Developed by Stoneleigh Companies, 243-unit community is one of first opportunity zone projects completed in the area
BKV Group, a holistic, multidisciplinary design firm, today announced the completion of Waterford Bay, a four-story, 243-unit multifamily development at 380 Randolph Ave., in St. Paul, Minn. The firm designed the riverfront community on behalf of client Stoneleigh Companies, which developed it as one of the first opportunity zone projects in St. Paul, with the goal of engaging the adjacent Mississippi River through a mix of public and private spaces. The site includes public access to the river with the addition of a kayak/small boat launch, an extension to the regional bike/walking path trail system and a portion of land dedicated to the city for park space along the riverfront.
The 295,000-square-foot property is a partial-wrap residential concept with a parking structure at its center and dwelling units surrounding it on three sides. Waterford Bay’s design evolved in response to site constraints, with BKV Group utilizing a lower three-story facade along the river that transitions to four stories along Randolph Street and the adjacent Mississippi River inlet. The upper residential floors frame two second-level courtyards that are separated by an amenity pavilion, creating an E-shaped design that segments the pool from the green roof.
“Being an opportunity zone development has an inherent impact on the architecture and design approach given the program’s goal of transforming communities to spur long-term investment and growth,” said Jeremiah Smith, director of architecture and partner at BKV Group. “Through our thoughtful selection of materials and intentional positioning of the building, whose angled design maximizes water and skyline views, we were able to integrate Waterford Bay into its natural surroundings. The goal was to offer a dynamic riverfront lifestyle to the community’s residents while catalyzing future investment along this stretch of the Mississippi River.”
BKV Group leveraged its full-service model by providing planning and pre-development services and leading all architecture; structural, mechanical and electrical engineering; interior design; and landscape architecture.
In planning the structure’s design, BKV adapted its northeastern facade to bend in a way that orients the front of the building toward downtown St. Paul and the inlet bay. This form also helps draw residents and visitors to the community’s primary entrance at the center of the bend.
“The materials selected for this project convey a refined industrial aesthetic catering to young professionals and people seeking an active lifestyle,” said Renato Gilbert, senior design leader and partner at BKV Group. “The podium base is a combination of architectural concrete on the exposed side – nearest to Randolph Street and the inlet – and a rust-colored cladding system on the residential sides. Along the northeast elevation, the cladding system changes to a vertically oriented dark metal panel, creating a uniform monolithic appearance. Windows and recessed balconies are grouped together with a pewter-colored horizontal corrugated expression, which is staggered along the northeast facade.”
The building itself consists of micro-units, studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, all offering high-end finishes including 9-foot ceilings; hardwood-style flooring; and modern kitchens with shaker-style cabinets, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.
Community amenities include an outdoor pool and landscaped amenity deck with four-season porch, outdoor grilling stations and fire pit lounges. Indoor amenities include an expansive fitness center and yoga studio, resident lounge, business center, rooftop clubroom with demonstration kitchen, secured bicycle and kayak storage, dog wash station and indoor parking garage with electric car charging stations.
To ensure the project, which sits along the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, would support the ecological health of the adjacent waterway, BKV Group worked closely with representatives from Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service during the entitlement process. In addition, BKV’s landscape architects utilized the required fire lane around the building as a pair of bike paths surrounding the property.
For more information on the firm’s approach to total building design, visit www.bkvgroup.com.
About BKV Group:
For more than 40 years, BKV Group has designed and delivered community-enhancing, award-winning projects across a multitude of sectors including market-rate multifamily, student living, senior housing, affordable housing, government and federal, education and library, corporate and commercial, hospitality and mixed-use. Throughout BKV’s history, the firm has grown from a sole proprietorship into a diverse partnership with practice sites in Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Hanoi, Vietnam. The firm’s holistic approach encompasses a variety of services including architecture; interior design; landscape architecture; mechanical, electrical and structural engineering; construction administration; and planning and pre-development. This integrated methodology ensures streamlined communication between disciplines to find the best design solutions under budget and time constraints while removing redundancies in the process and enhancing the design and function of each project. For more information, visit bkvgroup.com.
About Stoneleigh Companies LLC:
Based in Chicago, Stoneleigh Companies is a private real estate investment company focused on acquisition and development of multifamily properties, with a track record of over 40,000 multi-family units in 35 cities and 18 states over the last 36 years. The principals and officers of Stoneleigh are experienced in all aspects of commercial real estate development, investment, finance and operations. For more information, visit http://waterfordresidential.com/.
