Eastport Sail Loft (Mixed-Use)

Annapolis, Maryland

Located on the corner of Fourth Street and Chesapeake Avenue, the Eastport Sail Loft project is a new construction that revitalized this highly visible, yet underdeveloped, corner within the Eastport community.

Throughout an extensive entitlement process with the City of Annapolis the project team connected and engaged with the community and city officials, resulting in a successful example of urban redevelopment for the end building users, the community, and the City as a whole.

The 33,773 square foot mixed-use project contains (6) six townhomes, (5) five apartments, and 2,729 square feet of commercial space. The site includes detached garages, shared parking spaces, and ample shared landscaped outdoor spaces.

The mass of the townhouses along Chesapeake Ave. was broken up and set back from the street to relate to its historic context of smaller single-family residences on compact urban lots. The mixed use building along Fourth Street was brought right up to the sidewalk edge and the facade was divided up to read as separate storefronts along the street, which relates to the neighborhood commercial corridor along Fourth Street. The development as a whole relates back to its neighborhood context yet also provides a more dense urban infill project that helps define this important street corner. Architectural forms and materials, such as pitched roofs, covered entryways, large window openings, and the mix of brick and shingle siding, reflect the rich architectural history of Annapolis. With a desire to increase the efficiency of the construction process, the building was prefabricated as a set of wall and floor panels that were delivered to the site. This method reduced on site construction time and waste which were consistent with the project’s sustainability goals.

From the beginning, achieving an energy and environmental design standard was needed. Both residential and commercial spaces contain tall ceiling heights and lots of fenestration for increased visibility to the outdoors. The use of highly energy efficient HVAC systems, enhanced window and door glazing specifications, and increased building envelope thermal values, all provide the occupants maximum indoor comfort while also adhering to the sustainable project goals.

The design approach to the site was just as important as the approach to the building. Exceeding required stormwater collection thresholds by providing permeable parking pavers and rain gardens, shared car and bike parking, and landscaping with native plants while preserving existing trees were a few of several strategies used to provide a more sustainable site.

The entire project, both building and site, earned sustainable equivalency credit to achieve Green Globes-Level One (similar to LEED Certified Level) under the Green Globes Multifamily New Construction rating system. This was not only a commitment to comply with the City of Annapolis' sustainability initiative, but also to enhance the surrounding community.

Overall, the initial sustainable approach to site and building, relationship to the existing urban fabric, and emphasis on connectivity to both community and landscape, the project has become an example of successful urban redevelopment, in not only its physical appearance, but also in its communal relationship.