Veterans Village of Carson is an affordable housing development offering 51 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as onsite case management and supportive services to U.S. military veterans and their families.
Located adjacent to the 110 freeway in Carson, a low-rise urban section of Los Angeles, the project team addressed the specific needs of its residents.
The designers flipped the units around to keep the living areas buffered from the noise from the adjacent 110 freeway. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
WITHEE MALCOLM ARCHITECTS CREATES FULL AMENITIES PACKAGE
Designed by Torrance-based Withee Malcolm Architects for developer Thomas Safran & Associates, the three-story, mixed-use development employs Type V over one-story podium construction. Unit features include kitchens and bathrooms with granite countertops and solid-wood cabinetry.
It has a fitness center, outdoor areas at the podium level and second floor, and a 3,500-sf new community room equipped with a full kitchen, spacious seating areas, a computer lounge, pool table, piano and TV room.
Other amenities: laundry facilities, outdoor barbecue area, a children’s playground, and resident gardens. The gated community features secured access and on-site management and maintenance staff.
Care was taken to ensure community areas were welcoming and warm by including the addition of natural wood, stone accents, and comfortable seating.
The community room at Veterans Village of Carson. Natural wood and comfortable seating was purposefully designed into the setting. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
TURNING UNITS TO BLOCK NOISE FROM THE NEARBY FREEWAY
The 1.15-acre site lies adjacent to the 110 freeway, a main north-south corridor connecting Pasadena and downtown Los Angeles with San Pedro and the Ports. The design team minimized noise to the interior living spaces as well as exterior community spaces.
Units located along the freeway side of the property were turned so that active windows and living spaces were oriented toward the interior courtyard and away from the noise source. In essence, the backs of the units were used as a sound buffer for interior landscaped courtyards and other residences.
Living room at Veterans Village. The project offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, with priority to veterans and their families. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
COMMERCIAL SPACE OPENS UP ADDITIONAL LINK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Commercial space on the corner of the building opens to an outdoor plaza to further encourage interaction between residents and the neighborhood.
Through design details and paint in light colors, the arrival experience mimics a parking court rather
than car garage, making the experience equally enticing for residents and retail shoppers.
To mitigate costs associated with additional parking, stalls for both residential and commercial uses were located on the ground level, screened from view by the commercial component, the main entry lobby, and abundant landscaping. Keeping the parking on grade also allowed natural ventilation and light.
The structure wraps around a central courtyard . "We put extra effort into the design, aesthetics, landscape, and finishes," said Thomas Safran & Associates’ Tyler Monroe. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY U.S. VETS
At Veterans Village, U.S. VETS, a service organization whose mission is to end homelessness among veterans, provides supportive services to residents, including occupational training, access to medical/dental care, and point-of-retention services.
Veterans Village of Carson is a Tax Credit property that accepts Housing Choice (Section 8) and VASH vouchers. Preference is given to U.S. military veterans. The community was developed in collaboration with the City of Carson.
Lobby at Veterans Village. Support services to residents is provided by U.S. VETS, whose mission is to end homelessness among U.S. veterans. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
‘EXTRA EFFORT’ TO CREATE AN ‘UPLIFTING’ EXPERIENCE
Designing the spaces for these services in ways that evoke home has encouraged veterans to take advantage of assistance that benefits them and the larger community. “We look for every opportunity to make these projects special for the people who live there,” said Thomas Safran & Associates’ Tyler Monroe. “We put extra effort into the design, aesthetics, landscape, and finishes."
Affordable housing, he said, “should look as good, if not better, than anything else in the neighborhood. It should be uplifting, enriching, and contribute to the environment and its residents.”
The complex at dusk. As one resident, a Navy veteran, said, "It's like a resort." PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
HOW ONE RESIDENT VIEWS HIS NEW HOME
For Navy veteran and resident Ross Schenck, even restrictions put in place by COVID have not dampened the experience. “It’s beautiful there….it’s like a resort,” he said. “I love the views, the location, and I’ve loved getting to know almost all of my neighbors.”
See the video with interviews with U.S. Army veteran Major Stewart and others:
Related Stories
| Dec 13, 2013
Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety
From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 4, 2013
First look: Dubai's winning bid for World Expo 2020 [slideshow]
Dubai has been chosen as the site of the 2020 World Expo. HOK led the design team that developed the master plan for the Expo, which is expected to draw more than 25 million visitors from October 2020 through April 2021.
| Nov 27, 2013
Exclusive survey: Revenues increased at nearly half of AEC firms in 2013
Forty-six percent of the respondents to an exclusive BD+C survey of AEC professionals reported that revenues had increased this year compared to 2012, with another 24.2% saying cash flow had stayed the same.
| Nov 27, 2013
Wonder walls: 13 choices for the building envelope
BD+C editors present a roundup of the latest technologies and applications in exterior wall systems, from a tapered metal wall installation in Oklahoma to a textured precast concrete solution in North Carolina.
| Nov 26, 2013
Construction costs rise for 22nd straight month in November
Construction costs in North America rose for the 22nd consecutive month in November as labor costs continued to increase, amid growing industry concern over the tight availability of skilled workers.
| Nov 25, 2013
Building Teams need to help owners avoid 'operational stray'
"Operational stray" occurs when a building’s MEP systems don’t work the way they should. Even the most well-designed and constructed building can stray from perfection—and that can cost the owner a ton in unnecessary utility costs. But help is on the way.
| Nov 19, 2013
Top 10 green building products for 2014
Assa Abloy's power-over-ethernet access-control locks and Schüco's retrofit façade system are among the products to make BuildingGreen Inc.'s annual Top-10 Green Building Products list.
| Nov 15, 2013
Greenbuild 2013 Report - BD+C Exclusive
The BD+C editorial team brings you this special report on the latest green building trends across nine key market sectors.
| Nov 15, 2013
Metal makes its mark on interior spaces
Beyond its long-standing role as a preferred material for a building’s structure and roof, metal is making its mark on interior spaces as well.