As one of the only cities in the Phoenix metropolitan area that is landlocked by neighboring municipalities, Tempe has avoided the region’s characteristic sprawl and has instead pursued growth by enthusiastically embracing increasing density and taller developments.
The building’s base contributes to the energetic downtown environment with nearly fully glazed elevations along the public streets and a canopy that lends protective shade in the 110-degree summers. The mid-level parking decks are screened with a visually cooling blend of blues and silvers. Likewise, the building’s external color palette is drawn from a range of lighter grays and off-whites, not so bright as to be reflective, but light enough to effectively deal with intense solar radiation. Wood and metal provide accents at areas of close pedestrian contact. As a contributing member of the growing Tempe skyline, the building is capped by a lighted trellis/cornice feature.
Leasing, amenities, and 5,000 s.f. of retail space occupy the first floor, with 5-levels of parking garage above. Levels 6-19 are apartment floors with 252 units, arranged in an H-Shape plan configuration, with courtyards facing east and west. These 6th floor courtyards offer intimate outdoor spaces for residents. A variety of amenities occur at the 20th floor, including a pool, hot tub, covered terraces, and an indoor lounge and fitness area. All of these spaces are afforded sweeping vistas of the city beyond, most notably a great view of Hayden Butte, a 330’ tall volcanic uplift and popular hiking destination, a few blocks to the north. Hayden Butte is home to 1,000 year old petroglyphs, along with the signature 60’ tall letter “A” belonging to the University.
In order to maintain enough housing to meet the University’s current needs, the 5-story, 452-bed buildings were constructed in two phases. For the purpose of efficiency, floor plans for each phase are similar and include traditional-style double- and single-bedroom units arranged around a group of private-use bathrooms.
The buildings are designed to maximize the use of exterior spaces and to engage the students in active areas of living and learning. Amenities for each new facility will include a large multi-purpose room, collaboration spaces, a recreation/game room, a community kitchen, and multiple student lounges. As Design Architect on the project, CSO teamed with JRA Architects, of Louisville, as the architect of record for the project.
The Collegiate on Angliana is a four building complex adjacent to the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington that utilizes a unique 2-story unit design that eliminates the public corridor on floors 2 and 4, thereby creating a highly efficient floor plate with very attractive units in one, two, three and four bedroom configurations. Every apartment features a spacious layout with secluded areas that provide residents with plenty of space to socialize and private areas for downtime.
The apartments within the complex have townhome-style layouts and include fully equipped kitchens, hardwood floors, private balconies, oversized closets, long hallways for maximum privacy, and spacious living rooms. Additionally, the complex has amenities such as a resort style pool, hot tub and sundeck, fitness center, indoor/outdoor gathering spaces, computer center and study lounge, clubhouse, and basketball and volleyball courts.
The design for the Avenue includes three structures on one site. The main building parallels 10th Street and includes 21,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor.
Apartment amenities and community features include modern apartments fully equipped with black, stainless-steel appliances, walk-in closets and spacious patios and balconies; a fitness center; a saltwater swimming pool with an outdoor kitchen and grill; Internet café, media room, and business center with several study areas.
This 4-story, 76 unit, wood frame apartment building has a concrete and steel podium structure constructed between two buildings. The second building is a 4-story, 48 unit, wood frame apartment building with slab on grade construction. The third building is a 4-story wood frame building consisting of approximately 3,500 square feet of amenity space on the first floor and 6 units (3 flats, 3 townhomes) constructed within the three stories above the amenity space. Additionally, the Avenue has a 3-story, 260 space, on-site parking garage.
8N Lofts, named by the students at University of Nebraska – Lincoln, is a seven-story, student living community located near the city’s historic Haymarket District on 8th and N Streets. The design of the structure incorporates bold, modern and vibrant elements found within the Haymarket District.
The upscale 172-unit, 624-bed community offers a mix of fully furnished 1,2,3,4 and 5 bedroom apartments and features luxury amenities including a “Husker Sky Deck” on the top floor with a large-screen TV, fire pit, expansive hot tub, sundeck, climbing wall, private courtyards, and grilling stations.
Student residents also have access to a 4,200 square foot clubhouse equipped with a fitness center, computer café, private study lounges, and a theater gaming area. Individual apartment amenities include granite countertops, hardwood-style floors, private bedroom suites, walk-in closets, and full size washers and dryers.
