St. Stephen's

The project began with a difficult piece of ground: a very small parcel defined by a steep grade change from the street to an elevated rear alley. Rather than treating this slope as a limitation, the design turns it into the project’s central opportunity, carefully tucking a five-story apartment building into the hillside while maintaining a clear, welcoming presence at the street.

Because the site offers no practical area for exterior recreation, the amenity strategy moves indoors. Enhanced interior common areas provide indoor play, fitness, and multiple flexible recreation spaces, giving residents a rich everyday living experience within the compact footprint.

The project also reflects a resourceful understanding of development constraints. Through a careful interpretation of HUD building-height definitions for wage-scale determination, the team was able to deliver what reads as a five-story building while allowing the project to qualify as a four-story structure for wage-scale purposes. This strategic approach helped avoid the significantly higher costs associated with high-rise wage rates, improving feasibility while preserving the project’s housing potential.

Architecturally, St. Stephen’s is designed to sit comfortably within its residential context. The façade is articulated both horizontally and vertically, breaking down the building’s perceived scale and creating a rhythm compatible with neighboring homes. The result is a compact, inventive apartment building that solves complex site and cost challenges with clarity, efficiency, and design ambition.

‍Project completed by the Principals and staff of Wiencek + Associates prior to merging with TG+P

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