Campau Commons Housing Development | Grand Rapids, MI

The need: Plan and design a new housing development that fits in with the city's traditional downtown architecture.

The solution: Campau Commons, a development with an emphasis on new urbanism that features 92 units of townhouse-style apartments and duplexes.

The site planning was designed around a streetscape setting, with lampposts and benches, as well as traffic calming features such as islands that narrow the areas where cars can drive. A covered walkway connects the residential building with a separate building that houses a community center, housing commission offices, and a local branch of Head Start. In March 2007, Campau Commons received a "Green Communities" development designation.

Type: Single-family/townhomes/apartments/duplex
Size: 92-unit
Cost: $13 million
Completion: 2007
Scope: New construction
Funding: MSHDA Section 8 Teardown/Rebuild, LIHTC
PHA: Grand Rapids Housing Commission