The Lux at Central Park is a high-end purpose built student housing facility within walking distance of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Located in a quiet grove surrounded by trees and walking trails, the Lux provides a perfect balance of study and recreation for students.
The 194-unit student housing complex consists of one, two, three, and four bedroom apartments to accommodate 608 students. In addition, the complex has community amenities including a fitness center, modern clubhouse, spa, resort-style pool and sundeck, cyber café/study lounge, computer center, game lounge, multi-purpose sports court, indoor/ outdoor gathering spaces, and bike storage.
The design of the facility is intended to balance the desire to blend with the traditional Chapel Hill architecture while also providing a modern facility that meets that needs and desires of today’s students.
The Langston features 290 apartments in nine buildings and was the largest residential project built in Cleveland in over 30 years. With a prime location, the Langston captures the best student-focused amenities, providing easy access to campus, restaurants, shops, and nightlife. The Langston consists of multiple buildings for 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedroom apartments as well as retail and parking space.
The upscale, contemporary apartments are spacious, with open layouts and amenities such as modern kitchens with stainless steel and black appliances, walk-in closets, and private, attached bathrooms. Additionally, the apartment buildings have built-in study areas, an in-home laundry facility, private conference rooms, and a top-of-the-line fitness and training facility.
Building A is a four-story building with 10 units per floor and 40 total units. Building B is a four-story building with 14 housing units per floor for a total of 56 units. Building C is a five-story building with retail on the first floor and four stories of housing units above that are comprised of 11 units per floor for a total of 44 units. Buildings D, E, F, G, H, and I are four-story buildings with 25 housing units each.
Named by the students of University of Alabama, this 696-bed, 263-unit student housing community offers fully furnished one, two, three, and four bedroom apartments. The project scope involved two sites located on the north and south sides of 13th Street East in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The buildings consist of a combination of 3-story (Type V) and 5 story (Type III) wood framed construction. The northern site includes a 3 level precast concrete parking structure and the southern site includes a single level cast-in-place concrete podium parking structure. The Alpha features a broad array of amenities including a 24-hour fitness center, leasing office, theater and gaming area, computer café, private study lounges, an expansive clubhouse, and garage parking. Outdoor amenities include a grilling area, fire pit, resort-style pool, and sundeck.
The exterior design features stone masonry and red brick which accentuate the surrounding urban fabric of Indiana Avenue. The building’s housing units inform the very orderly façade organization with its system of vertical bays.
The overall style is simple, with different shades of brick and a clear three-part structure: a base, middle, and top. The first floor includes decorative columns and covered entryways, adding interest at the pedestrian level. A distinctive line marks the transition from the first floor to the upper levels, and the top is highlighted by traditional cornice details.
Slightly recessed storefronts and canopies cast interesting shadows, creating depth in the façade. The lower levels are designed to be visually appealing, with enhanced stone detailing and architectural interest. The building includes four levels of structured parking that are mostly hidden from view by the retail and amenity spaces, except for the two parking entrances.
There are two courtyards on the fifth floor, one hidden interior courtyard and another with views of the nearby canal. The third floor will house an 18,000 square foot Purdue University “Academic Learning Community,” featuring classrooms and offices, with views toward the university’s downtown Indianapolis campus.
From the beginning of the project, CSO worked closely with the University and their Owner’s Representative to ensure that the project was completed on time and within budget. In order to achieve this, CSO proposed a fast-track approach utilizing multiple bid packages, which was an unfamiliar approach for the University.
Located in Indiana University’s Southeast Neighborhood, 3rd & Union provides students with a low-cost on-campus apartment option. The design blends traditional Gothic features with state-of-the-art amenities and sustainable design. The building features a limestone façade, steep roof with slate-look shingles, and a tunnel-like breezeway between its south and north wings.
The facility houses a combination of 102 one-bedroom and studio apartments designed to attract and retain upperclassmen and graduate students on campus. Each unit features a full kitchen, living area, bedroom, and private bathroom. The programming for the facility is rounded out with multipurpose spaces, a technology center, and laundry facilities that allow the building to facilitate a true living-learning community. In addition, the facility has two storage areas tucked into the exterior walls of the building providing complete shelter for bikes hanging on wall-mounted racks and a spacious recycling room conveniently located next to the exit.