Multi-Housing News - September 2008 - (Page 16)

development & design Low-Rise Design Reaches New A new generation of low-rise multifamily development and design is bringing urban flair to suburban settings By Teresa O’Dea Hein, Managing Editor Challenging site conditions, narrow building lots and restrictive zoning codes regarding street widths and surface parking did not limit the possibilities of expression for the finalists in the low-rise category of MHN’s 2008 Design Excellence Awards program. Instead, these developers and designers managed to overcome difficult terrain and limited buildable areas to create innovative communities that also consider pedestrian approaches. On the three projects showcased below, they adapted their visions to suit the particular requirements and limitations of the communities. The end result was an injection of creativity that brought positive benefits for the existing neighborhoods. All these new developments are designed to be good neighbors, blending in with existing buildings and, in some cases, even looking like they themselves had already been there for a while. In all three instances, the developers and designers worked closely with local planning boards and government officials to produce housing solutions that worked for everyone. For example, unique roof pitches created views while adding architectural interest. Each of these successful low-rise projects was created by developers and designers who shared the same philosophies, goals and interests regarding key issues like sustainability and neighborhood vitality. Arthouse at Keller (Texas) Town Center Located between Fort Worth and Dallas, Keller, Texas needed a town center so it recently built one for itself that combined a town hall, library, grocery store, other local and national retailers and multifamily housing, with the first community called Arthouse. The ground-floor retail space also includes an arts ele- Heights ment, with art classes, and the town has created a sculpture trail. Both the designer and developer credit the city of Keller with having a vision for what could be done and being open to a more creative approach. Dubbed “suburban infill” by Paige Close, AIA, principal in charge of the multifamily group at Looney Ricks Kiss Architects Inc., which designed this apartment community, Arthouse at Keller Town Center embodies clever design to remake a place and turn it into a destination. Close predicts that more suburban locations will see this type of redevelopment as old shopping centers need to be updated and communities need to recreate some type of main street. Low-rise is a multifamily development form that’s being used to “densify the suburban setting,” he notes. In fact, Southern Land Co. is also developing other mixed-use and infill projects in traditional suburban locations such as Franklin, Tenn. and Allen, Texas. “We feel the town center model, combining a mixture of uses, is the direction of the future and are also trying to integrate sustainability into what we’re doing,” says Jim Cheney, vice president at Southern Land Co. Since structured parking is costly, Arthouse’s designers had to come up with a way to incorporate the surface parking in an interesting manner, so they specified several types of parking areas. The 177-unit development offers four types of surface parking: tuck-under parking, tuck- 16 September 2008 | Multi-Housing News | Producer of Multi-Housing World

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Multi-Housing News - September 2008

Multi-Housing News - September 2008
Contents
Calendar of Events
From the Editor
Executive Insight
Property Management: Growth Plans
Development & Design: Low-Rise Trends
Market Pulse
Special Report: Green Design Makes 'Cents'
Market Report: Boston
Top Architects List
Finance: HUD
Products: Cabinetry
Tech Report: Internet Listing Services
NMHC Notebook
Property Showcase: Fitness Center

Multi-Housing News - September 2008