The historic Chinatown neighborhood of Fresno is a long-established multicultural downtown district with a rich history, though it has seen several decades of neglect and disinvestment. Through California’s Transformative Climate Communities initiative, the city and local community partners proposed a series of projects to revitalize the area which is virtually devoid of housing. Sited only two blocks from the Fresno Station of the first phase of California’s High-Speed Rail line, The Monarch is the first project to kickstart development. It will connect residents to transportation and jobs, and lead to growth and prosperity for a neighborhood with a deep history and strong potential.

Designed in collaboration with the Fresno Housing Authority, this four-story building at Mariposa + F Streets includes apartments, lofts, ground floor retail space, and an elevated court for residents. Ground floor retail spaces feature expansive windows and roll-up doors to connect the building to the neighborhood. Artfully designed passive solar screens, a regionally appropriate palette of materials, and photovoltaic roof panels mitigate the intense heat of Fresno summers, generate clean energy, and add visual interest. A modern design sensibility and strong graphic identity characterize this affordable mixed-use building. It is as equally appealing and elegant as any market-rate residential development—as any building people call home should be.