The Pulse | January 2025

The Community-Focused Shelby Commons Opens in Minneapolis

Developing new supportive housing residences is crucial as homelessness increases across the country, and factors such as the lack of affordable housing and high rent prices contribute to the imbalance. Shelby Commons, a co-developed project by Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. and Project for Pride in Living (PPL), is a 46-unit affordable housing community located in the North Loop neighborhood of downtown Minneapolis. The project nestles in just south of the historic Farmer’s Market, anchoring the corner site with a pair of rectangular masses angled and offset to create a dynamic corner street presence.?The corrugated corten exterior recalls the industrial characteristics of the current neighborhood giving the project an edgy but comfortable fit within the district.?Two large building murals procured through Juxtaposition Arts further accentuate the building to add local roots and meaning to the spaces, making this project one of the first of its kind in a promising new development trend for the City of Minneapolis.

Read more about Shelby Commons here: https://lnkd.in/gTtkduGC

Senior Living Expert, Grant Warner, Featured in Latest EFA Article

We’re excited to share an insightful article from Environments for Aging, featuring BKV Group's Senior Living Practice Leader and Associate Partner, Grant Warner. In it, Grant dives into the cutting-edge trends shaping senior living communities, emphasizing innovative design strategies that prioritize wellness, connection, and adaptability. From multi-generational living concepts to tech-enhanced environments, Grant’s expertise leads the way in creating spaces that enrich lives and foster independence.

?Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQbCcCX4

Buildings That Enhance Socialization and Promote Mental & Physical Well-Bring

Purpose-built student housing remains one of the most in-demand asset classes in real estate, prompting developers in this space to closely monitor attributes that appeal to today’s students. For a recent article in the National Apartment Association's UNITS Magazine, Vice President of Interior Design, Kelly Naylor, discussed the latest trends in amenity offerings that ensure spaces are adaptable and evolving to the current needs and preferences of the modern-day student.

Read this terrific piece focused not only on right-sizing amenities to fit residents’ needs, but also seamlessly pair and complement their surroundings: https://lnkd.in/gSH3YTNN

Our Latest Mission-Driven Project Reaches Completion

At BKV Group, the mission-driven work we develop for non-profit clients is integral to our purpose as a design firm. Enriching lives is not just a tagline, but a relentless goal to better our communities. One of our most recent examples was with our client, 180 Degrees, Inc., to create a youth shelter that is now the only 24-hour emergency shelter for youth under nineteen in a large, 13-county region of Central Minnesota.?Designed as a trauma-informed center, this project creates a healing environment for individuals and families through responsible living skills and learning interactions with the natural site.

To read more about how we have designed the St. Cloud Youth Shelter to be a comfortable, accommodating, and inspiring place that over 2,500 youth have turned to, click here: https://lnkd.in/gQVka6BA

Reimagining a Comprehensive Senior Living Community

In Richmond, Virginia, BKV is currently reimagining a full development block to be a comprehensive senior living community for our developer partner, Pinnacle Living. The community, called Hermitage Campus, will provide a total of 272 apartments/beds with a mix of Independent Living (IL), Assisted Living (AL), and Memory Support (MS) residences. The main building features a primary entry at the Town Center which offers a variety of amenities that promote physical, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Additional resident amenities include a club room; a library/learning center that provide opportunities for social interaction as well as educational resources; the Chapel, Community Room, and Theatre; Pet Spa; and a Wellness Center. The overall exterior design concept for the campus is to create the feeling of a collection of similar yet unique buildings around the central green lawn. The new building designs are inspired by the existing campus and local Richmond historic architectural vernacular, a mix of Federalist and Colonial architectural styles. Stay tuned now into 2025 to learn more about how the proposed reimagination evolves!