October 9, 2009

Housing projects honored

MoroBurt Photography for Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning [enlarge]

Bay Vista Commons in Bremerton has views of Oyster Bay.

Projects built for the Bremerton and King County housing authorities are two of 18 winners of the national Award of Excellence.

Bremerton's Bay Vista Commons Assisted Living Community won in the Program Innovation: Affordable Housing category. Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning of Bremerton designed Bay Vista, including the interiors.

King County's Nia Apartments in White Center, designed by GGLO of Seattle, won in the Project Design category.

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, or NAHRO, selected the winners from a pool of 212 merit winners and 84 Award of Excellence nominations.

Bremerton Housing Authority began construction of Bay Vista in 2006. Construction was completed in 2007. The authority can accept up to 66 Medicaid-eligible residents in the project. The other six of the 72 apartments are market-rate, private-pay. Twelve units are reserved for people with dementia.

CE&C of Tacoma was general contractor on the project, which cost $8.3 million to build. Other team members were AHBL, civil and structural engineering; Hargis Engineers, electrical and mechanical; and Lauchlin R. Bethune Associates, landscape architecture.

Rick Keating for King County Housing Authority [enlarge]

The Nia in White Center has a terrace, P-patches and other common areas.

The Nia is part of King County's $235 million, Greenbridge Hope VI complex, and was designed for the White Center area's older, diverse community. It is King County Housing Authority's first new public housing complex for seniors and persons with disabilities in 26 years. It opened in September of 2008 and leased up in four days.

The three-building complex has 82 units: 64 for seniors, and 17 for younger disabled people. Tenants' average annual income is $10,200.

Construction began in March of 2007 and wrapped up in September of 2008, and cost $13.7 million. Synergy Construction was the general contractor, and Gary Merlino Construction was the land developer.

In addition to architecture, GGLO handled interior design and landscape architecture. Other team members were Hugh G. Goldsmith & Associates, surveying; KPFF, civil engineers; AKB Engineers, structural; FSi Consulting Engineers, mechanical; GeoEngineers, geotechnical; and Path Engineers, electrical.