Taylor Kohrs completes Indy Street Flats for Metro West Housing Solutions

Taylor Kohrs recently completed construction of Indy Street Flats, a 110,848-square-foot apartment community in Lakewood. Completed over the course of four years, the $23.5 million project was designed by Shopworks Architecture to meet owner Metro West Housing Solutions’ vision of paying tribute to the historic and vibrant nature of the community.

“Indy Street Flats was designed to respond to the context of Colfax Avenue and the look and feel of the architecture of this historic corridor,” said Tom Otteson, AIA, of Shopworks Architecture. “We were inspired by mid-century modern design and looked to notable post-war commercial buildings like Davey’s Chuck Wagon Diner and the historic neon signs found throughout the area as precedents. The new building was also designed to complement the historic Masonic Temple, which was repurposed as housing for this development.”

Interior and exterior finishes were selected to reflect the color and material palate of this era, according to Otteson.

“The building is clad in brightly colored metal panels as well as brick masonry color matched to the historic Masonic Temple and includes LED signage that has a similar sensibility to historic neon,” Otteson continued. “The interior is enlivened with colorful geometric murals and the finish materials were inspired by midcentury modern products and color schemes.”

The 4% low-income housing tax-credit project includes 115 units in three buildings: Indy Flats, a new Enterprise Green three- and four-story wood-frame building with 84 units, an elevator and interior stairs; Masonic Temple, an adaptive reuse of a 67-year-old Masonic Lodge to create 19 studio apartment residences; and Belmont Manor, the rehabilitation of the three existing buildings into 12 two-bedroom apartments.

“Indy Street Flats provides many families with much-needed affordable housing in the Lakewood community,” said Tami J. Fischer, executive director, Metro West Housing Solutions. “While there is still much work to be done to address affordable housing needs in the area, we are proud of the efforts of this design and construction team, as well as the work our team does daily to provide safe and attainable housing to meet families’ current and future needs.”

“The construction portion of this unique project spanned two winters – including two bomb cyclones – which meant we had to find a way to keep the build on schedule,” said David Soloyncze, senior project manager for Taylor Kohrs. “Thanks to the ‘cando’ attitude and expertise of our Taylor Kohrs team, as well as the efficiency of the design team and owner, we completed this project ahead of schedule.” Shopworks processed requests for information and submittals rapidly, he said.

The project site included a Contech Engineered Solutions underground stormwater detention and filtration application, as well as a large detention pond, in addition to multiple smaller detention ponds, that allow for communal open space for residents.

“The key challenge of Indy Street Flats was that it consisted of four different projects in one: new construction, renovation, adaptive reuse and a major civil engineering project,” said Otteson. “Strong collaboration and communication between the design team, general contractor and owner allowed us to successfully complete the work in the face of major obstacles, and resulted in the delivery of much needed affordable housing in the city of Lakewood, as well as a new life for the historic Lakewood Masonic Temple.”

Published in the June 3-16, 2020, issue of CREJ.