Seattle releases affordable housing ‘grand bargain’ between developers, advocates

Seattle officials recently unveiled a plan to create 6,000 units of affordable housing in the city.

Some have called the measure a "grand bargain" between real estate developers and affordable housing advocates. The legislation includes a commercial linkage fee, called the Affordable Housing Impact Mitigation Program. It requires developers to pay a fee for each square foot of new commercial development.

Funds from those fees, ranging from $5 to $17 per square foot, will be used to pay for new affordable housing units. Also part of the plan is a requirement for new multifamily developments to set aside between 5% and 8% of units for affordable housing for 50 years. Residents who earn up to 60% of the area median income, currently $37,680 for individuals and $53,760 for families of four, would be eligible for the affordable units.

In addition, the city will consider increasing development capacity. In the downtown and South Lake Union areas, new developments would be permitted to have an extra 1,000 sf per floor. Outside of the main downtown area, new buildings would be permitted to add an additional story.

Design-focused wine displays are becoming increasingly popular in amazing residential and commercial properties throughout the world. Top design/build professionals are using stylish wine racks and other premium materials to create wine cellars that are too beautiful to hide in out-of-the-way places like dusty basements. This course explains why wine cellars have become so popular and the key aspects of designing an appealing modern wine cellar, broken into six planning steps that should be considered during pre- or early-construction phases.

Multifamily Housing | May 10, 2022

Multifamily rents up 14.3% in 2022

The average U.S. asking rent for multifamily housing increased $15 in April to an all-time high of $1,659, according to Yardi Matrix.

Rooftop paving system in a multifamily housing community.

Choosing the right paver system for rooftop amenity spaces

This AIA course by Hoffmann Architects offers best practices for choosing the right paver system for rooftop amenity spaces in multifamily buildings.

Building Team | May 6, 2022

Atlanta’s largest adaptive reuse project features cross laminated timber

Global real estate investment and management firm Jamestown recently started construction on more than 700,000 sf of new live, work, and shop space at Ponce City Market.

Rendering of Columbus Apartments, designed by Rhode Partners

Multifamily Housing | May 5, 2022

An Austin firm touts design and communal spaces in its student housing projects

Rhode Partners has multiple towers in various development stages.

For glass openings, how big is too big?

Advances in glazing materials and glass building systems offer a seemingly unlimited horizon for not only glass performance, but also for the size and extent of these light, transparent forms. Both for enclosures and for indoor environments, novel products and assemblies allow for more glass and less opaque structure—often in places that previously limited their use.

Multifamily Housing | May 3, 2022

Call for Kitchen+Bath projects and products – for next issue of "MULTIFAMILY Design+Construction" (no charge to participate!)

Multifamily AEC firms and developers and product manufacturers can submit Kitchen+Bath projects and products – for the next issue of "MULTIFAMILY Design+Construction."

The Larking is a mixed-use development in the Twin Cities market. Images: Courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

Multifamily Housing | May 1, 2022

Kraus-Anderson helps fill void in tight Twin Cities housing market

One project just came online, and another apartment building should be completed this summer.

Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2022

Fitness centers for multifamily housing: Advice from 'Dr. Fitness,' Karl Smith

In this episode for HorizonTV, Cortland's Karl Smith shares best practices for designing, siting, and operating fitness centers in apartment communities.