In our latest call for entries, Building Design+Construction collected over 20 multifamily projects with a focus on affordable housing. From mixed-use communities to Passive House design, these developments wowed us in more ways than one.
Here is a comprehensive list of all projects in alphabetical order. For a deeper dive into each, click on the hyperlinks within and see what makes these projects special.
43 Green
Chicago, Ill.
43 Green is the first equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) on Chicago's South Side. Read more about this project in:
87th & Western
Los Angeles, Calif.
87th & Western Apartments is a proposed 160-unit, mixed-use, affordable housing development that will be built along Western Avenue in the Westmont neighborhood of Los Angeles. Read more about this project in:
- 7 mixed-use developments that don't sacrifice housing affordability
- 7 affordable developments built near historic districts, community ties
330 Distel Circle
Los Altos, Calif.
Distel Circle will deliver the first 100% affordable housing project in Los Altos, Calif., for individuals and families earning 30-80% of the area’s median income. Read more about this project in:
- 3 multifamily projects dedicated to 100% living affordability
- 7 affordable developments built near historic districts, community ties
425 Grand Concourse
Bronx, N.Y.
425 Grand Concourse, located in the Bronx, N.Y., is the largest Passive House project in North America to date. Read more about this project in:
- Passive House, sustainability standards meet multifamily development
- 7 mixed-use developments that don't sacrifice housing affordability
- 3 affordable housing projects that overcame building obstacles
508 Pershing at Oakwood Shores
Chicago, Ill.
508 Pershing is a mixed-use, mixed-income building that is part of the larger Oakwood Shores revitalization plan. Read more about this project in:
683 Thwaites Place
Bronx, N.Y.
683 Thwaites Place is a for-profit development featuring 36 high-quality affordable apartments, street-level retail, and community spaces. Read more about this project in:
Atlantis Apartments
Denver, Colo.
Atlantis Apartments provides 60 units and has been configured to be one of the most accessible buildings in the country. Read more about this project in:
Bronx Point
Bronx, N.Y.
Bronx Point is a 530,000-sf mixed-use development that will bring 542 units of permanently affordable housing, retail, and engaging open space to South Bronx. Read more about this project in:
Canal Commons
Bend, Ore.
Canal Commons is a 44,525-sf multifamily development located in Bend, Ore., that proves affordability doesn’t have to compromise sustainability. Read more about this project in:
Castle Argyle Hollywood
Hollywood, Calif.
Castle Argyle is a historic art deco “castle” revived as low-income housing for seniors. Built in 1928, this luxury hotel/apartment building was created to attract silent-film stars. Read more about this project in:
- These 9 novel housing communities offer support beyond affordability
- 7 affordable developments built near historic districts, community ties
Common Melrose
Los Angeles, Calif.
Common Melrose is a residential duplex in the heart of Los Angeles, Calif., that offers a novel co-living model. Read more about this project in:
DESC Burien
Burien, Wash.
DESC Burien is a new affordable housing development being built in the Seattle, Wash., area for residents dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders. Read more about this project in:
Fifth & Dinwiddie West
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Fifth & Dinwiddie West is slated to be a 190,000-sf mixed-use, mixed-income development in Pittsburgh, Pa., that is already pre-certified PHIUS. Read more about this project in:
- Passive House, sustainability standards meet multifamily development
- 7 mixed-use developments that don't sacrifice housing affordability
- 7 affordable developments built near historic districts, community ties
H3C
New Orleans, La.
H3C is a 210,000-sf, 192-unit affordable housing and healthcare development under construction in Central City New Orleans, La. Read more about this project in:
Harrison Row Townhomes
Chicago, Ill.
Harrison Row Townhomes is a 40-unit modular housing community in Chicago, Ill., for households earning up to 120% of the area’s median income. Read more about this project in:
Hilltop at Signal Hills
West St. Paul, Minn.
Hilltop at Signal Hills provides 393 units designed to provide a living experience on par with luxury buildings in the market. Read more about this project in:
HUB 32 at Lake & Kedzie
Chicago, Ill.
