Vulcan Park Condominiums
Vulcan Park Condominiums (formerly the Valley View Apartments and Valley View Condominiums) stretch along both sides of Valley Avenue in Homewood from the entrance of Vulcan Park, westward to Golden Crest Circle. The property is managed by Bootby Realty.
Constructed in 1948, the Valley View Apartments were one of Homewood's first major complexes. Mountain Brook Realty Company and its major stockholder Ben Beckham Jr proposed the project to the Homewood City Council, which was originally reluctant to rezone the property for multi-family dwellings. Beckham attended multiple council meetings, assuring the councilmen that the size and cost of the units would meet the city's specifications. The council finally approved the rezoning in December 1947.
Construction of Valley View Apartments included extending 21st Avenue South westward as "Valley Avenue" and constructing Valley View Drive, Valley View Circle, Beckham Drive, Beckham Circle, and Barry Avenue. The 106 units are based on an 18-foot module, 25 feet front to back with two floors. Two-bedroom units have the same floor area above and below. Three-bedroom units extend above the ground floors of adjacent one-bedroom units.
Shortly after approval of Valley View, the city council also approved the nearby Hillside Circle Apartments.
In 1980 the apartment complex was converted into condominiums, and later changed its name.
In 2010 the condominium association applied for a permit to cut down 24 large oaks which front the complex on either side of Valley Avenue. The association claims that the trees' roots are causing damage to a concrete walk and that they would pose a threat to the buildings and inhabitants if they were to fall. The city reached an agreement with the association to have a certified arborist determine the health of the trees and to prune or preserve the trees where no imminent danger is present.
Around 1:00 AM on March 26, 2013, a building in the 1700 block caught fire. No injuries were reported.
References
- Summe, Sheryl Spradling. (2001). Homewood: The Life of a City. Homewood, AL: Friends of the Homewood Public Library.
- Singleton, William C. III (May 24, 2010) "Arborist to advise on fate of trees on Valley Avenue in Homewood." Birmingham News
- Couch, Frank. (March 26, 2013) Valley View Condominiums on Valley Avenue damaged in afternoon fire." The Birmingham News
External links
- Vulcan Park Condominiums website