Heritage Village - Cottage Court
Project Brief:
The 2.3 acre Heritage Village Cottage Court is in Phase 1 of a larger walkable community located adjacent to the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 115-acre project has a commercial component two blocks from this cottage court, serving 1,000+ students, faculty, and staff at ACHE.
The urban designer, Mike Watkins Architects, proposed a pocket neighborhood comprised of 17 houses fronting an attached central green. Six house plans were used, with each exterior calibrated to achieve a range of compatible details. The plans range from 675-1,830 heated square feet, offering a variety of living arrangements. Each unit has access to the central green, or one of the two small courts that extend behind the green. The developer and designer agreed on a simple color palette of white paint and trim, brick foundations, and silver galvalume roofs, accentuating the simple, elegant detailing and thoughtful arrangement. Corner lots were given particular attention with wrap around porches used to give those houses a presence on the street and the green.
This elegance of the first phase is as remarkable as the unique business model from a market and housing-type standpoint. The houses were built as rental properties for the students and faculty at ACHE. They are in stark contrast to the large conventional apartment complex next to the campus across the street. The project’s success, which will lead to the upcoming ground breaking of Phase 2, shows the demand for a community-focused alternative to conventional apartments.
