Because of the tightened lending, mounting foreclosures and falling prices in many areas, the single-family housing market continues to weaken. According to McGraw-Hill’s Construction’s mid-year forecast, 2008 will see the single-family market decline 28% in dollar volume and 31% in dwelling units from the previous year — a steeper drop than what occurred 2007 over 2006. 

But with the single family market looking grim, the commercial and multi-family sectors are looking to be among best alternatives among a field of fewer opportunities. Here’s a look at a few of the projects turning heads this year.

R-Anell's Lexington Station Project

R-Anell Multi-Family and Commercial, a division of BSC member R-Anell Homes, is using its modular manufacturing expertise to diversify into markets beyond single-family housing.

The Lexington Station Project is located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. The design integrates 70 residential condominiums, 25,000 square feet of commercial office and retail space on the first level, a restaurant and 100 underground parking spaces across three keycard-secured multi-floor buildings. Elevator access is offered underground and at each level. The systems-built design project also features outdoor plazas, courtyards and landscaping for an upscale look that fits well within this popular Blue Ridge Mountains community.

R-Anell’s President, Dennis Jones sees the success of branching out his business. “This segment of our business has grown across the Southeast," says Jones. "This type of mixed use design is ideal for urban locations that want to attract young professionals and families to be downtown dwellers.” 

Like other multi-family and commercial projects, Lexington Station was built using elements of R-Anell’s “Build It Green” construction program. R-Anell, an Energy Star Partner, has modeled its “Build It Green” program to incorporate many of the requirements of numerous green building programs, including the draft of the NAHB Green Building Standards.

Katahdin Lands Steak House Project

The modular industry isn’t the only segment of the system building market going after retail construction. Log Homes Council member Katahdin Cedar Log Homes has finalized an agreement to design and manufacture a 20,000-sq.ft. restaurant called Eddie Montgomery's Steakhouse near Harrodsburg, Ky. The building, which will contain a 265-seat restaurant and tour-quality concert stage, is part of a 38.5-acre development called Skylar's Landing which will include shops, recreational facilities and other amenities.

“We are enthusiastic about the plans for Eddie Montgomery's Steakhouse and the surrounding retail community in Skylar's Landing,” says David Gordon, president of Katahdin Cedar Log Homes. “Our 'green' approach to manufacturing and sustainability was a good fit as well.”

Eddie Montgomery, one-half of the gold and platinum album country singers known as Montgomery Gentry, has joined Tommy Mitchell, president of Rocky Top Furniture, to develop the family-oriented destination in central Kentucky. Mitchell had developed a strong relationship with Katahdin Cedar Log Homes' president David Gordon, when he joined the Katahdin team constructing the first cedar log home for ABC's Extreme Makeover — Home Edition in 2005.

What would normally be a complicated construction process for this large project is simplified with the bar coding used by Katahdin to match each log with its specific location on the plans. The company’s computerized house manufacturing line makes efficient use of each log.

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