Sacramento moves forward on multifamily project with new modular supplier

This month, Guerdon Modular Buildings, a leading manufacturer of modular housing for the western U.S. and Canada, will start factory construction of modules for Eviva Midtown, a six-story apartment building in downtown Sacramento, Calif., that will have 118 condominium-style one- and two -bedroom rental units, ranging from 700 to 1,200 sf.

Guerdon took over as the module supplier for this project when its developer, Integral Development, decided to switch manufacturers once the previous modular subcontractor encountered planning and scheduling problems soon after the project’s groundbreaking in September 2014.

Eviva Downtown, which was once called The Warren, had been in development for nearly a decade before that groundbreaking. “Eviva is a chance for our deep bench of design, engineering, and construction professionals to demonstrate how our modular construction technology dramatically speeds the build process over traditional on-site approaches without any sacrifice to design or aesthetics,” says Curtis Fletcher, Guerdon’s business development manager. 

This building, Sacramento’s largest modular project to date, was initiated by the Capital Area Development Authority (CADA). Integral developed this project in partnership with Sacramento-based investment firm LDK Ventures. Tricorp Hearn Construction is the GC.

During the delay caused by the modular musical chairs, Integral and CADA revisited their plans for this project and made a number of modifications and structural changes to its design. To make it more distinct from neighboring buildings, they widened Eviva’s balconies, made its corners slightly taller than the rest of the project, and added a broader color palette. 

The building team chose Guerdon because its reputation for handling large-scale projects and completing modules on time. 

“Guerdon has integrated so closely with our staff that every aspect of the construction process has been worry-free, from the design and build to mapping out the delivery and installation,” says Dave Bruss, chief operations officer at Tricorp Hearn, which is based in Sacramento. On-site module installation is scheduled to begin in August. 

Located on the corner of 16th and N Streets, Eviva is part of an ongoing revival of Sacramento’s downtown area. For example, the $31 million renovation and restoration of the city’s 89-year-old, 68,000-sf Sacramento Valley Station—the busiest Amtrak depot west of Chicago—is one of the centerpieces of a large downtown redevelopment, which includes a Sacramento Entertainment and Sports Complex accompanied by a 16-story mixed-use hotel, retail, and residential complex designed by Los Angeles-based Rios Clementi Hale Studios. AECOM is the lead architect for the arena, which is scheduled to open October 2016, according to The Architects Newspaper.