The client’s goals for this project in the Two Rivers district were to create connections to the adjacent bike trails and downtown Des Moines and to offer a wide range of unit types — from studios to three-bedroom units. To accommodate the fast-paced schedule and development goals, the team coordinated a phased parallel design and documentation process.
The completed Jackson Crossing complex is 165,000sf across three buildings, providing 244 market-rate apartments. The site included multiple abandoned roadways with significant and immovable utilities that the design needed to accommodate. With both an urban and a residential edge to the site, INVISION used this context to inform the massing of the buildings. Strategic geometric forms maximized downtown views and defined the complex’s perimeter. To appeal to urban young professionals, Jackson Crossing features high-end amenities, including:
- Large community space
- Green space with grills and seating
- Dog wash
- Bike room
- Fitness center
- Community garden
The integration between the landscape and architecture ensured the large complex felt pedestrian-friendly. Cut-through passageways engaged public and private spaces and created connections between the buildings and their surroundings.