1. SAN FRANCISCO’S ‘VIZ VALLEY’ SCORES 166 AFFORDABLE RENTALS
Levy Design Partners (architect), Mercy Housing (owner), Related Companies of California (developer), and Nibbi Brothers General Contractors (GC) delivered Sunnydale Block 6, which replaced 75-year-old barracks-style housing in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood of southeast San Francisco. Residents of Sunnydale got first choice of 125 of the affordable family one- to four-bedroom apartments units; 41 went to low-income families in the city. The HOPE SF program contributed funding to the $90 million project.
PHOTO: BRUCE DAMONTE
2. MIAMI ARTS DISTRICT GETS A TOUCH OF GREEN
Strata Wynwood, an eight-story, mixed-use structure, added 257 studio and one- to three-bedroom rentals (509 to 1,288 sf), 2,500 sf of artist studios, and three floors of office space to Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. Stantec (architect, SE, landscape architect) helmed the project team of Unison Group (interiors), Feller Engineering (MEP/FP), and KAST Construction (GC).
The original owner, CIM Group, sold the property in March to Rockpoint. Florida Green Building Coalition certification is being pursued.
PHOTO: SEAMUS PAYNE
3. COVENANT HOUSE MEETS THE NEEDS OF NYC’S UNHOUSED YOUTH
The new Covenant House New York rises 12 stories above Hell’s Kitchen on Manhattan’s West Side. The 80,495-sf facility provides housing and social services for unsheltered youth. The lower five floors hold staff offices, classrooms, a wellness center, a café, and an art room. Each upper story has 10 bedrooms, two to four people per room. Individual bathroom and bathing facilities meet residents’ gender identity needs.
FXCollaborative (architect, interior design, programming) managed the project team for Covenant House International (owner) and The Gotham Organization (development partner): DeSimone Consulting Engineers (SE), Cosentini Associates (MEP), Langan (CE, environmental/geotech), Frank Seta & Associates (exterior envelope), VDA (vertical transport), Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design, Longman Lindsey (acoustics), Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners, Cini-Little International (foodservice), and Monadnock Construction (GC).
PHOTO: ADAM KANE MACCHIA
4. DOWNTOWN BUFFALO ADDS 115 MARKET-RATE RENTAL APARTMENTS
Douglas Development Corp. (developer, GC) has opened Seneca One Apartments, a 115-unit market-rate community in Buffalo, N.Y. The $23 million enterprise provided studio and one- to three-bedroom apartments, a restaurant and bar, and a community lounge. Antunovich (architect) skippered the team of Trautman Associates (engineer), D.V. Brown & Associates (mechanical), Industrial Power and Lighting (electrical), and Gypsum Systems (drywall).
PHOTO: MATTHEW DIGATI | DIGATI PHOTOGRAPHY
5. DENVER COMPLEX ENHANCES SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
The Stella, a 132-unit affordable community in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood, prioritizes individuals and families earning 30-80% of AMI. The project is an expansion of Laradon Hall, which serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gorman & Company (developer) was assisted by Shopworks Architecture (architect), Enayat Schneider Smith Engineering (SE), Ware Malcomb (CE), ABLE Consulting Group (mechanical), MV Consulting (electrical), MEC Inc. (plumbing), Group 14 Engineering (sustainability), Flow Design Collaborative (landscape design), and Deneuve Construction (GC).
PHOTO: MATTHEW STAVER
6. CONDO TOWER JOINS ATLANTA MEGA-COMPLEX
Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio’s architects and interior designers created a 64-condominium high-rise community for developers Selig Development and Rockefeller Group. 40 West 12th (at right in photo) is one of three high-rises that anchor Midtown Atlanta’s West Peachtree mega-development. The ninth-floor Sky Terrace offers an acre-plus of outdoor space. Uzun + Case (SE), Eberly & Associates (CE), SITE Solutions (landscape architect), and Brasfield & Gorrie (GC) contributed.
PHOTO: ENGEL & VÖLKERS ATLANTA
7. ARIZONA LUXURY RENTALS USE SMART TECHNOLOGY APP
In suburban North Phoenix, Ariz., the $49 million Kalon Luxury Apartments offers 215 studio one- and two-bedroom rentals (554 to 1,123 sf). The smart door locks, thermostats, and lights are controlled by the Cox MyAPT app. The project team for developer P.B. Bell: Todd & Associates (architect, landscape architect), Lawrence Lake Interiors (interior design), Landa & Associates (SE), Hunter Engineering (CE), NP Engineering (MEP), and general contractor MT Builders.
PHOTO: MICHAEL BAXTER
8. ST. LOUIS PAINT FACTORY TURNED INTO LOFTS IN STEELCOTE SQUARE
The former Steelcote paints and coatings plant in St. Louis’s historic Midtown is now the $8.5 million, 33-unit Steelcote Lofts, part of Pier Property Group’s Steelcote Square, which includes Steelcote Crossing (15 studio rentals) and Steelcote Flats (105 apartments)—all designed by Trivers (architect, interior design). Contributing to the Lofts: KPFF (SE), CDI Engineering Solutions (CE), and Pinnacle Contracting (GC).
PHOTO: SAM FENTRESS
9. RESORT-STYLE LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO
Residents of Presidium Chase Hill, a 370-unit luxury residential community in San Antonio, can enjoy the nearby La Cantera Resort, two world-class golf courses, and a 150-shop mall. Presidium (developer) selected REES Architects (designer), Pape-Dawson (CE) and Hitchcock Design Group (landscape architect) for the 17-acre enterprise.
PHOTO: METROPLEX 360
10. PET-FRIENDLY BOUTIQUE RESIDENCES NEAR BOSTON HARBOR
The Somerset is a 22,000-sf rental community in Winthrop, Mass., close to Boston Harbor and Logan International Airport. Its 29 studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments (500-1,300 sf) come with in-home laundry, quartz countertops, bike storage, and garage parking. The Procopio Companies (GC, developer) and Khalsa Design (AOR) provided 1,119 sf of retail space.
PHOTO: MATT SURETTE | SURETTE MEDIA GROUP
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
10% of world's skyscraper construction on hold
Emporis, the largest provider of global building data worldwide, reported that 8.7% of all skyscrapers listed as "under construction" in its database had been put on hold. Most of these projects have been halted in the second half of 2008. According to Emporis statistics, the United States had been hit the worst: at the beginning of 2008, "Met 3" in Miami was the only U.S. skyscraper listed as being "on hold". In the second half of the year, 19 projects followed suit.
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Skanska completes $74 million Harbor Towers project six months ahead of schedule
Skanska USA Building Inc. announced the completion of a $74 million rehabilitation project at Harbor Towers, a 40-story luxury condominium complex comprising two towers located on Boston’s waterfront. Skanska served as Program Manager and oversaw the repair and replacement work that dramatically enhanced the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency of the buildings’ MEP systems.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Manitoba Hydro Place, Tornado Tower among world's 'best tall buildings,' according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last week announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are: Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Canada; Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China; The Broadgate Tower, London, UK; Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
CampusBrands Inc., NYLO Hotels team to launch student housing franchise brand
Which would you choose: the cramped quarters, thin mattresses, and crowded communal bathrooms of dormitory life or a new type of student housing with comfortable couches, a game room, fitness center, Wi-Fi in every room, flat-screen televisions and maybe even a theater?
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.