Corcoran OTA Group Blog Multi-Family Meets Mountain Home – The Falls

At the southern tip of the Chattahoochee National Forest and with Lake Lanier just a few miles to the east, Cumming, Georgia is about as lovely as an exurb of a major American city can be. At the edge of North Georgia’s gorgeous Highlands region, it’s a place of natural glory – lakes and streams, wooded glades, rolling ranch land, and The Falls, one of our favorite multi-family projects. Currently the only large-scale complex in the area, The Falls consists of a generous cluster of structures over a sprawling 60 acres of land, 40 acres of which are planned into a mini-community – six apartment buildings and nine townhome-style units as well as a leasing office, clubhouse, multipurpose room, exercise area, and two pools. “Normally, we work on projects that are about 10 acres and we’re trying to fit the same program into that space,” says COG Project Manager Matt Palmer. “Being able to spread out and do more with the landscaping here makes this feel like a town within itself.” Here, as with many of our inspired multi-family projects, the lay of the land dictated the form of the complex’s footprint. A small stream divides the property neatly in half, feeding into a larger stream on the backside of the parcel. We carefully considered the flow of the site – literally, with regard to water – and in terms of the spaces unfolding as residents and guests approach and meander through the complex. An ornamental water tower greets visitors at the end of a long entry road, drawing you in. Once there, travelers have a choice: gravitate toward the larger structures to the south – dense apartment homes with the energy of a small tight-knit community – or wind further north, across the stream and toward a neighboring horse farm and the more secluded cluster of The Falls’ townhomes.Throughout, the feel is one of approaching mountain cabins, hinted at via our choice of exterior finishes – shake siding and heavy timber set in open trusses – and soaring, lodge-like cathedral ceilings in common spaces. Inside each unit the spaciousness continues, with large bedrooms and separate living and den areas off the masters in larger, two-bedroom living spaces. Chef’s kitchens replace the study in some, opening space for a six-top dining table and wine bar. Exceptional common areas abound here too, from a large family (and party) friendly pool, clubhouse and multi-purpose room, to walking paths that connect the residences to nature and each other, to inviting dog parks where neighbors and their best friends mix and mingle. The Falls proves that multi-family can be – no, should be – more than simply packing boxes into a site. With enough intuition and ingenuity, it can truly be something both civic and communal, an opportunity to use wide-open spaces to bring people together naturally, something that happens here with a soothing soundtrack of running water flowing effortlessly behind it.The Falls is one of two projects on which we’ve worked with 360° Residential, having previously partnered with the Atlanta developer on Green Park.