Its been a long and at times arduously slow road for Our Heroes Place, but the pair of five-story apartment buildings at 409 E. Mill Plain Blvd. are finally complete or at least, very close and ready to join the growing lineup of housing options downtown Vancouver.
The two buildings are named Ed and Dollie in honor of the late philanthropists Ed and Dollie Lynch. The project from Vancouver-based Prestige Development broke ground in February 2017 with the tentative goal of wrapping up in May 2018, but a series of setbacks ended up more than doubling the length of the development timeline.
Nearly three years later, the Ed building is complete and the Dollie building is on track to be finished by the end of January. Prestige Development will unveil a sculpture on the west side of the block in a ceremony at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, followed by a ribbon cutting for the Ed building and an open house.
Prestige Development president and CEO Elie Kassab said its gratifying to finally cross the finish line. The finished project hews very close to the vision outlined at the start of construction, and its a concept that he said will be worth the wait.
It feels really good, a huge amount of relief, he said.
The two buildings have a combined 49 apartment units, and the Ed building on the north side of the block includes 3,400 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a drive-thru window for a future business tenant.
The Ed building includes studios and one-bedroom units, while the Dollie building has units that range from one to three bedrooms, along with three penthouse units. The Dollie buildings lower floors include a garage with 42 off-street parking spaces, and both buildings include an exercise room.
Prices at the Ed building range from $1,150 to $1,250 per month for studios and $1,300 to $1,880 for one-bedroom units, Kassab said. A monthly cost of $1,880 will be the starting price for one-bedroom units in the Dollie building, although most of its units are two- or three-bedroom with prices ranging up to $2,650. The 3,000-square-foot penthouse units are expected to cost around $7,000 a month.
The two buildings share an external design that emphasizes red brickwork, similar to the design used in Prestige Plaza, an adjacent apartment project from Prestige Development. Kassab said the color scheme was the Lynches idea, inspired by the architecture of the nearby Providence Academy.
Ed and Dollie were good friends of ours, and they really liked the colors of Prestige Plaza, which mirrored the Academy, he said. We tried to stay with that here, too.
Despite the protracted development time, very few details about the project changed from the announcement to the endpoint. The original plan called for the Dollie buildings units to be condos, but Washington states notoriously tough condo insurance laws ended up prompting a change to apartments. The units will still have condo-quality finishes, Kassab said, allowing for a possible conversion in the future.
Theres another distinction between the two buildings: the Ed building is fully furnished, with everything from linens and dishes to artwork on the walls. Kassab said the goal is to attract tenants who want to move in quickly with minimal fuss. That could mean business executives, downtown workers, Clark College students, or Millennial renters who are moving into their own apartments for the first time.
(The furnishings) are not all the same, Kassab said. Its not like a hotel; every room has its own personality.
Plans for Our Heroes Place were originally announced in January 2016. The permitting process went smoothly, Kassab said, but challenges emerged once construction was underway.
The construction phase was hit by a number of delays, culminating in a decision to switch out the projects general contractor in the fall of 2018, at a point when Kassab described the project as approximately 50 percent complete.
Work on the project had ground to a halt for more than three months during the summer of 2018 due to what Kassab described at the time as the original contractors struggle to line up the necessary labor.
Work resumed in October 2018 with the new planned completion date of May 2019. But several months before the deadline, Kassab said, it became clear that the project would once again miss its target. Work was still progressing, but it had slowed to a crawl because the same fundamental problem persisted: the necessary labor simply wasnt available.
You just cant get enough people to work on any trade, Kassab said.
Kassab said hed never encountered labor scarcity to the same degree on any prior project. A few specific contractors proved exceptionally difficult to line up, he said; fire sprinkler installation technicians were the foremost example.
The labor shortage has been hitting the entire construction industry, not just in Clark County but nationally. One of the biggest causes cited by Kassab and other developers is a generational shift in the industry an increasing number of older workers are retiring, and too few new workers have been entering the trades to replace them.
Other factors can exacerbate the workforce shortage, particularly changes in the weather. Natural disasters in other parts of the country have a major impact on construction, Kassab said, and the United States is enduring an unprecedented spate of wildfires and hurricanes.
We havent seen this type of damage in many years, he said.
