Project Overview
BKBM provided structural and civil engineering services for the design of a six-story, 265,000-square-foot apartment building with 204 units in Minneapolis, MN. The project sought to deliver high-density, amenity-rich urban living on a challenging site bounded by historic street features and existing development.
Project Highlights
- Contemporary Multi-Family Design:
- Six-story structure with two levels of below-grade parking (192 stalls).
- Tenant amenities on the first level include an outdoor pool and amenity deck extending over a portion of the parking structure.
- Efficient Structural Systems:
- Slab on grade at the lowest level.
- Three levels of post-tensioned concrete slabs, including a second-floor podium supporting five stories of wood-framed upper floors.
- Post-tensioned slabs minimized floor-to-floor heights and maintained lowest level elevation above seasonal high groundwater.
- Innovative Civil Engineering:
- Creative stormwater management via underground infiltration tanks and a modified Swedish Soil infiltration system.
- Installation of an under-slab groundwater removal system with sampling manhole—allowing flow to be diverted to the storm or sanitary sewer based on contaminant presence, reducing sanitary discharge fees for the owner.
- Civil challenges included proximity to historic brick and wood paver streets on three sides and adjacent buildings/parking. Salvage and restoration of a historic brick paver roadway was achieved in accordance with the Minneapolis heritage street plan.
Engineering Solutions
BKBM’s structural design optimized podium and post-tensioned systems for performance, resilience, and minimal excavation in a high groundwater zone. The civil team devised advanced water management and site solutions to meet regulatory, cost, and environmental requirements, while preserving historic site features.
Results & Impact
The completed apartment complex offers flexible, efficient, and amenity-rich housing in a dense Minneapolis location. BKBM’s structural and civil engineering approach met the demands of modern urban living while safeguarding the site’s historic character and ensuring sustainability.