As a catalyst for this awakening, Hacker’s 9101 Building seeks a key role in linking Lents Town Center’s proud past to an optimistic future. With ‘Lents Grown’ baked into the DNA of the design, every aspect of the building has been tailored to enhance the existing strengths and local character of the neighborhood. The overall silhouette of the building is designed to reinforce Lents’ character of small-town urbanism where modest homes and gardens surround a welcoming, walkable town center. Its exterior materials pose a modern interpretation of the area’s agrarian roots, matching deeply textured wood cladding with structurally-glazed aluminum storefronts, to strike a balance between machine-refined and handmade rustic.
The building is sited to leverage its close proximity to a rare variety of transportation options found in the area. Car parking is not forgotten but bicycle parking is to be celebrated, on display alongside the shopfronts of 92nd Avenue. Along the sidewalks of SE 92nd and Foster, the building aims to restore the commercial streetscape of the Town Center by wrapping two major streets in pedestrian-friendly storefronts. The busy angular slice of Foster Road is woven into the building’s shape with apartment balconies and a public courtyard acting as buffers from the clamor of the street. A tree-lined and generously planted courtyard extends the storefront along Foster Road deep into the lot to add sorely needed public gathering space at the street level. The apartments are designed to maximize access to daylight and fresh air for residents within a variety of sizes and bedroom counts, including a number of 3-bedroom units tailored to families currently underserved by the housing market. With a mandate for LEED Gold rating, the 9101 Building will also enhance the health of its residents and the region for generations to come.
As construction progresses, we will continue to enjoy this opportunity to nurture the development of a building that represents so much more than itself. And in October we will all get to see what a ‘Lents Grown’ building really looks like.