Mogavero Architects

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Mogavero Architects is committed to making our website’s content accessible and as user-friendly as possible for all. If you are having difficulty viewing or navigating the content on this website, or notice any content, feature, or functionality that you believe is not fully accessible to people with disabilities, please call our office at (916) 443-1033 or email our team at info@mogaveroarchitects.com with “Disabled Access” in the subject line and provide a description of the specific feature you feel is not fully accessible or a suggestion for improvement. We take your feedback seriously and will consider it as we evaluate ways to accommodate all of our users and our overall accessibility policies. Additionally, while we do not control such vendors, we strongly encourage vendors of third-party digital content to provide content that is accessible and user friendly.

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Mogavero does the 2023 Women Build Event!

Several of us here at Mogavero Architects had the pleasure of participating in this year’s “Women Build” event hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento. Every year, the Women Build event brings together hundreds of individuals across dozens of sectors to address the housing crisis affecting many families in Sacramento & Yolo Counties.  Women Build promotes empowerment, solidarity, and education by inviting members of the public to participate in the building of homes for Habitat for Humanity housing recipients. In many cases, volunteers are given the opportunity to work directly alongside these recipients, who each put in 500 hours of “sweat equity” towards their down payment, to build the homes they will later live their lives in. Habitat for Humanity homeowners are selected based on qualifications such as need for adequate shelter, income of 30-80% of the AMI, and willingness to partner with HFH. Their mortgages are carried by HFH and offered to the recipients at a 30-year, 0% interest fixed rate, ensuring long-term affordability. Our team spent the day learning construction techniques like hanging siding & installing insulation, all while giving back to those in need. Habitat’s incredible staff of Contractors and Organizers offered invaluable knowledge about construction site protocol and community building. Best of all, it was an honor to meet and work with some of this year’s Habitat for Humanity housing recipients.  Thank you, Habitat for Humanity team, for having us! We can’t wait to do it again next year! 

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Lowden Lane Apartments Under Construction

Construction is underway at the new Lowden Lane Apartments in Redding, California. Affordable Housing Development Corporation (AHDC) and Central Valley Coalition for Affordable Housing (CVCAH) are behind this 4.3-acre project at 2775 Lowden Lane. The first phase of the project includes 61 units of low-income, affordable housing that is aimed at serving qualifying seniors 62+ who earn 30-60% of the area median income. Lowden Lane is located in the southeast quadrant of Redding and boasts close proximity to many service amenities including transit, supermarkets, and pharmacies that will serve future residents and their daily needs. The architectural intent of Lowden Lane is to compliment the design elements of the surrounding neighborhood and the natural elements of the site. The buildings are thoughtfully arranged so that as much of the existing site trees can be preserved, creating a “village in the woods” feel. The community includes a fitness facility and other gathering spaces, including a sewing room that overlooks the surrounding foliage. Completion of the project is anticipated to be Summer of 2023.

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New Associates

Lisa Halpin Dominic Mogavero Toffee Kittisathanon We are excited to announce the promotion of new Associates. These individuals provide invaluable contributions and distinguish themselves through their demonstrated leadership and commitment to the firm. We are beyond honored to be a part of their continued architectural journey. A talented Architect and mentor, Lisa Halpin stands out for her thoughtful design and organized project management. She demonstrates leadership with her involvement and growth of the internship program, as well as her ongoing contribution towards the refinement of internal processes. Dominic Mogavero is the firm’s Director of Development Services who approaches projects with an unwavering dedication towards managing cohesive collaboration among stakeholders and is laser focused on the success our clients. His continuous pursuit of strategic operational improvement makes him an invaluable asset. Toffee Kittisathanon is a Senior Designer with a focus on competitions, RFPs, and RFQs. A leader in interpersonal communication, she elevates the firm with her mastery of consultant and agency coordination as well as her keen eye for cultivating brand identity.

