Stead Manor Apartments Remodel - Reno Housing Authority
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Renewing a Place People Call Home
Renovating affordable housing is different from building on an empty site. Every construction decision affects a place where people have already made homes, raised families and built routines. For Reno Housing Authority, the goal was to make a meaningful investment in an established community, updating aging buildings and shared spaces while preserving housing residents could continue to call home.
The renovation reached across 10 residential buildings and the community building, touching nearly every part of the property. Interiors were taken down to prepare for extensive upgrades, while exterior work, site improvements and new community amenities gave the entire property a fresh start.
Building Around Residents
Careful phasing made the work possible. Reno Housing Authority coordinated temporary resident relocations so construction could move through the property building by building. As renovated homes were completed, residents could return and the next phase could begin.
That rhythm required close coordination among RHA, H+K Architects, Plenium Builders, property staff and subcontractors. Homes needed to be truly ready before residents returned, while the next construction area needed to be prepared to keep work moving. When RHA chose to combine later phases, the team adjusted sequencing and subcontractor activities to accommodate the change while maintaining the planned completion schedule.
Those transitions were more than schedule milestones. Each one meant another group of residents could come back to newly renovated homes.
More Than a Surface Renovation
The work went well beyond new paint and finishes. Residential interiors received new insulation, drywall, doors, frames and hardware, flooring, cabinets, appliances and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. New windows, exterior trim and paint refreshed the buildings from the outside, along with new roofing, gutters and downspouts.
Improvements continued throughout the property with new paving, hardscape and landscaping. A new playground created a refreshed place for families to spend time outdoors, while a new monument sign helped give the community a renewed sense of arrival.
The community building received substantial improvements as well, creating an updated setting for resident services, programs and gatherings.
Working Through What Renovation Reveals
Existing buildings always have a story to tell once construction begins. Required abatement work and other field conditions had to be carefully incorporated into the phased construction schedule, with the team evaluating discoveries as they arose and determining practical solutions without creating unnecessary disruption.
CM-at-Risk delivery gave RHA, H+K Architects and the construction team a collaborative way to work through those decisions. Budgeting, constructability input, sequencing conversations and field coordination helped keep the work aligned with RHA’s priorities while allowing the team to respond to the realities of renovating an established property.
A Long-Term Investment in Community
By choosing comprehensive rehabilitation, Reno Housing Authority preserved an important source of affordable housing while making meaningful improvements to the homes and spaces residents use every day. The work modernized building systems, refreshed interiors and exteriors, improved the site and renewed shared spaces without losing sight of the people living within the community.
Completed homes welcomed residents back throughout the phased construction process, turning progress on the jobsite into something much more tangible: a renewed place to come home to.
