Samish Commons completed affordable housing buildings at dusk in Bellingham, Washington

Samish Commons

Sector
Multi-Family
Location
Bellingham, WA
Client
Bellingham Housing Authority
Samish Commons, a $78 million mixed-use development in Bellingham that replaced a condemned motel with 171 affordable homes and 11,000 square feet of commercial space across three buildings.

Overview

Architect
RMC Architects
Completed
May 5, 2023

Dawson Construction served as general contractor for Samish Commons, a landmark $78 million mixed-use development that transformed a condemned Aloha Motel on Samish Way into one of Bellingham's most ambitious affordable housing projects. Built for the Bellingham Housing Authority and designed by RMC Architects, the development delivers 171 affordable rental homes and 11,000 square feet of commercial space across three distinct buildings: a seven-story senior housing building, a five-story family housing building, and a row of townhomes with private courtyards.

The project serves some of the community's most vulnerable populations, including 53 apartments for seniors, 14 apartments for families transitioning out of homelessness, and 25 apartments for families with a member living with a disability. The BHA office component features cross-laminated timber construction, one of Bellingham's first commercial buildings using CLT, alongside structural steel, glue-laminated columns and beams, and structural brick. This demanding mix of materials put Dawson's self-perform carpentry expertise and structural coordination to the test, tying a new two-story addition into an existing concrete parking garage and apartment building.

Every detail was designed with residents in mind. Centrally located stairways encourage healthy circulation, community gardens and outdoor plazas foster connections, and street-level townhouses with stooped entries activate the surrounding neighborhood. The iconic pink neon Aloha sign from the original motel was restored and repositioned as a welcoming landmark. All heating and cooling runs on electricity with zero hydrocarbons, rooftop solar panels feed energy to the grid, and high-efficiency systems meet Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards.

Samish Commons has earned national recognition, winning the 2024 Best in Multifamily Design from Habitat for Humanity International, a 2023 Honor Award from AIA Northwest Washington, and a 2024 Award of Merit from NAHRO. The project demonstrates that affordable housing can be beautiful, sustainable, and community-building, transforming a neighborhood eyesore into a vibrant urban village that serves seniors, families, and individuals across all income levels.

Samish Commons completed multi-story affordable housing building exterior in Bellingham, Washington
Brick exterior elevation of the Samish Commons family housing building framed by trees
Samish Commons residential facade with balconies and mixed cladding
Landscaped courtyard and townhome entries at Samish Commons in Bellingham
Samish Commons interior lobby with timber stair and teal accent wall
Bright Samish Commons interior living space with large windows and greenery
Staged kitchen and living area inside a Samish Commons apartment
Exposed cross-laminated timber structural detail at Samish Commons
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Project Wins

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