Pierce Street Duplex

This is an innovative “missing middle” project where the client is adding a ground-up duplex in the back of his long, narrow urban property in the Garfield Historic District, transforming the property from single-family to multifamily without demolishing the existing building.  

We enjoyed designing this duplex building to be very obviously two units within one building with the folded-plate roofs, which each unit having its own gable roof. The folded-plate roof also serves to screen the mechanical units. Because the project is on a relatively small urban site it was very challenging to comply with the development standards for multifamily development. We were able to get four variances approved on the project to achieve the required amount of parking, the required amount of open space, and the required amount of landscaping. This project is a testament to the benefits of adding small-scale, “missing middle” density to existing neighborhoods without destroying their existing character.

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