COVER STORY DEVELOPERS ESCHEW COOKIE-CUTTER APPROACH BY EMBRACING LOCAL CULTURE, HISTORY any developers are drawn to services, architecture and interior de-sign that reflect the culture and history of a site’s surrounding area. Instead of mass-producing generic amenities you might find anywhere, designers are instead infusing special touches that remind residents where they are. “One of the factors that differentiates our communities is the intense work on the very front end of the pre-development process,” says Alli-ance Residential Co.’s Donald Santos, managing director, Carolinas and mid-Atlantic. Before beginning a project, Alliance leaders bring together design and marketing teams for a foundational branding brainstorm. “We dig into the history of the areas and the history of the sites we are developing, which in many cases have extremely interesting backstories.” Santos emphasizes the importance of that initial meeting. “We define the story we wish to tell through this community,” he says. “All aspects of the development need to tie to that story: architecture, interior design, landscape design, branding, logos and marketing. The same approach ap-plies to the amenity offerings beyond the core package.” The Thompson at Fulton Market in Chicago, developed by Naperville, Illinois-based Marquette Cos., is an example of this technique. Elements of local history were woven into the design of the 210-unit, mixed-use apartment community. The developer carved out an indoor-outdoor space at the center of the adaptive reuse portion of the building, a century-old, five-story brick hos-pital. At one end is an open patio with grilling stations, a dining area and firepit with seating, and at the other is a covered outdoor living room that offers protection from the elements and extends use of the space into the winter months. “We considered the ways in which we could embrace the history of the existing five-story brick historic hospital that was part of the development, knowing how much the neighborhood’s existing architecture appeals to people drawn to that part of the city,” says Ann Reckelhoff, Marquette’s di-rector of development. Knowing what resonates in the hearts and minds of locals is a key component to Mintwood Real Es-tate’s development philosophy as well. “A good developer recognizes and evaluates what’s trending in the marketplace and what ANN RECKELHOFF could potentially be a fit for a project,” says Katy Marquette Slade, Mintwood’s principal and founder. “In Dallas, we saw how the pickleball craze was taking over the city. We knew that prospective residents at our Peridot property might be more in-clined to live at our property than at a competitor’s because we offered an exclusive court for them to play their new favorite game with friends and family.” Property managers can also pass on apprecia-tion of the local scene via events programming, ac-cording to Mary Cook, founder and president of Chicago-based design firm Mary Cook Associates. “Small touches like providing complimentary coffee, having local beers on tap or making sport-ing equipment available for residents to check out can go a long way in strengthening a property’s brand and boosting a sense of community.” — Lynn Peisner MARY COOK Mary Cook Associates www.MultifamilyAffordableHousing.com M RMK Management’s 42 Hundred On The Lake, located about five miles south of downtown Milwaukee, includes an activity courtyard with oversized chess set. ers desire. “We endeavor to demystify the fitness center with free classes, sound healing and other offerings to engage residents in a low-stress environment. This is all part of our Lynd Living wellness initiative.” Dan Goldberg, president of Chicago-based Core Spaces, also asserts that residents want to live in a community that promotes an active lifestyle. “With health and wellness at the forefront, many of our fitness centers now include medi-tation rooms, yoga studios and saunas and steam rooms,” he says. “Our residents are pas-sionate about mental and physical wellness, and they want to have access to these features that will help them live their best lives and DAN GOLDBERG thrive.” Core Spaces Core Spaces, which got its start develop-ing amenity-packed student housing properties, plans to build more than 3,000 Oxenfree-branded BTR units in Dallas-Fort Worth; Denver; Nashville, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina and along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Sometimes wellness amenities consist of tech-heavy investments, but health-based development strategies can be as simple as con-structing spaces that make walking an easy and desirable mode of transportation. Suwanee, Georgia-based CCI Real Estate is under development on Nova River District, lo-cated in downtown Rome, Georgia. CCI found-er Jeff Warwick says the market is heavily pop-ulated with medical and university students from nearby schools and a growing number of young professionals. “Nova River District’s distinctive amenity is a one-acre riverfront community park that will anchor the revitalized area and integrate the new project into the already established downtown area,” he says. “This amenity was JEFF WARWICK planned with these students, young profes-CCI Real Estate sionals and longtime Romans in mind, providing a space attached to the multifamily component that will allow for recreation, fitness ac-tivities, local artist installations and a walkable lifestyle that is uncom-mon in this West Georgia community.” 12 | Midwest Multifamily & Affordable Housing Business | September/October 2024
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