Claremont United Methodist Church Feasibility Study

JKA, working with Economic & Planning Systems (EPS), together provided master plan, building design, and real estate and economic analysis for the development of an affordable housing project adjoining the historic Richard Neutra-designed Claremont United Methodist Church. The Church, originally designed in 1959, is set within a larger campus. Both design options and financial frameworks needed to be explored to determine a potential project’s location, type, size, impact on the historic church structure, parking utilization, program, and feasibility. JKA was responsible for the master plan and built form portions of the study and developed through an iterative process a final approach that incorporated a 48-dwelling unit three-story design inclusive of a mix of 1- and 2-bedroom affordable apartments with indoor and outdoor amenity spaces serving both the housing and pastoral missions. The design outcome incorporated local and State affordable housing and density bonus laws and established a basis for the Church to build support within its community for its housing mission and begin the entitlement and fundraising process.