Village Green Companies has opened a leasing center at the new MDA City Apartments, a conversion of the historic Medical Dental Arts Building, at 63 E. Lake.
Prospective renters can view renderings, floor plans, photographs and other materials while meeting with the leasing and management team in the new center, and view model kitchens and baths. Occupancy is expected in winter of 2005.
The Medical Dental Arts Building’s 78-year history includes a stint as the former home for the Joffrey Ballet. The conversion will make this project the first LEED-certified residential building, as designated by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the first LEED-certified apartment building in the downtown area, according to the developer.
During the last four years, the USGBC has developed a rating system for buildings that reflects new criteria for the design, construction and operation of both new and renovated “green buildings” in the U.S. According to the National Multi-housing Council, the LEED rating system – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – “classifies buildings into four categories depending on their level of performance with respect to energy and environmental issues: platinum (highest), gold, silver and LEED-rated. A building’s rating depends on specific site characteristics, design strategies, and construction features.”