Cottonwood Commons

The Cottonwood Commons site plan is divided into four quadrants, each defining a New Mexico style residential “compound”, or small neighborhood. Three have 12-13 dwellings each. The fourth has 7 dwellings plus a community building with a manager’s unit. The compounds are named “cielo” (sky), “piedra”, (rock), “agua” (water), and “arbol” (tree).

The quadrants are formed by two main pedestrian “paseos” (passages), “paseo sol” (sun) and “paseo luna” (moon). These paseos will also serve as emergency vehicle access. Private vehicle access and parking is provided by extending the existing Alamogordo street grid. Parking is primarily provided by parallel street spaces. This is very efficient and reduces the “parking lot” feel apartment complexes often have. These streets differ from the existing ones by having trees planted in the street pavement, located between the cars in flush tree basins protected by bollards. This slows cars and reduces the visual scale of the streets, as well as providing shade for the cars.