The National Association of Home Builders has named three multifamily developments among the winners of the Best in American Living Awards, its annual design competition, presented last month at the International Builders Show.

The contest is open to builders and designers with projects from across the residential housing industry, including single-family, custom, multifamily and affordable housing, as well as remodeling projects and whole communities. In addition to the Multifamily Community of the Year, multifamily projects also won two of the Best in Region awards, as well as the Community Impact Award.

The multifamily winners are:

Multifamily Community of the Year and Best in Region - Middle Atlantic

Among the new developments in the Fifth + Broadway master plan, located on the former site of Nashville’s former convention center, is The Place at Fifth + Broadway. The 34-story tower consists of 381 luxury residential units, including penthouses on the top two levels. The building’s podium is designed to blend in with the historic architecture surrounding it, while the gray and glass apartment tower provides a modern contrast. 

The full Fifth + Broadway master plan includes an office tower and restaurant, retail and entertainment venues, arranged along an L-shaped internal path through the property. The Place’s amenities include a coworking lounge, recording studio, dog run and dog wash, guest suites and package concierge services, among others.

Community Impact Award

Adapted from a former two-story Econo Lodge, the 70-unit Buena Esperanza property provides permanent supportive housing geared toward veterans, formerly homeless individuals and persons with mental illness, according to the developer, Irvine, California-based Jamboree. The conversion adds new interior and exterior amenities to the project, including an 1,800-square-foot community room with a resident lounge, community kitchen and community pantry, furnished courtyards, a barbecue area and a community garden.

Jamboree worked together with the city of Anaheim to draft a new Motel Conversion Ordinance specifically to meet the needs of the project. The exterior has been upgraded with a Spanish-style facade, and a two-story addition houses the leasing offices.

Best in Region - North Atlantic

Homes at The Corden are geared toward the needs of low-income families, with 37 out of 62 units specifically set aside for survivors of domestic violence. The eight-story, L-shaped building features large windows in units, walkways and even stairwells to create an open, welcoming resident environment, but also offers a sense of privacy with grilles on the street-level windows.

Amenities include a children’s play room, a large outdoor space with a playground, a multipurpose room for community activities and a top-level green roof with a lounge area and laundry room. Developer New Destiny Housing also provides support services on site, including job readiness assistance and financial planning