A contemporary infill housing project along St. Louis’ famous South Grand Boulevard, the Grand Flats project offers an alternative to traditional and historic housing options for residents looking for a walkable neighborhood with modern amenities.  The South Grand Business District and nearby historic Tower Grove Park serve as major inspiration for the building and associated site spaces.  Building a cutting-edge project in such an established neighborhood required careful site consideration in order to meet the desires of future tenants while supporting the existing residential neighborhood. 

Goals for the overarching site placement were reached by referencing the existing streetscape standards for the South Grand Business District, especially the stormwater management, infiltration, and connectivity at the street edges.  Ongoing neighbor engagement allowed for a seamless integration of the new with the old.  Amenity spaces for the 124 new units are internally-focused, buffering residents from adjacent uses and concentrating uses.  

The primary courtyard achieves stormwater goals by incorporating raingardens, and features elements to meet every residents’ need:  beer garden seating beneath a dappled tree canopy, outdoor grilling and fire pit, colorful and trendy furnishings, swimming and sunning.  This courtyard sets the tone for the interior social spaces in the building and serves to unify in the indoor and outdoor functions.  Supplementing the central courtyard is an elongated pet enclosure featuring dog-specific artificial turf and gathering space for owners to mingle at the same time.