The fires and floods lead to large-scale home rebuilding efforts, Kassab said, which in turn causes a nationwide spike in demand for every component lumber, sheet rock, wiring, light fixtures as well as the tradespeople to install them, stretching an already thin trades workforce even further.
At this point, Kassab said, the delays Our Heroes Place encountered can be expected to happen on nearly every major construction project.
If somebody is telling you, Oh no, were not delayed, theyre lying to you, he said.
Even the trade war had an indirect impact, Kassab said, forcing Prestige to switch from granite countertops from China to a more expensive local alternative.
The final project price tag came in at about $22.5 million, Kassab said, which was about 15 percent higher than originally projected.
With the project wrapping up, Kassab said the only real lesson to take away from the delay is that labor shortages are now a constant reality, and its something all developers are going to have to be prepared to deal with.
People who want to get a project finished, they just have to stay with it, he said.
Go here to see the original:
In downtown Vancouver, Our Heroes Place crosses the finish line - The Columbian
- Construction begins on 33-story apartment building in downtown St. Pete - St. Pete Rising - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Inside Elyria-Swansea's 16-story apartment building that has a plant-filled canyon running through it - Denverite - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Here's the status of major apartment projects in Lancaster County - LNP | LancasterOnline - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- San Diego apartment wave: More than 4000 units opening this year - The San Diego Union-Tribune - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Construction marches on for new low-income senior apartments in Colorado Springs - Colorado Springs Gazette - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Affordable housing projects take steps toward construction - Your Observer - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 'Negligent' engineer whose botched inspection led to NYC apartment building collapse agrees to fine, ban - New York Post - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 114 affordable Yesler Terrace units on track for May finish - Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Fatalities as fire engulfs apartment blocks in Spain - Construction Briefing - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- HASTINGS designs two workforce housing complexes in Nashville - The Architect's Newspaper - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Cladding under suspicion as four die in Valencia tower blaze - Global Construction Review - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Construction begins on new apartment building coming to Norwood in 2025 - News 12 Bronx - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NYC Building Permits Spike But Only for Homes, Not Apartments - Commercial Observer - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Nine states pledge to transition to heat pumps for residential HVAC and water heating - Building Design + Construction - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Construction to begin on 164-unit affordable housing property in Rosemount - St. Paul Pioneer Press - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Construction on a new apartment complex to begin in Fox Lake - WiscNews - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Park Slope's Grand Prospect Hall-Replacing Build Hits Snags - Brownstoner - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Crews Quickly Put Out Brush Fire Near Apartment Building Under Construction - Times of San Diego - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Construction to begin on Lawrence apartments in Buffalo - Buffalo News - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Austin Rents Fall as Apartment Construction Accelerates - Planetizen - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Construction of 190-apartment residential neighborhood in Sugovushan continues [PHOTOS] - AzerNews.Az - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- The Mill at Prattville's historic downtown gin shop wraps construction - Montgomery Advertiser - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Tempe residents will see 4 new high-rise apartments take shape in 2024 - The Arizona Republic - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Crane Watch: Apartments, apartments and more apartments being built as multifamily sector booms in Austin - The Business Journals - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- 10 new Detroit developments to get excited about in 2024 - Detroit Free Press - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Developer hopes to have prefab apartments in seven CT towns - Hartford Courant - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Apartment building destroyed after fire in Southeast Fresno - KMPH Fox 26 - April 5th, 2023 [April 5th, 2023]
- Commercial and Multifamily Construction Starts Post Solid Recovery in 2021 - Construction.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- More high-end apartments on the way at Tobin estate as second phase of construction starts - San Antonio Express-News - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- 49-unit WDM affordable apartment project expected to be completed by fall - Business Record - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Construction of Willow Valley Communities' 20-story downtown building to begin after sales of its apartments - LNP | LancasterOnline - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- New Zealands bipartisan housing reforms offer a model to other countries - Brookings Institution - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- HDC Hyundai Development raided in connection with Gwangju apartment building collapse - The Korea Herald - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Bend's big shift from single-family homes to more multifamily housing tops city's expectations - KTVZ - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- New Construction Is Not Always the Answer - ArchDaily - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Boston-based boutique hotelier buys Wilton Manors apartment building for $8M - The Real Deal - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Says City Is Growing Faster Than Ever At Panel Discussion With Developers - CBS Miami - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- These Will Be the Hottest Up-and-Coming NoVA Neighborhoods in 2022 - northernvirginiamag.