Sherman Associates; St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Melvin Carter; Council Member Rebecca Noecker; and St. Paul city officials celebrated the grand-opening of Verdant and The Scenic, the two newest apartment buildings in Sherman’s mixed-income, sustainable housing development in the West Side neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota.
“Our commitment to climate is critical so to be able to put all of these things into one different space, it’s really incredible, and it’s exciting for me, and I appreciate that,” stated Mayor Melvin Carter at the grand opening event.
Verdant is an 82-unit, income-restricted, Passive House apartment building and The Scenic is a 171-unit luxury, market-rate apartment building.
Verdant is the first pre-certified, mid-rise, Passive House multifamily building of this construction type in this climate zone. This design follows principles that are geared towards maximizing energy efficiency and can make a building up to 90% more energy-efficient than a standard building.
The development advances the City of St. Paul’s vision of enhancing and improving a large portion of the riverfront with housing for generations to come while catalyzing future development in the community.
Located across the Wabasha Street Bridge from Lowertown and the Green Line at Union Station, Verdant and The Scenic offer direct driving, walking, or biking access to the numerous shopping, entertainment, retail, and dining options that Lowertown and the downtown core have to offer; while still maintaining a natural balance and sense of separation from urban living with an abundance of green space, parks, and trails.
This mixed-income, sustainable housing development speaks to the environmental sustainability and social impact components of Sherman’s ESG Commitment. Verdant and The Scenic provide high-quality, long-term, mixed-income housing to the residents of St. Paul. The proximity to Lowertown and the downtown core provides residents with access to mass transit, biking, and walking; and will revitalize the West Side neighborhood and create a more vibrant community.
Frana Companies was the general contractor and Kaas Wilson Architects was the architect for both Verdant and The Scenic.
