PLATINUM AWARD
Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara
BEST URBAN SMART GROWTH NEIGHBORHOOD/COMMUNITY |
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Project Name: Casa de Las Fuentes
Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Designer/Architect/Land Planner: Peikert Group Architects LLP, Santa Barbara
Builder: Melchiori Construction Co., Santa Barbara
Developer: Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara
Square Footage: 408-745
Rental Rate (per month): $481-$815 |
| Casa de Las Fuentes is a 42-unit rental development of studio and one-bedroom apartments built in response to an affordable housing need for downtown Santa Barbara workers who do not own vehicles. The extremely high cost of housing in this community had forced most service workers to pay a disproportionate amount of their income on overcrowded, substandard housing close to downtown or commute from more affordable outlying areas. This project's central location gives residents pedestrian, bicycle and public-transportation options. The courtyard-style configuration of the two- and three-story buildings creates numerous plazas for outdoor recreation and socialization. The development's community room is in a deep arcade that buffers the interior of the development from the street. The room's interior communal space is enhanced with a curved corner fireplace, heavy beamed ceilings, beautiful furnishings and a communal kitchen. Located within a historical landmark district, pedestrian-scaled and pedestrian-friendly Casa de Las Fuentes features a Spanish Mediterranean-influenced architectural style that complements the local aesthetics. |
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