Transformation of blighted urban intersection into mixed-income housing focused on high performance

The Rose provides affordable, high-performance housing in a cold climate. The last project in a four-phase redevelopment of a blighted intersection, the project serves as a beacon within one of Minneapolis’ poorest neighborhoods. This new housing complex includes 47 affordable and 43 market rate apartments, underground parking, and various indoor and outdoor community spaces. Using the Living Building Challenge (LBC) as a framework in the process, the designers placed equal emphasis on providing equity and beauty, meeting SB2030 goals for reducing energy 70% below baseline, reducing water use by 50%, and not significantly increasing construction costs over a conventional building. The design incorporates many small measures that add up to significant gains in each of these areas. The project was featured as a healthy affordable housing case study for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Parsons School of Design Healthy Materials Lab.