Hook and Ladder Apartments

Hook and Ladder Apartments will consist of 118 units of workforce housing in Northeast Minneapolis. A blighted industrial site in the Holland Neighborhood will be redeveloped to serve households with incomes at 60% AMI, offering 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments. The Holland Neighborhood is in the heart of the NE Minneapolis Arts District, and the art-themed elements included in this project will mesh with other public and quasi-public art in the Holland neighborhood. In addition, the extraordinary sustainable elements of this development build upon the environmental innovative elements incorporated in nearby public spaces. Hook and Ladder’s site plan includes both “private” and “public” open space. The southern portion of the site features green space set back from the buildings and adjacent to the public trail. Place making components will be incorporated, including public art, landscaping, and seating – thereby extending the Holland Commons landscape. An open space in the middle of the site will serve the apartment residents. The buildings surround the courtyard area and create a barrier from the public, though the spaces are connected and will flow together through pedestrian connections. The vibrant exterior of the building will reflect the neighborhood character, comprised of an aesthetic unique to the NE Arts District. The building interior will include exhibit space for artists residing at Hook and Ladder. Tenant common space will include an exercise room, management office and both indoor and outdoor gathering spaces Hook and Ladder will incorporate sustainable, energy-efficient building techniques far beyond conventional affordable housing. The development includes two buildings: one will be built to comply with current Green Communities requirements, the other to Passive House (PH) certification. Passive House standards call for an ultratight building that requires little energy for heating or cooling, as well as improved ventilation to improve air quality. The buildings will be nearly identical in floor plans, unit mix and tenant population. This will provide a long-term, side-by-size analysis of the cost benefits of PH. The PH building will be taller, thus “stepping down” the project to the adjacent neighborhood which is primarily 2-story residential homes. The buildings surround an exterior courtyard which will be for street and visible to many apartment windows.