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Honoring the Life of Michael Notestine

We are sad to announce the recent passing of our dear partner of more than 30 years, Michael Notestine. Mike was a native of Northern California. He served in the Air Force guarding ICBM silos in North Dakota where he met the love of his life, Kathy Moen. After military service, marriage to Kathy, and Planning School, Mike spent several years at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA). In the late 1980s, Mike went into private planning practice. Shortly thereafter, he sought out help with the urban design element for a Master Plan for Downtown Roseville. This endeavor led to the formation of a partnership with Craig Stradley and David Mogavero in 1990. For over 25 years, Mike provided planning services to many Northern California communities. His work shaped places throughout the region including Bakersfield, Visalia, Chico, Willits, Grass Valley, Locke, Redding, San Rafael, Woodland, Yuba City, in Sacramento for Central City Urban Design, the R Street Corridor, Oak Park, Fair Oaks and Antelope/North Sacramento. This work was nearly always for redevelopment of existing neighborhoods, downtowns, and broader existing communities and often involved large, charette-style community engagements. Mike was also an avid participant in the well-being of his community. This was most significantly manifested with his tenure for 21 years on the Sacramento City Planning Commission where he gained the respect of staff, elected officials, his Commissioner peers, and the real estate community for his balanced and thoughtful leadership. Perhaps most importantly, Mike was the emotional mainstay of our practice and many community-wide debates for all those years. Mike was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010. With Kathy by his side, he fought it bravely – ultimately extending his life many years longer than his initial prognosis. Calm, wise, and always kind and caring for all of us. He inspired us all to be our best selves. We love him and will miss him dearly. Kathy and her family will be holding a celebration of Mike’s life in late February. If you are interested in attending, please send us an email architects@mogaveroarchitects.com. We are eager to celebrate Mike’s impact with the people who knew and loved him.

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Renner Johnston mentors ULI Sacramento Young Leaders Group

Principal Renner Johnston was one of the featured mentors at the recently concluded ULI Sacramento Young Leaders Group (YLG) Forum. The YLG Forums feature groups of 10-15 young professionals from different niches of the real estate planning and development field who meet monthly January through June with a group mentor to share and learn about land use, real estate development, and our local community. The mission of the YLG is to increase the involvement and influence of young real estate professionals in the Sacramento region and to develop programs and opportunities for the industry’s future leaders. Open to members age 35 and under, this is a great program to develop skills and build relationships.

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West Apartments is well underway

The West Apartments complex is under construction in West Sacramento’s Bridge District, on the Sacramento River. The five-story, mixed-use complex has 287 residences and takes full advantage of the significant views overlooking the river, Tower Bridge, Sutter Health Park, and Downtown Sacramento. Ground floor retail on Riverfront Street provides 8,000 square feet of active street frontage facing the Rivercats Baseball Stadium. Check out the drone footage of the construction project from a recent Sacramento Bee article here.

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Mogavero Architects Welcomes New Leadership

Mogavero Architects is thrilled to announce the expansion of ourleadership team. Cesar Medina, AIA and Cecilia Chouhy, Associate AIA are new Owner/Principals. For more than 15 years, Cesar and Ceciliahave each earned the respect and admiration of their colleagues bydemonstrating extraordinary leadership and excellent design. Theirculturally and geographically diverse perspectives enrich the practice.They represent the beginning of our next generation of leadership andwe can’t wait to see where they take us! Here’s a bit more about Cesar and Cecilia: Cesar A. Medina, AIAPrincipalAfter 15 years with Mogavero Architects, Cesar has been elevated toPrincipal. With over 25 years of combined experience in residentialarchitecture and design, Cesar has delivered exceptional housingprojects throughout Northern California, including student housing atUC Davis, Sacramento State, and University of the Pacific. Originallyfrom Mexico, Cesar has a high design sensibility that mergesinnovation, functionality, and empathy for the residents who callMogavero projects “home.” A few of Cesar’s most meaningful projects:City View at Van NessCapitol YardsUC Davis Tercero 4 Student HousingWEST Apartments Cecilia Chouhy, Associate AIAPrincipalCecilia Chouhy was promoted to “Principal” at Mogavero Architects.With over 15 years of experience in affordable and mixed-useresidential architecture, Cecilia is focused on design excellence,bringing new ideas and fresh perspectives to the firm’s housingprojects. Originally from Uruguay, she has become an integral part ofMogavero’s leadership, where she mentors junior staff and overseesthe Project Management Forum and the Building Information Modeling(BIM) Committees. A few of Cecilia’s notable projects:Mogavero Architects Office BuildingLavender CourtyardNorth Creek Crossing at Meriam ParkMaple Park

