1. Domino sugar factory remake gets its first occupants
The 16-story, 800,000-sf 325 Kent building is the first structure to open at the $3 billion, 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment on the waterfront in Brooklyn, N.Y. Designed by SHoP Architects for owner/developer Two Trees Management, the dramatically shaped edifice brings much-needed rental housing to booming Brooklyn. One-fifth of the 522 units have been set aside for low-income residents. (Two Trees received more than 87,000 applications for the 104 affordable units.) The building’s doughnut-shaped west façade is formed by a three-story amenities structure that spans the two apartment towers at the top levels. On the east façade, the residential floors step up in terraces to connect the existing neighborhood with the taller Domino buildings. Studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and one-bedroom with home office rentals are available, starting at $2,495/month.
2. 12-story tower addresses needs of San Diego's homeless
San Diego County has more than 9,000 homeless persons. “Atmosphere,” a new 12-story edifice with 205 one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences, provides 51 permanent supportive apartments for the formerly homeless, including those with mental disabilities. Through the Housing First model, Atmosphere also provides social support service to these residents. Subsidized rents in the $79.3 million project range from $525 to $1,250/month. Joseph Wong Design Associates was the architect and Suffolk Construction the GC for developer Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation.
3.Co-living operator 'common' opens its second D.C. location
Developer and operator Common sees opportunity for growth in co-living projects. Common Bowman is its latest location, and its second in Washington, D.C. The 8,300-sf home, located in Chinatown, includes 14 fully furnished bedrooms across four suites. Residents (called “members”) share furnished living rooms, en suite balconies, and a roof deck with views of the city. Member benefits: weekly room cleaning, shared supplies, WiFi, heating/AC, on-site laundry, and access to Common’s networking events. The developer now has 14 locations across Chicago, New York, Oakland, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
4. Rental multiplex adds 201 subsidized units in Las vegas
Twenty-one buildings constructed between 1958 and 1960 have been rehabilitated into 201 subsidized apartments in Las Vegas. Families earning up to 60% of area median income were eligible to receive Section 8 rental assistance in the new complex, known as Baltimore Gardens and Cleveland Gardens. Community Development Partners pulled together $21 million in financing from tax-exempt state bonds, HOME funds, and equity from the sale of 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The project team: Integrated Design & Architecture (architect), Cornerstone Residential (property manager), and Precision General Contractors (GC).
5. L.A. Development caters to two neighborhoods with a single structure
Situated at the crossroads of two distinct neighborhoods in Mid-City Los Angeles—Fairfax, a busy commercial thoroughfare, and Orange Grove, a quiet residential street—the five-story VINZ on Fairfax mixed-use development appears as two separate buildings, each matching the scale and vibe of its adjacent neighborhood. Shimmering silver screens highlight a more vibrant, emotional aesthetic along Fairfax Avenue, while a muted design styling makes up the Orange Grove exterior. Developer Alliance Residential Company brought 144 rental units and 4,280 sf of commercial retail and amenities spaces to Mid-City. Available units start at $2,950/month: studios, one/two bedroom rentals, three-story townhomes, and penthouses with private elevator access. Amenities: zero-edge pool, outdoor cooking area, fitness center, outdoor movie screen, and electric-car charging stations. Cuningham Group was design architect; Gensler did the interiors.
Photos: Adrian Gault
Related Stories
| May 27, 2014
America's oldest federal public housing development gets a facelift
First opened in 1940, South Boston's Old Colony housing project had become a symbol of poor housing conditions. Now the revamped neighborhood serves as a national model for sustainable, affordable multifamily design.
| May 23, 2014
Big design, small package: AIA Chicago names 2014 Small Project Awards winners
Winning projects include an events center for Mies van der Rohe's landmark Farnsworth House and a new boathouse along the Chicago river.
| May 22, 2014
No time for a trip to Dubai? Team BlackSheep's drone flyover gives a bird's eye view [video]
Team BlackSheep—devotees of filmmaking with drones—has posted a fun video that takes viewers high over the city for spectacular vistas of a modern architectural showcase.
| May 22, 2014
NYC's High Line connects string of high-profile condo projects
The High Line, New York City's elevated park created from a conversion of rail lines, is the organizing principle for a series of luxury condo buildings designed by big names in architecture.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
| May 20, 2014
World's best new skyscrapers: Renzo Piano's The Shard, China's 'doughnut hotel' voted to Emporis list
Eight other high-rise projects were named Emporis Skyscraper Award winners, including DC Tower 1 by Dominique Perrault Architecture and Tour Carpe Diem by Robert A.M. Stern.
| May 16, 2014
BoA, USGBC to offer $25,000 grants for green affordable housing projects
The Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program will offer 14 grants to developers of affordable housing in North America who are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.
| May 13, 2014
19 industry groups team to promote resilient planning and building materials
The industry associations, with more than 700,000 members generating almost $1 trillion in GDP, have issued a joint statement on resilience, pushing design and building solutions for disaster mitigation.
| May 12, 2014
The best of affordable housing: 4 projects honored with 2014 AIA/HUD Secretary Awards [slideshow]
The winners include two dramatic conversions of historic YMCA buildings into modern, affordable multifamily complexes.
| May 11, 2014
Final call for entries: 2014 Giants 300 survey
BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 survey forms are due Wednesday, May 21. Survey results will be published in our July 2014 issue. The annual Giants 300 Report ranks the top AEC firms in commercial construction, by revenue.