HUB 32 is a proposed 63 unit mixed-use project in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, Ill., with its design inspired by the concept of quilting and stitching. Read more about this project in:
Lucille and Bruce Terwilliger Place
Arlington, Va.
Lucille and Bruce Terwilliger Place was born out of a need to support at-risk veterans and community members in Arlington, Va. Read more about this project in:
- 3 multifamily projects dedicated to 100% living affordability
- These 9 novel housing communities offer support beyond affordability
The Rollins
Millbrae, Calif.
The Rollins provides 80 affordable units dedicated for veterans with Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers. Read more about this project in:
- 7 mixed-use developments that don't sacrifice housing affordability
- These 9 novel housing communities offer support beyond affordability
The Row
Chicago, Ill.
The Row Fulton Market is one of Chicago’s first 80/20 buildings—setting aside 20% of its residences as affordable housing. Read more about this project in:
Willkommen
Cincinnati, Ohio
Willkommen is the largest addition of affordable housing in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, distributed across 11 historic renovations and three new buildings. Read more about this project in:
Wynne Watts Commons
Gresham, Ore.
Wynne Watts Commons marries accessibility and sustainability in a 97,000-sf shell, and is the largest Net Zero Energy affordable housing project in the Pacific Northwest. Read more about this project in:
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 28, 2024
Cities in Washington State will offer tax breaks for office-to-residential conversions
A law passed earlier this year by the Washington State Legislature allows developers to defer sales and use taxes if they convert existing structures, including office buildings, into affordable housing.
Affordable Housing | Aug 27, 2024
Not gaining community support is key barrier to more affordable housing projects
In a recent survey, builders and planners cited difficulty in generating community support as a key challenge to getting more affordable housing projects built. The survey by coUrbanize found that 94% of respondents tried to gain community input and support through public meetings, but many were frustrated by low attendance. Few respondents thought the process was productive.
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 22, 2024
6 key fire and life safety considerations for office-to-residential conversions
Office-to-residential conversions may be fraught with fire and life safety challenges, from egress requirements to fire protection system gaps. Here are six important considerations to consider.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Aug 20, 2024
Seattle workforce housing project inspired by geology of eastern Washington
J.G. Whittier Apartments, a workforce housing project in Seattle uses the geology of eastern Washington as inspiration for the design. The architecture and interior design celebrate geometric anomalies found in nature. At the corners of the building, blackened wood siding “erodes” to expose vibrant murals underneath.
MFPRO+ News | Aug 14, 2024
Report outlines how Atlanta can collaborate with private sector to spur more housing construction
A report by an Urban Land Institute’s Advisory Services panel, commissioned by the city’s housing authority, Atlanta Housing (AH), offered ways the city could collaborate with developers to spur more housing construction.
Modular Building | Aug 13, 2024
Strategies for attainable housing design with modular construction
Urban, market-rate housing that lower-income workers can actually afford is one of our country’s biggest needs. For multifamily designers, this challenge presents several opportunities for creating housing that workers can afford on their salaries.
MFPRO+ Research | Aug 9, 2024
Apartment completions to surpass 500,000 for first time ever
While the U.S. continues to maintain a steady pace of delivering new apartments, this year will be one for the record books.
Affordable Housing | Aug 7, 2024
The future of affordable housing may be modular, AI-driven, and made of mushrooms
Demolished in 1989, The Phoenix Ironworks Steel Factory left a five-acre hole in West Oakland, Calif. After sitting vacant for nearly three decades, the site will soon become utilized again in the form of 316 affordable housing units.
MFPRO+ News | Aug 1, 2024
Canada tries massive incentive program to spur new multifamily housing construction
Canada has taken the unprecedented step of offering billions in infrastructure funds to communities in return for eliminating single-family housing zoning.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Jul 31, 2024
Shipping containers converted into attractive, affordable multifamily housing in L.A.
In the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, a new affordable multifamily housing project using shipping containers resulted in 24 micro-units for formerly unhoused residents. The containers were acquired from a nearby port and converted into housing units at a factory.