Challenge

• Create a welcoming, safe and attractive housing residence for a portion of our citizens who have endured hardships unknown to most of us.
• The trapezoidal shaped lot and its steep slope contributed to the design challenge and formed the basis for the building’s unusual shape. The large number of units (density 240 units/acre) on such a small footprint necessitated a multi-story building.

Solution

• Using the SHIELD™ load-bearing walls for five stories minimized additional structural steel. Panelizing the walls reduced construction time and time to wait for steel frame erection.

Result

• Canal Street is an innovative approach to veterans' assistance that will serve as a national example – creating housing, not shelter, for formerly homeless veterans.