The Lofts of Washington University, located on the Delmar Loop in University City and the city of St. Louis, has been named a finalist in the 2016 Global Awards For Excellence by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The prestigious award celebrates outstanding real estate development and design.
Debuting in 2014, the $80-million mixed-use development features 167 student apartments, the Peacock Loop Diner and United Provisions, the first full-service grocery store to serve the Delmar Loop in decades. The project has been certified LEED Platinum and is designed to be 46 percent more efficient than standard construction.
The project was the result of years of collaboration between the university and neighboring officials and demonstrates Washington University’s deep commitment to both its students and its neighbors. Henry S. Webber, executive vice chancellor for administration, said The Lofts help make the Delmar Loop a more walkable, livable neighborhood.
“Being among these best-in-class finalists — from all around the world — is such an honor,” Webber said. “We were thrilled to hear the news. From the very beginning, as we began to develop the concept for The Lofts, our primary focus was on bringing to the neighborhood a vibrant, beautiful, innovative project that not only met our needs at the university, but that served as an economic driver in the surrounding area. It has been wonderful to see that vision come to reality. The recognition from ULI that we’ve done something very special is extraordinary.”
Award finalists advance to the final stage of the competition, with a group of winners to be announced in October at the ULI fall meeting in Dallas. The winning projects will be selected by an international jury made up of ULI members.
William Rawn Associates of Boston served as project architects with Tao + Lee Associates Inc., of St. Louis serving as the local firm.
The Lofts also recently received at Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Charter Award for excellence in for urban design, placemaking and community building.