Park Lane Apartments
Park Lane Apartments is 276-unit apartment complex on Lane Park Road in Mountain Brook (map). The complex is immediately north of Mountain Brook Village, behind Mountain Brook Shopping Center, and across the street from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The roads going through the complex are named Park Lane Court East, Park Lane Court North, Park Lane Court South, and Park Lane Circle.
The mainly two-story red brick apartment buildings are Georgian in form, but Art-Deco in their details, with limestone entryways ornamented with circular windows, wrought iron and brick bands.
The complex, which was completed in 1948, consists of approximately 21 one- and two-story buildings, including 96 one-bedroom units, 168 two-bedroom units, and 12 bungalow apartments. Residents are allowed to plant gardens and construct patios within the complex, except for the front, facing Lane Park Road. As a result, fountains, sculpture, bird feeders, wind chimes and flowers are found throughout. The property is owned by Evson, Inc. and managed by Joy Ellis.
The Park Lane Apartments have ocassionally been subject to flooding from nearby Watkins Brook. On June 14, 1999, a storm in the area dropped 4.5 inches of rain in 2 hours. This caused over two feet of interior flooding, damaging 72 units and costing $450,000 to repair. The city of Mountain Brook is planning a Watkins Brook Flood Hazard Mitigation Project, for which it is pursuing federal funding.
In 2009 Evson, Inc. executives Rele Evans and his son John revealed plans for a $200 million redevelopment of a 27-acre parcel including the apartments and adjacent shopping center. The new development, dubbed "Lane Parke" would be built in phases with a total of 210,000 square feet of retail space, 1,200 parking spaces, a 75-room hotel and 45,000 square feet of office space above the shops. Condominiums, town houses and apartments would also be constructed in the final phase.
References
- Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency (December 16, 2003). "Upper Shades Creek Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan." [1]
- Kemp, Kathy (May 24, 2007). "Bloom where you're planted." Birmingham News
- Tomberlin, Michael (April 5, 2009) "Family plans $200 million Mountain Brook Village shop, hotel development." Birmingham News
External links
- Park Lane Apartments postcard at Postcard Birmingham