Row housing is nothing new but condominiums used to be something of a novelty until after1950. This place on Cherry Lane,  which now houses seniors, has "the look" and character of this style.

Note that designation "lane." In other locations "court" or terrace" or "heights" might be preferred. This is because selling people on these apartment/condominiums was more a matter of associating ideas than offering a great product. These early condos rarely varied from their basic design concepts.

At least two elevations suggested the presence of spine corridors on each floor. This dictated symmetry of the most basic kind. The first models had aluminum doors with sidelights. Quite often the first windows were horizontal sliders, terrible because of air leakage, and these were usually replaced as the cost of heating these units increased. Vinyl siding was the first standard and corner mouldings and roof edgings were kept minimal and undecorated.

Everything about these places translated as "box-like,"  but functional if somewhat "off-the-shelf." In those times, now past it was generally agreed that little could be done to enhance affordable apartments of six or more floors beyond providing a bit of the out-of-doors by attaching balconies. This complex did not need them and has a very nice setting.

The condos here are like the condos there, and are found in all parts of North America. Most of them were an initial shock to neighbours and this is why there is still resistance in Mahone Bay to erecting them. "Not in my back yard" is an attitude as well as a reaction to facts. High density, low- or medium-rise structures have lately been built which avoid the "slab tower" effect seen throughout Halifax County. Some builders have managed to escape the trap of ugliness by applying cosmetic veneers of materials which are not plastic.

The earliest condominiums were of the townhouse sort and lately developers have reverted to this format which is a little less unsettling for the neighbours.  The Quinlan on Main Street is an example of an expensive development which has embraced this concept. You can recognize condos because there is always a central common door and a canopy  and the absence of individual yards and gardens. It is not just seniors that live in these shared accommodations, about 17% of Nova Scotians are estimated to live in them.