Parkway Commons Retail Center

Franklin, TN

Mason Contractor: Lovell's Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Hill Foley Rossi & Associates

Project Description

The Parkway Commons Shopping Center is located at 3046 Columbia Avenue in Franklin, Tennessee.

The major design goal was to provide a unique attractive eye catching shopping complex with seven structural phases. The architecture of the buildings had to compliment independent stores, a grocery store and a department store. The portion that Lovell's masonry built was a long, two story building providing 35,000 square feet of retail space.

Two bricks, two Arriscraft stone textures and EIFS type product were utilized to construct this building. Each section is unique and combined they are spectacular.

The structures are made of brick, EIFS, and stone. The two face bricks used for a distinct variation were Calloway Tudor, and Olde Oakmont. The mortar color used was Blue Circle beige to compliment the chosen brick, and stone. The Arriscraft stone used was hazel in color with smooth and rock faced textures. These different mediums of building material add a distinctive visual effect when combined.

The entire building has elaborate crown molding across the top they even varied the style with dentil. The Calloway Tudor columns have inset panels of Olde Oakmont in the middle of the columns running the linear length in two and three sections of each column.

The designer alternated brick colors in long panels which are encased in a boarder of EIFS. The balconies on the second story are located in the middle of the building.

Encasing the doors and windows are moldings in two different styles of arched and straight with the key accent. The flat two story walls are highlighted with lighter colored brick accents. A unique detail of primary brick with detail brick projected the shape of a window or dormer. This provides the illusion of opening in the wall and draws the eye. The use of different colored materials attracts attention to individual locations making it easier for a shopper to locate their intended destination.

There are many advantages to using masonry and paramount in this project would be the versatility of the different mediums. Masonry provides a time honored traditional product. Reliability and durability are attributes of brick, concrete block, and Arriscraft stone. The use of masonry lends a timeless look rarely found in shopping centers of today.

A special circumstance faced in building this project was the area was busy. There was another section of Parkway Commons completed prior to the retail strip center. Paving of parking lots were happening simultaneously during our construction which made material storage and staff parking challenging at times.

The masonry contract for the project was approximately $975,000.