SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A high-profile project that turned a historic site into much-needed affordable housing for young professionals in downtown Fresno has earned a prestigious national design award for Mogavero Architects.

CityView @ Van Ness earned a Gold award in the Affordable Multifamily category from the Best in American Living Awards (BALA), an annual contest sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Design Committee. The awards program recognizes excellent design in single-family and multifamily homes of all types and sizes. Mogavero Architects was the architect for the $11 million project, located at a busy intersection and critical corner in downtown Fresno. The city’s downtown district is undergoing a renaissance, with more commercial development and businesses opening, creating a demand for urban housing.

“We’re proud to play a part in the changes taking place in downtown Fresno and helping meet the need for housing,” said Craig Stradley, a Principal of Mogavero Architects. “The project created some interesting challenges, and we took great effort to preserve the past while moving ahead for the future.”

The 45-apartment community replaced the Droge building, which housed government programs during the Great Depression, including the Works Program Administration, and was the site for the evacuation control station to register Japanese and Japanese-Americans for internment in 1942. Some of the historical events are detailed in commissioned artwork in the façade of CityView @ Van Ness.

“Mogavero Architects developed a forward-looking but extremely functional design for the development,” said Preston Prince, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Fresno Housing Authority. Fresno Housing is the developer-owner of CityView @ Van Ness. “The firm created an attractive community that has revitalized downtown Fresno by creating and renovating quality, affordable housing.

CityView @ Van Ness features ground-floor commercial space and housing on the upper floors. The community includes studio, one- and two-bedroom units, a community room, management offices and a terrace.

CityView @ Van Ness and Mogavero Architects were also honored with a Gold Nugget award, recognizing exceptional concepts in design, planning and development. The project received an Award of Merit in the Best Affordable Housing Community—60 Units or More category.

“Our goal was to design housing that feels like home for residents and meets the needs of the neighborhood, while serving as an example of what can be done—and is needed—in downtown Fresno,” said Stradley, who serves as Director of Architecture for Mogavero Architects. “We’re proud of the awards and our team that worked on the project.” The firm created an attractive community that has revitalized downtown Fresno by creating and renovating quality, affordable housing.

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