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.
Related Stories
| Jan 7, 2011
Mixed-Use on Steroids
Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
| Jan 4, 2011
An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value
One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.
| Jan 4, 2011
Grubb & Ellis predicts commercial real estate recovery
Grubb & Ellis Company, a leading real estate services and investment firm, released its 2011 Real Estate Forecast, which foresees the start of a slow recovery in the leasing market for all property types in the coming year.
| Dec 17, 2010
Condominium and retail building offers luxury and elegance
The 58-story Austonian in Austin, Texas, is the tallest residential building in the western U.S. Benchmark Development, along with Ziegler Cooper Architects and Balfour Beatty (GC), created the 850,000-sf tower with 178 residences, retail space, a 6,000-sf fitness center, and a 10th-floor outdoor area with a 75-foot saltwater lap pool and spa, private cabanas, outdoor kitchens, and pet exercise and grooming areas.
| Dec 17, 2010
Luxury condos built for privacy
A new luxury condominium tower in Los Angeles, The Carlyle has 24 floors with 78 units. Each of the four units on each floor has a private elevator foyer. The top three floors house six 5,000-sf penthouses that offer residents both indoor and outdoor living space. KMD Architects designed the 310,000-sf structure, and Elad Properties was project developer.
| Dec 17, 2010
Vietnam business center will combine office and residential space
The 300,000-sm VietinBank Business Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, designed by Foster + Partners, will have two commercial towers: the first, a 68-story, 362-meter office tower for the international headquarters of VietinBank; the second, a five-star hotel, spa, and serviced apartments. A seven-story podium with conference facilities, retail space, restaurants, and rooftop garden will connect the two towers. Eco-friendly features include using recycled heat from the center’s power plant to provide hot water, and installing water features and plants to improve indoor air quality. Turner Construction Co. is the general contractor.
| Dec 17, 2010
Toronto church converted for condos and shopping
Reserve Properties is transforming a 20th-century church into Bellefair Kew Beach Residences, a residential/retail complex in The Beach neighborhood of Toronto. Local architecture firm RAWdesign adapted the late Gothic-style church into a five-story condominium with 23 one- and two-bedroom units, including two-story penthouse suites. Six three-story townhouses also will be incorporated. The project will afford residents views of nearby Kew Gardens and Lake Ontario. One façade of the church was updated for retail shops.
| Dec 7, 2010
Prospects for multifamily sector improve greatly
The multifamily sector is showing signs of a real recovery, with nearly 22,000 new apartment units delivered to the market. Net absorption in the third quarter surged by 94,000 units, dropping the national vacancy rate from 7.8% to 7.1%, one of the largest quarterly drops on record, and rents increased for the second quarter in a row.
| Nov 3, 2010
Senior housing will be affordable, sustainable
Horizons at Morgan Hill, a 49-unit affordable senior housing community in Morgan Hill, Calif., was designed by KTGY Group and developed by Urban Housing Communities. The $21.2 million, three-story building will offer 36 one-bed/bath units (773 sf) and 13 two-bed/bath units (1,025 sf) on a 2.6-acre site.
| Nov 3, 2010
Rotating atriums give Riyadh’s first Hilton an unusual twist
Goettsch Partners, in collaboration with Omrania & Associates (architect of record) and David Wrenn Interiors (interior designer), is serving as design architect for the five-star, 900-key Hilton Riyadh.