1 AIA LU|HSW Available

Local affordable housing developer DevNW’s Polk St SRO’s project will serve young adults aging out of the foster system. The building will provide a communal safe, comfortable, and beautiful home for the tenants, as they gradually transition into fully independent living. The project, on an infill lot in Eugene’s Whitaker neighborhood, will add to the site’s existing (12) 1-bedroom apartment building. The new 6000-SF building will include (12) SRO’s, a site manager’s apartment, and common spaces including: a meeting & dining room with a full kitchen, a laundry room, and a shared flex space. The new L-shaped, 2-story building works with the existing structure to frame a courtyard with outdoor spaces and elements including an entry arbor, a pavilion, garden beds, a recreational lawn, a planted stormwater raingarden, and secure bike parking. The tight infill site was challenging to service with utilities, and these challenges will be explored on the tour in addition to discussing strategies for accessibility, envelope performance, sustainability, and fire safety.

Join us as Aligned Architecture and Meili Construction lead us on a tour of the DevNW's Polk Street SROs.

All parking must be done on the street, so plan to arrive a little early as you may need to park a few blocks away.

Learning Objective 1:
Participants will learn about accessibility features in units and in community spaces within the facility. This includes layouts that meet required clearances, workspace arrangements, sensory impairment visual/sound features, and circulation through gathering areas. Participants will explore strategies for meeting accessibility requirements in the context of micro-units.

Learning Objective 2:
Participants will learn about the rainscreen weather barrier and flashing sequencing to improve envelope performance, durability, and longevity in the Pacific Northwest. Participants will be walked through the envelope protection steps including membrane, flashing, and tape products, window flashing mock-up and testing, and securing a manufacturer’s warranty.

Learning Objective 3:
Participants will learn about implemented stormwater management strategies and tour how the stormwater facility integrates with the bike barn and building entry. They will learn the requirements for flashing for UV protection of the liner, stemwall and wall assembly, structural implications, and sequencing. Participants will see how an integrated facility can support design intentions while supporting sustainability and resilience.

Learning Objective 4:
Participants will learn about fire sprinkling requirements and fire rating strategies for the SRO’s. Participants will also learn about safety trade-offs in a site with limiting existing conditions. In this case, upgrading the fire sprinkler system from NFPA 13R to a full NFPA 13 system enabled the Fire Marshal to approve an alternate Fire Truck Turn-Around within the confines of this tight infill project site.