Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_432803

26 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / DECEMBER 2024 ELEMENTS Affordable Housing Attainable: Creating Communities for All Income Levels C olorado’s rapid growth has in- tensified an already pressing issue: the shortage of attain- able housing. We believe that creat- ing vibrant, inclusive communities requires housing accessible to a wide range of incomes. To address this complex challenge, our firm developed the Attainable Housing Toolkit. Our toolkit offers a comprehensive framework that pri- oritizes collaboration, innovation and practical solutions. By fostering strong partnerships among govern- ment agencies, developers, communi- ty organizations and other stakehold- ers, we can leverage resources, share expertise and align goals to create sustainable, affordable housing op- tions. n Garden Crossing: Affordable housing in a master planned commu- nity. Garden Crossing is an affordable housing community located in Holiday, a master planned community on a remediated brownfield site featuring diverse housing options such as townhomes, live-work units and co-housing. By incorporating a variety of unit sizes and price points, it caters to residents from young professionals to families. The project offers several key insights into creating af- fordable communities: - Increased density: Density was significantly in- creased by consolidating parking and adding units above the detached parking garages. These carriage units increased the density well above 20 dwelling units per acre, bringing total per-unit costs down. - Environmental sustainability: Reduction in resi- dents’ utilities was achieved by incorporating sustain- able design features, such as high Energy Star ratings and on-site solar. - Economic impact: Diversity in its residents contribut- ed to the local economy by supporting nearby business- es and generating property tax revenue. n Stok on Welton: Attainable housing in an urban set- ting. Stok on Welton by stok Investment Group exempli- fies the potential of attainable housing in an urban set- ting. Combining residential, community and commercial spaces results in a dynamic and walkable neighborhood that contributes to the revitalization of Denver’s Five Points. Stok on Welton is more than just a housing project – it’s a community hub designed to meet the needs of mod- ern urban residents. By offering smaller, more affordable units, city living is accessible to a wider range of resi- dents and serves as a blueprint for future developments prioritizing affordability and livability. Despite its small half-acre footprint, it boasts 124 units and 153 beds. By utilizing Denver’s expanding housing affordability program and the incentives provided by code, we capitalized on the following features: - Increased density: We added additional stories of units. - Transit-oriented living: Denver’s code revisions and proximity to public transportation reduced the parking requirements to zero, without compromising some con- venience spaces in the design. - Innovation: A commitment to environmental respon- sibility is evident in its carbon-neutral design, incor- Lee Payne, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Partner and Director of Architecture, DTJ Design Joseph Sammartino, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Senior Associate, DTJ Design DTJ Design Stok on Welton is a dynamic and walkable neighborhood that con- tributes to the revitalization of Denver’s Five Points. Studio10 Stok on Welton offers coworking spaces that foster a strong sense of connection between residents.