MURRAY, UTAH, Sept. 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Award-winning national firm KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Parley's Partners of Salt Lake City, Utah, has begun construction on Birkhill on Main, Apartment Homes, a new upscale, eco-friendly, transit-oriented apartment community in Murray, Utah, 8 miles south of Salt Lake City. The 6.2-acre, $45 million, multi-phase mixed-use development, designed by KTGY, will offer a total of 311 luxury apartment homes plus a three-story office building upon build-out.
Phase I will feature 137 apartment homes ranging from one to three bedrooms and include 41 market rate and 96 affordable housing units in a five-story building. This exciting master-planned community is environmentally-sensitive and transforms a former brownfield infill site into a high density, high quality residential development. The $17 million project is being constructed using sustainable building methods and incorporates a number of green features designed to ensure its long-term energy-efficiency and sustainability.
According to KTGY, Phase I of Birkhill Apartments has been designed to Enterprise Green Communities Certification Standard, one of the highest standards in industry guidelines for sustainable buildings and maintenance. All appliances will be Energy Star rated. Built by Ogden, Utah-based Kier Construction, each apartment at Birkhill will meet a rigid energy evaluation to insure its energy efficiency.
This sophisticated mixed-use urban community offers spacious, affordable apartment homes and a variety of well-planned floor plans from 664 square feet to 1119 square feet. The apartments have 9 foot ceilings, a gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops, oversized closets, a private patio/balcony and spectacular views of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains from many of the units.
Located at 4255 South Main Street, near 4500 South and the I-15 freeway, Birkhill Apartments residents are conveniently situated within walking distance to TRAX light rail transit (1½ blocks away from the Murray North TRAX Station), shops and restaurants. Residents can also enjoy Birkhill Apartments' onsite amenities, such as a centrally-located 3,800-square-foot club house complete with kitchen and a great room for games, media and socializing.
There is also a large, landscaped courtyard, barbecues and seating for outdoor dining and entertaining, a basketball court, and a swimming pool. The fitness center overlooking the patio and pool offers exercise and relaxation for residents and guests.
Additionally, Parley's Partners will provide a 20' paved trail on the north side of the project, next to Cottonwood Creek, which will connect with the Jordan River Parkway's 40-mile network of trails. Upon the completion of Phase I, Parley's Partners will dedicate this one acre of land that incorporates the new paved trail as greenbelt open space. The green belt open space will provide residences and the general public easy access to the trail system that ties into the Murray Parks Trail System and the Salt Lake County's Master Planned Trail System, which includes the Jordan River Parkway's 40-mile network of trails.
The architecture of Birkhill Apartments is reminiscent of the beautiful, historic architecture of the Salt Lake City civic and residential buildings with the celebrated combination of brick, stucco and Hardie board fiber cement siding exteriors as well as tree-lined sidewalks and landscaped streetscapes. With a pedestrian-friendly emphasis, all residents are provided with interior corridor entrances to their private residences. All five floors at Birkhill on Main are serviced by two elevators, adjacent to the entry lobby, and a four-level controlled access parking garage. Each tenant receives a secured, covered parking stall.
KTGY and the developer have designed an innovative $1.7 million parking garage structure so that each parking level matches the floor height of the corresponding level of the apartment building. As a result, the residents can conveniently access their apartment from the level they park their car on, thus eliminating the need to climb multiple stairs to get "home."
"Never before offered in affordable housing in the Salt Lake City area, our structured parking garage provides immediate and convenient access to each resident's apartment home," said Hooper Knowlton, III of Parley's Partners. "And, no one has to be at the mercy of the weather to get to and from their car."
"Birkhill Apartments was designed to not only complement the surrounding neighborhoods but create a higher standard for apartment living," said KTGY Principal Manny Gonzalez, AIA and LEEP AP, based in the firm's Santa Monica, Calif. office. "Not only are we building affordable luxury, but we are linking this community and transit together and creating a truly walkable urban lifestyle that helps people save money and our planet's resources."
Birkhill Apartments will provide much needed quality housing for families earning between 25 percent and 43 percent of the area median income in a safe neighborhood that offers easy access to employment, transit, education and services. Affordable rents are estimated to range from $335 to $811 per month, based on family size and income level, for those that qualify.
"The construction of these apartment homes will also have a positive economic impact on the City of Murray and the surrounding communities, creating temporary and permanent jobs, as well as additional income for local merchants and businesses," said Knowlton.
According to Knowlton, Parley's Partners plans to begin construction on Phase II in June 2013, which will add 65 more apartment homes. Phase III will include 109 additional apartment homes; and Phase IV will feature a three-story 35,400-square-foot office building. Phases I, II and III are anticipated to be complete by 2016. The timing of Phase IV is based upon pre-leasing.
KTGY Group, Inc. is the project architect and designer. EDM Partners LLC of Salt Lake City has provided civil engineering services on Phase I; MJ Structural Engineers of Salt Lake City provided structural design; PVE, Inc. of Salt Lake City provided mechanical and electrical design; and Kier Construction is acting as the general contractor on Phase I of the Birkhill Apartments. Michele Dunker Interiors of Logan, Utah, provided interior design services. Construction financing was provided by JP Morgan Chase Community Financing Group out of Houston, Texas, with permanent financing provided by Utah Community Reinvestment Bank.
"Birkhill Apartments demonstrates Parley's Partners' exemplary commitment to developing high quality, environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible communities," said Gonzalez. "This great community asset will add vitality to this neighborhood and much needed affordable housing, while helping the City of Murray meet its sustainable development goals."
"We are grateful to the City of Murray, the Utah Housing Corp., and our financial partners for their dedication and allowing us to provide high quality, eco-friendly, affordable living to the families of this deserving community," Knowlton said. "We look forward to continuing these valuable partnerships as we proceed with phase two and three of this development."
EMG Management Group of Salt Lake City is handling the property management and leasing of Birkhill Apartments. Pre-leasing will commence in October with initial move ins beginning in early February, 2013. Phase I is expected to be completed by the end of March 2013.
Interested applicants can e-mail info@emg-apts.com for additional information or call EMG Management at (801) 263-0600.
About EMG Management Group
EMG Management successfully manages over 2,000 residential and commercial units. EMG's team has over 20 years experience in public/private government regulated rental properties. EMG demonstrates expertise in Section 8 Mod-Rehab, Section 42 Tax Credits, and Market Rate properties and serves as a management consultant to numerous for profit and non-profit housing developers. Visit www.emg-apts.com.
About KTGY Group
Celebrating 20 years, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is a national award-winning firm providing comprehensive planning and architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, market trends and financial performance. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Tysons Corner, Va. See www.ktgy.com.
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