Checkmate Apartments Development

 

Laurel Ridge Apartments - 2016.01.03

The Checkmate Apartments were the last development that P&H Home Builders constructed, completing in 1971. In my interview with Howard Hardrath from 2009, he related a few things to me regarding the Checkmate Apartments:

• The original idea behind building a multi-family residential project was to have continuous income from the rents collected from renters. Howard and Paul owned several lots that were somewhat difficult to build that bordered the inside edges of the Checkmate grounds where they intended to build homes where they could live and oversee the Apartments to some extent. By the time they finished construction Howard indicated that they were somewhat over being real estate developers and chose instead to spend more time at their Lake Lanier summer homes (Paul ended up moving their into retirement while Howard continued to live at his residence in Sagamore Hills, which he built in 1956).
• The bottom of Valley Bluff Rd originally continued into the Checkmate Apartments at the bottom past the creek (it currently dog-legs to the left to dead-end into Pleasantdale Rd). The county had P&H modify the road as there's some zoning issue preventing a mix of a multi-family properties inside a residential zone, thus the weird current configuration. Where it continues inside the apartment grounds, it's still called Valley Bluff Rd (as an aside when meeting Ray Edwards - Paul's son who lived in one of the last houses built (actually inside the apartment grounds) - indicated that trying to get food or other delivery was something of a nightmare, first because his A-Frame is located on the apartment grounds so it didn't usually show up in maps (and later mapping software), and second because the apartment gates prevented easy delivery). .
  
• I mentioned the interesting texture of the lower walls and Howard gave credit to Paul Edwards "He was a real genius - figured out that if we laid the forms on the ground, reinforcing them and then standing them up, we could achieve the aggregate effect"
• Regarding the clubhouse, Howard indicated it was a real travesty how it's been expanded where the original A-Frame construction is obscured. He also said that the adjoining pool has a glass wall - the idea was that clubhouse visitors could view people swimming with refreshment, but it was quickly covered over as female residents complained.

Original Railing, Skylights and Beams - 2016.01.03

Post and Beam Carport Construction - 2016.01.03

Textured Lower Walls - 2016.01.03

Aggregate Lower Wall Detail - 2016.01.03

Note that the following information was copied from the HISTORIC DISTRICT INFORMATION FORM (HDIF) developed by the 2016 Georgia State Masters of Heritage Preservation Program involved in the Northcrest Historic District designation documentation.

Located at 3214 Valley Bluff Drive, the Checkmate Apartments (AKA Azalea Ridge Apartments and currently (2024) Parkside Apartments) were the final work by Paul Edwards, Howard Hardrath, and Walter Talley within the Northcrest district. The apartments were constructed in 1971. 

The original clubhouse is an A-Frame Split Level that's been heavily modified (it's hardly recognizable). 

Laurel Ridge Clubhouse  Exterior 2016.01.03

Laurel Ridge Clubhouse Interior (image taken through a window) 2016.01.03

Laurel Ridge Clubhouse Interior (image taken through a window) 2016.01.03

Sadly, in the most current Parkside Apartments iteration, the original carports look to have been removed. Also, seems the tongue-and-groove ceilings have all been painted.

Interesting footnote - it seems several band members once lived in the Checkmate Apartments - most notably Dean Daughtry from the Atlanta Rhythm Section

 

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