Veterans Village of Carson is an affordable housing development offering 51 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as onsite case management and supportive services to U.S. military veterans and their families.
Located adjacent to the 110 freeway in Carson, a low-rise urban section of Los Angeles, the project team addressed the specific needs of its residents.
The designers flipped the units around to keep the living areas buffered from the noise from the adjacent 110 freeway. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
WITHEE MALCOLM ARCHITECTS CREATES FULL AMENITIES PACKAGE
Designed by Torrance-based Withee Malcolm Architects for developer Thomas Safran & Associates, the three-story, mixed-use development employs Type V over one-story podium construction. Unit features include kitchens and bathrooms with granite countertops and solid-wood cabinetry.
It has a fitness center, outdoor areas at the podium level and second floor, and a 3,500-sf new community room equipped with a full kitchen, spacious seating areas, a computer lounge, pool table, piano and TV room.
Other amenities: laundry facilities, outdoor barbecue area, a children’s playground, and resident gardens. The gated community features secured access and on-site management and maintenance staff.
Care was taken to ensure community areas were welcoming and warm by including the addition of natural wood, stone accents, and comfortable seating.
The community room at Veterans Village of Carson. Natural wood and comfortable seating was purposefully designed into the setting. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
TURNING UNITS TO BLOCK NOISE FROM THE NEARBY FREEWAY
The 1.15-acre site lies adjacent to the 110 freeway, a main north-south corridor connecting Pasadena and downtown Los Angeles with San Pedro and the Ports. The design team minimized noise to the interior living spaces as well as exterior community spaces.
Units located along the freeway side of the property were turned so that active windows and living spaces were oriented toward the interior courtyard and away from the noise source. In essence, the backs of the units were used as a sound buffer for interior landscaped courtyards and other residences.
Living room at Veterans Village. The project offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, with priority to veterans and their families. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
COMMERCIAL SPACE OPENS UP ADDITIONAL LINK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Commercial space on the corner of the building opens to an outdoor plaza to further encourage interaction between residents and the neighborhood.
Through design details and paint in light colors, the arrival experience mimics a parking court rather
than car garage, making the experience equally enticing for residents and retail shoppers.
To mitigate costs associated with additional parking, stalls for both residential and commercial uses were located on the ground level, screened from view by the commercial component, the main entry lobby, and abundant landscaping. Keeping the parking on grade also allowed natural ventilation and light.
The structure wraps around a central courtyard . "We put extra effort into the design, aesthetics, landscape, and finishes," said Thomas Safran & Associates’ Tyler Monroe. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY U.S. VETS
At Veterans Village, U.S. VETS, a service organization whose mission is to end homelessness among veterans, provides supportive services to residents, including occupational training, access to medical/dental care, and point-of-retention services.
Veterans Village of Carson is a Tax Credit property that accepts Housing Choice (Section 8) and VASH vouchers. Preference is given to U.S. military veterans. The community was developed in collaboration with the City of Carson.
Lobby at Veterans Village. Support services to residents is provided by U.S. VETS, whose mission is to end homelessness among U.S. veterans. PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
‘EXTRA EFFORT’ TO CREATE AN ‘UPLIFTING’ EXPERIENCE
Designing the spaces for these services in ways that evoke home has encouraged veterans to take advantage of assistance that benefits them and the larger community. “We look for every opportunity to make these projects special for the people who live there,” said Thomas Safran & Associates’ Tyler Monroe. “We put extra effort into the design, aesthetics, landscape, and finishes."
Affordable housing, he said, “should look as good, if not better, than anything else in the neighborhood. It should be uplifting, enriching, and contribute to the environment and its residents.”
The complex at dusk. As one resident, a Navy veteran, said, "It's like a resort." PHOTO: JIM SIMMONS
HOW ONE RESIDENT VIEWS HIS NEW HOME
For Navy veteran and resident Ross Schenck, even restrictions put in place by COVID have not dampened the experience. “It’s beautiful there….it’s like a resort,” he said. “I love the views, the location, and I’ve loved getting to know almost all of my neighbors.”
See the video with interviews with U.S. Army veteran Major Stewart and others:
Related Stories
| Jan 21, 2011
Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history
The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.
| Jan 20, 2011
Worship center design offers warm and welcoming atmosphere
The Worship Place Studio of local firm Ziegler Cooper Architects designed a new 46,000-sf church complex for the Pare de Sufrir parish in Houston.
| Jan 19, 2011
Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping
The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.
| Jan 7, 2011
Mixed-Use on Steroids
Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
| Jan 4, 2011
An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value
One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.
| Jan 4, 2011
Grubb & Ellis predicts commercial real estate recovery
Grubb & Ellis Company, a leading real estate services and investment firm, released its 2011 Real Estate Forecast, which foresees the start of a slow recovery in the leasing market for all property types in the coming year.
| Dec 17, 2010
Condominium and retail building offers luxury and elegance
The 58-story Austonian in Austin, Texas, is the tallest residential building in the western U.S. Benchmark Development, along with Ziegler Cooper Architects and Balfour Beatty (GC), created the 850,000-sf tower with 178 residences, retail space, a 6,000-sf fitness center, and a 10th-floor outdoor area with a 75-foot saltwater lap pool and spa, private cabanas, outdoor kitchens, and pet exercise and grooming areas.
| Dec 17, 2010
Luxury condos built for privacy
A new luxury condominium tower in Los Angeles, The Carlyle has 24 floors with 78 units. Each of the four units on each floor has a private elevator foyer. The top three floors house six 5,000-sf penthouses that offer residents both indoor and outdoor living space. KMD Architects designed the 310,000-sf structure, and Elad Properties was project developer.
| Dec 17, 2010
Vietnam business center will combine office and residential space
The 300,000-sm VietinBank Business Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, designed by Foster + Partners, will have two commercial towers: the first, a 68-story, 362-meter office tower for the international headquarters of VietinBank; the second, a five-star hotel, spa, and serviced apartments. A seven-story podium with conference facilities, retail space, restaurants, and rooftop garden will connect the two towers. Eco-friendly features include using recycled heat from the center’s power plant to provide hot water, and installing water features and plants to improve indoor air quality. Turner Construction Co. is the general contractor.
