighborhood.
We don’t see many pedestrians along Victory Drive, but the south side of the street should see a fair bit of activity when One West Victory is completed and fully occupied.
The western facade along Barnard Street, which is considerably more attractive than nearby properties, holds the main entrance to the residential building.
That stretch of Barnard hasn’t gotten much civic attention in recent decades, but the opening of One West Victory should prompt streetscape improvements.
There are dozens of nicely proportioned windows on the south façade of the main building, but that side would obviously benefit from additional landscaping once construction is finished.
During the approval process, some were concerned that One West Victory would not provide enough off-street parking for all the new residents, but the complex exceeds the requirements.
I should add that there were also concerns last year about insufficient parking for the Avenues on 61st, a development similarly aimed at student renters.
Yes, there are inevitably impacts to neighborhoods in the wake of dense residential developments such as the Avenues on 61st, but we did not see anything close to the various worst-case scenarios once those townhouse apartments near Habersham Village were occupied.
There are a handful of apparently thriving small businesses across Victory Drive from One West Victory, but there are also a number of underutilized and vacant commercial properties.
The completion of One West Victory, the opening of The Florence and the presence of a few hundred new residents should add considerable value to those properties across the street and others in the neighborhood. Look for considerable new investment in the coming months.
Streetscape improvements along the north side of Victory Drive — such as street trees and better sidewalks — would make the entire neighborhood feel more welcoming.
One West Victory is currently leasing one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments ranging from 263 to 1,075 square feet.
It’s certainly going to be interesting to track the development’s progress.
City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.