567 Lakeshore Drive is a true gem. The 1929 Tudor style home sits within an acre of natural woodlands that has been certified by the Habitat for Wildlife Foundation and the Bird Sanctuary for Audubon. With a waterfall, frogs, fish, birds and bamboo, enjoy a walk along the path or sit quietly on a bench and listen to the sounds the homeowners have worked hard to nurture.
The 2008 attic conversion is a complimentary addition to the home by retaining the existing street front presence yet offering a true second floor master suite. Lots of natural light and period pieces bring warmth to
the home’s interior. Look for the original 1920’s “for sale” sign on display in the family room.
465 Claire Drive is a 3/2, all-brick home built in 1933 in the English Cottage architectural style found throughout Lake Claire. Owned since 2008, the owners have made extensive renovations to the interior and exterior to respectfully bring this home into the present.
Improvements highlighted on the tour include a fully renovated kitchen and master bathroom, maximizing space and design considerations while maintaining many historic elements.
This 1930’s brick cottage home is special to Lake Claire as the exterior of the home looks today as it did when first constructed. The interior, however, has been gutted to accommodate an open floor plan and modern features. Wood floors throughout, plantation shutters, limestone and a warm color palette add to the charm of this home.
The second floor loft expansion is not to be missed! It features a 600 gallon tropical reef fish tank in the master suite and master bath; a truly unique experience. Be sure to take a walk outside to see the koi pond and enjoy the landscaping in the front of the home. This half acre is truly an experience.
This 1936 brick bungalow home appears small from the outside but looks can be deceiving! Enjoy the large living space and beautiful guest rooms of this renovated treasure. A large vaulted ceiling, expansive windows and rear screened porch brings the outdoors inside.
Who can resist a stroll in the rear garden? With beautiful flowering beds, articulated paths, and fountain, this rear yard is a place to escape from city life. Even the wood shed is designed with charm and adds character to this lovely home.
Pioneered in Denmark, the co-housing concept reestablishes many of the advantages of traditional villages within the context of 21st century life. The architecture of co-housing developments is designed to encourage natural interaction and social support. While each household has and owns a private residence that is designed to be self- sufficient, the community includes at its core a common house where residents meet for several common meals per week, do laundry, get mail, and share play and workshop space. And residents themselves share in the management and oversight of the property and community life. Lake Claire Co-Housing, which opened in late March 1997 was the first co-housing community in Georgia— there are now three others. At thirteen households, it is one of the smallest co-housing communities in the nation, but its proximity to the Land Trust, MARTA, and neighborhood retailers and parks give it the level of amenities of much larger communities. Tour guests are free to roam the grounds
Have you ever heard of a xeriscape yard? Then come and experience 441 Harold Avenue! A professional with the Department of Natural Resources, this homeowner has designed a transitional grass to plant front yard garden with rescued native plants from the piedmont region of Georgia.
While the rear yard and accessory structure are not on the tour, feel free to walk through the two story home with finished basement. Built in 2000, the nearly 3000 square foot craftsman home replicates historical details with features such as heavy wood paneled doors, coffered ceilings and crown molding. A touch of modern also exists in the concrete kitchen countertop and screened porch with hanging bed.
552 Hardendorf is an example of modern architecture that compliments its contextual environment. Based on the footprint of the previous home, 552 Hardendorf was designed and built in 2001 using modern techniques and materials but retains the traditional scale and features of the 1930 bungalow homes nearby.
Note that the gable roof, covered porch and paired windows create a classical composition. The cypress wood siding and play on positive and negative space allows the rear elevation to have a fun and funky feel. This home's interior is custom designed. Exposed concrete floors, walls and an open floor plan are all modern, not to mention the screen wall which separates the living room from the master bedroom without the use of a solid wall. While the screen can withstand large images projected on it, please do not touch it. Also use caution when observing special details like the pulley windows and metal ladders.
The Lake Claire Community Land Trust is a green oasis in the heart of Atlanta. But it is more than a place; it is also the community of neighbors and friends who gather here to celebrate nature, the arts, and each other.
In 1986, a group of neighbors purchased an acre-and-a-half of Georgia clay covered with trash and kudzu from MARTA to create a “greenspace” – with the ulterior motive of turning
their Lake Claire neighborhood into a community. With time, love, and lots of hard work, it has evolved into the wonderful haven it is today.
People come to garden, walk their dogs, play with their kids in the playground, visit Big Lou the Emu, enjoy the greenspace, the sunsets and the magnificent trees, and celebrate community through festivals, drum circles, saunas, and sharing food. Our neighbors are welcome and encouraged to enjoy the Land Trust gardens, walkways and play areas.
A small haven on Harold is the Harold Avenue Greenspace. Once privately owned land slated for residential construction, a joint effort between Lake Claire and the Atlanta City Council returned the property to City ownership in order to retain the natural ecosystem that exists here. Adjacent to the Frazer Forest, a thirty-plus-acre green space in the midst of Lake Claire and the private preserve of the Frazer Center, the Harold Avenue Greenspace is a wonderful spot to stop to bird watch or look for small animals.