Grove Court Apartments

The Grove Court Apartments, located in Montgomery, Alabama, is a distinguished luxury apartment complex initially constructed in 1947. Celebrated for its exceptional architectural design, this award-winning building faced abandonment in the 1990s, resulting in a prolonged period of neglect. In 2013, it was recognized as a historical site and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, underscoring its cultural significance.

In 2021, the property was acquired with a vision for revitalization, and plans are underway for its reopening in 2026. The Grove Court Apartments will offer a total of 46 units, featuring 34 two-bedroom and 12 one-bedroom apartments. 

 Enchanted by the jungle of volunteer species and graffiti that dominated Grove Court’s courtyards in their years of vacancy, the design seeks to draw inspiration from that juxtaposition of a wild and unruly form up against the rigid, controlled character of the buildings. Two distinct, contrasting plant mixes characterize the north and south courtyards providing a unique experience in each that meet within the central courtyard spaces and pool deck. The northern courtyard’s open gravel groundplane is interrupted by a canopy of Black Gum that dance in and out of the airy blooms of perennial beds below. Contrastingly, the southern courtyard displays admiration for that former overgrown state, packed with a full strata of broad leaf native species providing dynamic textures. A brick pathway immerses residents through this planting carrying them to their units or to the new pool deck at the eastern side of the property. A plant driven approach is deployed at the pool deck and the central courtyard as well, utilizing dense plantings to provide intimate spaces with opportunities to gather at a variety of scales within these communal areas. Both plant mixes spill out into the perimeter of the site providing a consistent identity that is adaptable to varying programmatic needs from screening and security around the parking and back of house to tranquil, private spaces for ground level units along Grove street. 

-David Hill, Hillworks Design