Crooked River Apartments

The small, rural community of Viola rallied together to move residential and commercial developments into resettlement sites after several damaging floods. Holtz Builders, Inc. constructed two new 16,720-square-foot, 16-unit apartment buildings on approximately three acres. Each unit has its own private entry, in-floor heat, laundry, and patio or deck area. The exterior was accented with large, massive stone veneer entries. The greatest challenge of this project was the site conditions. Because of the steep slope, excavation uncovered natural springs that required additional French drains and a retention pond. The remoteness of the location complicated scheduling. The lack of utility connections for most of the project made normal construction tasks more cumbersome. With excess precipitation, it was a constant battle of pumping water, muddy conditions, snow removal, and keeping the site relatively clean. The budget was kept in check by ordering materials before cost increases went into effect, re-bidding the lumber once the price dropped, and negotiating with subcontractors that were awarded several scopes.