The 160-acre Mississippi Crossings site in Champlin, Minnesota, was a thriving commercial district in the early part of the 20th century. From the 1980s until the early 2000s, however, the area had been in decline for many years and was mostly known for its dilapidated commercial buildings, according to the City of Champlin. After a few redevelopment efforts started and stalled, the city entered into a development agreement in 2019 with Greco to be master developer of 12 acres within the Mississippi Crossings site. Greco is a Minneapolis-based commercial developer, …
Architecture & Design
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With many office buildings, hotels and shopping malls sitting vacant or underutilized, repurposing commercial properties into multifamily housing is growing more commonplace. A recently released report suggests that these conversions could be financially feasible across a broad range of markets and circumstances. “Conversions have existed for decades, but the pandemic has accelerated their growth potential by rendering more commercial properties obsolete,” says Anita Kramer, senior vice president of the ULI Center for Real Estate Economics and Capital Markets. “Our research demonstrates that there’s no ‘cookie-cutter’ formula for …
COVID-19 has forced architects to deliver apartment features that are hyper-customized to regional trends and renter demographics. — By Ryan Carver, SGA|NarmourWright Design — As strange as it may seem, the enduring COVID-19 pandemic is creating an opportunity for innovation in the multifamily industry. These days, my colleagues and I at the architectural design and planning firm of SGA|NarmourWright are sharpening our pencils, fine-tuning the services we deliver during this pandemic era and beyond. Our clients need the right product for the right target demographic. We study trends by talking …