Many of the elements traditional to Madison County's best architecture are to be found at the Walgreens on Highway 51. The combination of brick with stone or stucco, arches framed by Corinthian pilasters, and a well-articulated roof, all recall the grand pre-war Italianate architecture of the area. Particularly pleasing are the roof's copper cupola and vent dormers, the beautiful profiles of the mouldings, and the herringbone-patterned brickwork within some of the rear arches.
Municipal Court Building
A pleasant contemporary take on Thomas Jefferson's Palladian architecture, the building housing the Police Department and Municipal Court recalls Jefferson's designs for Monticello and The University of Virginia. Brick and 'stone' are typical of the Italianate architecture of Virginia and Mississippi. The building's main modules are connected by long galleries, in the Palladian manner. A translucent glass dome, and pleasing composed window divisions, are among the building's fine points.
U.S Post Office
This is perhaps the first building in Madison whose design was guided by the Mayor. A somewhat Deconstructivist version was at first proposed by the Architect. But Mayor Mary insisted upon a more traditionalist and substantial building. The handsome result is at once Neorationalist, Neoclassical, and Postmodern. The Post Office blends well with more overtly historicist buildings along Highway 51. The innate monumentality of its visual elements meshes well with the scale of the nearby CVS pharmacy. Its brick and 'stone' building materials are thematic for the city.
The Shell Station
When construction of the SPUI (Single Point Urban Interchange) in the mid 90's, at the intersection of Highway 463 and Interstate 55, necessitated the demolition of existing gas stations, Mayor Hawkins Butler realized this represented an opportunity for the new stations to introduce the city, to those exiting the interstate, as a very special place. The Shell station is an early example of the Mayor's insistence that architecture in Madison be unique and ambitious. The station's Southern Italian flavor, with emphasis on massive mouldings and curved parapets, presaged the style of the nearby Galleria development, and raised expectations for developments along Grandview Boulevard. Of note are the sculpted stucco shells, and the shells in the gas island's decorative metalwork. Subsequent gas stations in Madison have raised the bar for such facilities ever higher.
St. Catherines Village
Mississippi's premiere all inclusive Continuing Care Retirement Community, St. Catherine's primary buildings were designed in a pleasing Neotraditionalist style. Its terracotta colored roofs convey a sense of warmth, and its playful vernacular architectural details add a resort-like sense of delight. The community's parkland setting created an early benchmark for the landscaping and siting of developments within the city.
