Colorado Real Estate Journal - February 16, 2022
Taylor Kohrs, a Colorado based general contractor for nearly 40 years, recently completed construction of a 54-unit, senior affordable housing complex in Colorado Springs: The Atrium at Austin Bluffs. The 49,000-square foot facility consists of a mix of one- and two-bedroom units in a three-story building with integrated amenity spaces and parking. The project, which was designed by Kephart for Greccio Housing, includes community rooms, fitness center, resident resource services area, a wellness center and an outdoor patio overlooking Pikes Peak. “Atrium at Austin Bluffs is a building born of its place,” said Josh Robinson, a lead Kephart project designer. “To allow the building to fit into its context, we incorporated red brick and gabeling into the design, but also took inspiration from the language of the Old West and the structures of the town that existed on the site decades before.” “The Taylor Kohrs team enjoyed building a strong, safe, comfortable and affordable home for seniors in the Colorado Springs community,” said Taylor Kohrs Project Manager Dan Letellier. The building, which serves seniors age 62 and older, is wood-framed over post-tensioned concrete slab on grade. “Our goal was to create a place of dignity, clarity and simplicity,” Robinson said. “To do so, we broke the L-shape of the structure down into two buildings. “We wanted to celebrate each individual unit as a home and did so through the incorporation of two large windows flanking the Juliette balconies.” From the exterior, each unit is clearly identifiable and presents as its own home front. From the interior, the space reads as though the whole wall is windows. The building is also oriented both to maximize the views from the amenity zones and to create safety and privacy through positioning the main entrance toward the auto court.