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Happy Veterans Day! Celebrating Mather Veterans Village

To commemorate Veterans Day, we are honored to announce the official grand opening of Mather Veterans Village, the long-awaited and multi-phase project with Mercy Housing California, Nation’s Finest, and the City of Rancho Cordova. On Tuesday, October 12th 2021, a decade-long endeavor to create affordable veterans housing came to fruition. Mogavero Architects was fortunate enough to join members from the development teams, City officials, and current and future residents of the project at the dedication ceremony for all three phases of Mather Veterans Village. Utilizing a portion of the former Mather Air Force Base site, 100 permanent supportive homes and 47 units of transitional housing were constructed with the intention of housing low-income and unhoused veterans in the Greater Sacramento area. Then known as the Mills Field base, the United States Army Aviation Section opened Mather in February of 1918. The site was later expanded upon and served vital importance in the training and housing of Air Force and Army members in World War II and the Cold War. In 1993, the nearly 6-acre site and its facilities were decommissioned for closure and sat largely abandoned for the subsequent years. As of 2020, California alone accounted for over 30% of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States. With 93,000 total veterans residing in the Sacramento region, the former Mather Field base offered a unique, vital opportunity to address the crucial housing and care of our veterans. A cross-sector, collaborative partnership between the City of Rancho Cordova, Mercy Housing, and Nation’s Finest began to take shape in the early stages of planning. Mogavero Architects was engaged for participation in the project in 2010 and dedicated our design energy to creating a space that would provide security, comfort, support, and community for future residents. In addition to the permanent and temporary housing, the completed Mather Veterans Village project features on-site counseling and healthcare service facilities, communal kitchen and dining services, an ample courtyard, and a repurposed Military Infirmary building to create a multipurpose community space. The project exceeds California’s Energy code by 25% and utilizes green building features such as greywater recycling, solar thermal arrays, natural ventilation, and drought-friendly landscaping. Many of the project’s residences are reserved for veterans coming directly out of homelessness and veterans with physical or mental disabilities. The Mather Field site is just two blocks from Rancho Cordova’s VA Medical Center, which provides support to these residents including medical services and counseling. With Sacramento hosting California’s second-highest unhoused veteran population, the redevelopment of the Mather Air Force Base into a revived residential community was a task of the utmost importance. After over 100 years of history, Mather Field is a home to our finest once again. Happy Veterans Day from Mogavero Architects, and thank you to all who have and will serve.     Resources from: https://www.afcec.af.mil/Home/BRAC/Mather/History/ https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2021/03/18/the-number-of-veterans-experiencing-homelessness-rose-slightly-even-before-the-coronavirus-pandemic/ https://www.cityofranchocordova.org/Home/Components/News/News/4282/19 Photography courtesy of John Swain.

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Meadow View Place at Schaffer’s Mill in Truckee

Meadow View Place at Schaffer’s Mill is a new affordable housing development that will soon be open to 56 families in Truckee, CA. Neighborhood Partners, LCC. is behind this project, which will offer a site layout that blends seamlessly with the natural beauty of the surrounding tree-filled Sierra Nevada landscape. The residences, consisting of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, are designed to take advantage of the climate by providing cross ventilation. Strong emphasis is placed on energy efficiency and use of natural daylight. Stormwater and snow melt will be addressed with on- and off-site bio-retention areas.  The landscaping is complimentary with the local vernacular. The buildings will have rooftop solar panels to achieve zero-net-energy usage and help fulfill the projects commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.   To learn more about this project or apply to the waiting list, check out the Mountain Housing Council’s website here.