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PrintDwell: Life in the Treetops
The Treetops Condominiums in the Riverdale area was the first luxury high-rise living option of its kind to develop in Little Rock, Arkansas. The facility is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Sitting Room/Office - A grouping of slightly-reclined black leather chairs and ottomans add a modern touch to the predominately traditional atmosphere of the condo. This space serves as John’s reading nook as well as his office, as he converted the storage closet in this area into a workspace with a desk.
Photography by Janet Warlick
Dr. John and Ruby Slayden made the transition to high-rise living six years and three condos ago. Tired of all the maintenance that went along with the upkeep of their previous home, they decided to put it on the market.
“We were shocked when an offer was made on our home the first day it was on the market,” Ruby Slayden said. Needing to find a new dwelling in a hurry, the couple looked at the Treetops Condominiums.
“I had always wanted to live in a high-rise. We lived in Atlanta for awhile, and there were a lot of those there,” Slayden said.
After doing some major downsizing — going from a 4,000 square-foot home to a 1,203 square-foot condo — the couple caught “condo fever.” They completely renovated their first condo and enjoyed the process so much they did it twice more. Now on their third condo in the Treetops facility, they are high-rise-living pros. They have found unique and creative ways to maximize their space while maintaining an elegant look that incorporates both her taste for traditional décor and his slant toward modern.
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The Treetops Condominiums were the first real luxury high-rise condos available in Little Rock, and when they opened their doors to the public for the first time in 1982, they created quite a buzz. New York-based architect Sidney Weniger developed the facility and modeled it after the Manhattan high-rise he and his wife lived in at the time. His primary obstacle was that not many Arkansans, especially the 50 and older demographic they were targeting, would be lining up to give up their large homes, yards and gardens for a home in the sky. In an article published April, 1982 in the Arkansas Gazette, Weniger explained his philosophy behind Treetops: “We are offering not just living space but a new way of life that gives the older owner an opportunity to enjoy his mature years, or a younger person a chance to be less tied down to the care and concern of a detached home.”
The 12-story Treetops originally offered 50 luxury units — there are now 48 units due to some tenants opting to combine them. Uniformed, white glove-clad doormen were touted as offering 24-hour security and assistance, and the elegant lobby designed by Georg Andersen helped set the tone of elegance. The lobby, though redesigned and updated in a more modern style with bamboo flooring, still serves as a welcoming entrance, and a doorman (sans white gloves) is still available for round-the-clock convenience, even 30 years later.
Two of the building’s longest residents, at 27 years, are Bill and Mary Lou Cravens. The couple bought their condo in 1984 as a temporary dwelling until they found the right house. They loved it so much they decided to stay and have been singing its praises ever since.
“It’s like living in a really nice hotel,” Bill Cravens said. “I enjoy the security, the beautiful view and the ease of living. It is such a convenient place to live.”
Many other Arkansans have called Treetops “home” throughout the years. Its history is rich with famous local tenants — especially in the political arena — including: Attorney General Steve Clark; Senator Mark Pryor; State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher; television and film director Harry Thomason and wife, writer Linda Bloodworth; and many more.
What started as an eye-opening and new way to live in Arkansas continues to draw homeowners, and persuade them to leave behind the annoyance of yard work, home upkeep and daily worries. Treetops is still home to some of Arkansas’ elite — top physicians, lawyers and business owners call it home, and enjoy the convenience of living in Little Rock’s luxurious “tree tops.”