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Downtown DeLand CRA throws big incentive to apartment developer - The West Volusia Beacon - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Why a 4-storey apartment could be coming to a residential street near you - CBC.ca - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- He Was in Witness Protection in Maine. But His Harlem Life Kept Calling. - The New York Times - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- NYCs Wealthy Enclaves Lost Housing in Past Decade as Combining of Apartments Outpaced New Construction - THE CITY - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Holladay planning $27M apartment project in Fletcher Place by former Milano Inn - Indianapolis Business Journal - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Building construction price indexes, Q4 2020 - Lumber still an issue - Electrical Business - Electrical Business - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- WHATS THIS? ANOTHER 50+ AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Florida Keys Weekly - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- 538 new houses, condos and apartments proposed on Ann Arbors north side - MLive.com - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- 7-story building with parking garage, restaurant and apartments to be built near new courthouse in Harrisburg - PennLive - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Developer of in-progress $31M housing project in Williamsville seeks tax breaks - Buffalo News - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Downtown Vancouver is on the rise - The Columbian - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Demolition in Ohio City signals big visible first step toward creation of park at Irishtown Bend - cleveland.com - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Developer closes on financing for $124M apartment project in West St. Paul - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Apartment Developers Increasing Unit Sizes For New Projects In Response To Pandemic - Bisnow - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- A makeover for Norfolks deluxe apartment in the sky - WAVY.com - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Teacher housing plan moves ahead in Palo Alto - Palo Alto Online - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Guilderland and Pyramid seek to reverse ruling that halted companys projects - The Altamont Enterprise - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Another South U block demolished to make way for next Ann Arbor high-rise - MLive.com - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- The Pandemic Disproved Urban Progressives Theory About Gentrification - The Atlantic - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- The Sydney apartment tribes reshaping the harbour city - Sydney Morning Herald - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Editorial: Changes needed to build more middle-income housing - The Daily Herald - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- 1 dead in 4-alarm Yonkers apartment building fire - Yahoo News - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- ATF helping to investigate massive fire at Waldo Heights apartments - KMBC Kansas City - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- With little effect on ground, work on Minneapolis 2040 plan continues behind the scenes - Minneapolis Star Tribune - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Construction of housing project for the elderly begins in Dupont - Insurance News Net - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- COVID will leave lasting changes in Minnesota office and apartment projects - Minneapolis Star Tribune - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Three-story office building proposed to slide in between apartments, alley in Downtown Boise - boisedev.com - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- US apartment construction boosts housing supply in November - Yahoo News - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Looking ahead: Fishers major projects in 2021 include the Nickel Plate Trail tunnel and First Internet - Current in Carmel - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Downtown development to focus on apartments | News - Bowling Green Daily News - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Developer Who Almost Landed Amazon HQ2 Planning Scores Of Apartments In Its Place - Bisnow - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Avenue breaks ground on 34th Street apartment complex - The Leader - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Hayle Harbour development celebrates milestone with topping out ceremony - In Your Area - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Here are 2020s most active architects - The Real Deal - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Apartments planned along Columbia River between Camas, Washougal - The Columbian - December 23rd, 2020 [December 23rd, 2020]
- Building law reform for NSW residential apartment buildings: Beware builders and developers - Real Estate and Construction - Australia - Mondaq News... - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Clean Air: The Next Luxury Apartment Perk - The Wall Street Journal - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Mill Creek Begins Construction on Washington, DC-Area Community - Multi-Housing News - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- AvalonBay buys Somerville site from Somerset Development, ready to build apartments and more in transit-oriented development - ROI-NJ.com - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Mitch McConnell urges Senate to pass the $741 billion defense bill Trump has vowed to veto - Business Insider India - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- A Couple Explore the Towers of Long Island City. Which of These Apartments Would You Choose? - The New York Times - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- KWA Construction Tops Out 293-Unit Upscale Waterfront Apartment Community in Las Colinas Area of Irving, Texas - MultifamilyBiz.com - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]