Mission & Concept
A large mixed-use development in the Sunset neighborhood of Renton that blends urban and suburban attributes. Replacing an underutilized strip mall, Solera was born through a deeply collaborative, and community-informed effort, by an affordable housing developer, an experienced architecture firm, and a dedicated project team.
Solera is Evergreen Impact Housing Fund’s first project supported by a consortium of five local credit unions. Developer DevCo broke ground in August 2021, and the property is expected to welcome residents in 2024. This mixed-income project in Renton consists of 590 multifamily units; half will be affordable housing units, 20 percent of which will be set aside for persons with disabilities.
Project Description
A large mixed-use development in the Sunset neighborhood of Renton, Solera blends urban and suburban attributes. The master plan includes 590 mixed-income apartments, 96 fee simple townhomes and over 30,000 SF of commercial space in two buildings. While other developers had failed to find a workable fit for the large 11-acre parcel, affordable family housing developer DevCo made its vision for affordable- and workforce-housing pencil out, with a number of larger 4-bedroom units. The city’s desire to balance the mix with market-rate units created a design challenge for us, demanding extra resourcefulness in building shape and unit design. Likewise, balancing the extra parking needed for mixed-use affordable housing with zoning regulations on parking and the project’s unique amenities—including indoor basketball court, dedicated “work from home” space, and commercial daycare facility—we designed a large underground parking structure and “hid” above-ground parking on the inside of wraparound structures. Finally, to signal Solera’s dual commercial and residential identities, we clad ground floor commercial space in dark brick masonry for a modern look, incorporating warm wood-like siding above with balconies and shed roofs for a more residential feel. Without making them identical, we gave both buildings tripartite facades and a dark neutral color palette to reinforce a sense of unified community.
Building Information
- 216 – 1 Bedroom – 726 SF
- 206 – 2 Bedroom – 1,044 SF
- 102 – 3 Bedroom – 1,193 SF
- 41 – 4 Bedroom – 1,463 SF
- 25 street-oriented townhouse units.
Notable Features
- 30,000 SF of commercial space, including a potential daycare location with dedicated outdoor area.
- Large elevated courtyards in each building provides passive and active outdoor spaces.
- Outdoor space (balconies or patios) for every unit, work from home areas, bicycle and residential storage on the residential floors.
- Half court indoor basketball courts in each building.
- Building A includes a tot lot and off-leash pet area.
- Structured parking for residents and guests for approximately 800 cars.
- Built to Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard. Building A has heat pump water heaters and solar panels on the roof.
- Pedestrian oriented street frontage along Sunset Blvd in combination with a new frontage road providing parallel parking to serve the commercial uses within the project. Features include street trees, benches, planters and ample sidewalk along the building facade.
- Wings (shed roofs), four-bedroom units, continuous courtyard with the feel of a European street, outdoor play area for children, outdoor space (balconies or patios) for every unit, work from home areas, bicycle and residential storage on the residential floors.
- Community meeting as part of the major modifications under a previously approved master plan. The community was excited to have the space in use again and are looking forward to fresh commercial spaces. We worked with the city to align our goals.
Links
- https://www.tiscareno.net/portfolio/solera
- https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/09/01/devco-renton-project-moves-forward.html
- https://www.naiop.org/research-and-publications/magazine/2022/spring-2022/development-ownership/solera-where-suburban-form-meets-urban-function/
Project Partners
