Affordable housing is such a hot button issue these days, and especially in burgeoning cities like Charlottesville.
There are a lot of different ways to approach affordable housing, from policy and social intervention to zoning codes and tax incentives. From an architectural perspective, however, there’s a very clear path towards it, and that’s making use of what we call “the missing middle.”
The missing middle refers to development patterns that fall between the low-density single-family homes and large-scale, high-density projects like 100-unit apartment buildings. It identifies a scale of building that is predominantly missing from the market, offering opportunities for medium-density, human-scaled housing. This approach to development presents a design-centric challenge, requiring nuance and thoughtful planning to get it right.
The newly approved comprehensive plan and zoning bylaws in Charlottesville are set to have a significant impact on how the city grows. With its form-based code and added bonuses for density, this approach to zoning is likely to encourage development that fits the missing middle model. Given the existing lot sizes in Charlottesville, there are few opportunities left for large-scale projects without substantial land acquisition. This makes the missing middle not only practical but essential for meeting both densification goals and maintaining quality of life.
We had the opportunity to work on a project recently that fit the missing middle bill, and which is a great example of this concept. It came to life before Charlottesville's new zoning was in place, but it perfectly illustrates the kind of construction the new rules would support. On a plot of land that initially seemed too marginal to accommodate much of anything, we were able to design an 11-unit apartment complex. This eye-opening experience recalibrated our thinking, helping us see the potential in this and so many other underused sites across the city.
But let us be clear here: this project and others like it are not just about squeezing in as many units and as much income as possible. If a developer wanted to do that, they could easily do so in the surrounding counties where urban sprawl and unaffordable new construction is at its height.
This type of infill project is about creating livable, well-designed spaces that enhance the urban fabric, while meeting a community’s agreed upon goals for density and scale. It demonstrates how we can use smart design to turn seemingly negligible land into thriving, vibrant housing that benefits the entire community.
From a design perspective, this apartment complex was about scale and efficiency. The lot was adjacent to an existing single-story apartment building, so in order to make the most use of the space, we needed to think vertically and design right up to the easements of the property line. This required meticulous planning, which we related to the client through 3D renderings that accounted for existing structures.
Each of the apartments is efficiency style, which is exactly what the student-heavy population of Charlottesville is looking for. Despite their small size, each unit is laid out to be open and light-filled and all units will have access to a shared outdoor rooftop space.
The site is twenty-four feet wide along the street, pinched on both sides by an adjacent lot line and existing three story townhouses. Because of this compression, the design difficulties lay in creating units that were efficient, but also livable and exciting. All of our decisions were aimed at maximizing the resident’s experience and living space. But along the way we ran up against several challenges: fire separation distances to meet code, fire ratings of walls and openings, thin material selections, accessibility and grading requirements on the lower floor which caused complexities in our foundation and slab designs, stair design and locations, roof access and maintenance requirements, MEP issues, and zoning challenges. Creative solutions for each of these parameters led to a complex, creative and vibrant design.
This building is currently under construction and we’re excited to see how this and other developments like it can help meet our community’s need and desire to continue to grow in a way that allows everyone access to such a great city. We believe this project has the potential to reshape how we approach infill development, making the best use of already developed property, while adding to the unique culture that is Charlottesville. For property owners with underused or unused parcels of land who are also excited about these possibilities, we’re ready to work together to come up with a solution that maximizes space in a responsible, design-forward way.
>Contact Design Develop if you'd like to talk more about responsible development of existing property.