PLATINUM AWARD
The Lander Group
BEST SMART GROWTH COMMUNITY 151 UNITS AND OVER |
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Project Name: Wacouta Commons
Location: St. Paul, Minn.
Designer/Architect: LHB Engineers & Architects, Minneapolis
Builder: Kraus-Anderson Construction, Minneapolis
Interior Designer/Land Planner: The Lander Group, Minneapolis
Developer: Lander Sherman Urban Development, Minneapolis
Square Footage: 950-2,700
Price: $119,000-$449,000 |
| Wacouta Commons, the first new housing built in downtown St. Paul in 15 years, is a multiphase project targeted to local young singles and empty nesters. The blend of townhomes, apartments, loft condominiums and commercial space is intended to re-establish a street-based, mixed-income, mixed-ownership residential neighborhood in a former residential area that had become populated by warehouses and parking lots. The developer's goal is to fully embrace smart growth principles in constructing buildings that emulate the vernacular of the remaining warehouses in the area. The project exhibits efficient land use in redeveloping polluted land at an overall density of 75 units per acre and in providing a full block of underground parking beneath the four- and five-story, wood-frame buildings. The infill site offers excellent bus, pedestrian and bike connections as well as good street and freeway access. The pedestrian environment is enhanced through the use of multiple stoops, active storefronts, urban landscaping and building walls that create outdoor courtyards. The architecture reflects the historic nature of the surrounding neighborhood while providing more contemporary details and modern amenities, such as open floor plans, large master suites and luxurious bathrooms, in each unit. Wacouta Commons offers a wide range of home prices and rental rates to encourage a diverse neighborhood composition. |
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