Be clear from the start: a steel pre-engineered frame is rarely the main structure of an apartment building. Those are usually wood or light-gauge steel stud construction with a concrete podium, and a general contractor with that experience should build them. What we do on multifamily and mixed-use sites is everything around the apartments that a steel building does well: a ground-floor commercial strip, clubhouses and leasing offices, maintenance shops, covered parking, storage buildings for tenants and the single-story mixed-use buildings that sit on a main street.
Oklahoma has places where this kind of work is happening. Bixby promotes a Downtown River District that combines a business district with the river and nearby parks. The Guthrie Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, covers 2,169 buildings across about 1,400 acres, which makes infill and reuse a daily question. In Tulsa County, Jenks has had a levee built by the Corps of Engineers for decades, which tells you something about where a developer can and cannot put a residential building.
We do not claim to build the apartments themselves. We tell you honestly where steel fits and where it does not.
The first question for any mixed-use site is the ground. A site next to a river or creek may be in a floodplain, which affects the lowest floor elevation, utilities and insurance. The record in Tulsa shows why: the Memorial Day flood of 1984 killed 14 people and caused $180 million in damage, and the Corps of Engineers ranks the river levee system in Tulsa County in the top 5% most at risk for failure, with state and federal money proposed for repairs. A developer should check flood maps, the levee status and drainage before buying.
The second question is the neighbour. Downtown sites have party walls, alleys and old foundations. Historic districts have review boards. A metal-framed, one-story commercial building that fits the scale of the block can be a good fit; one that does not will draw opposition. We study the street before drawing, walk the alley, check the depth of existing footings next door and photograph the cornice lines and window rhythms that a review board will care about. Few things slow a project like a surprise at the property line, and a day of observation costs less than a redesign.
The pieces we typically build on a residential or mixed-use project are these. First, ground-floor retail or office shells built with a steel frame, with storefront systems and a rear service door. Second, amenity buildings such as clubhouses, fitness rooms and leasing offices. Third, maintenance shops and golf-cart or equipment garages. Fourth, tenant storage buildings and carports; see self-storage buildings and covered parking structures for details.
Operators who run rental storage on an apartment site can read about self-storage operators, since the buildings are the same frame as a stand-alone facility. A single-story mixed-use building with shops on the ground and a few upstairs offices can use a light steel frame and a mezzanine; see mezzanines and platforms. A long, narrow strip with a shared wall is a natural fit for a rigid frame. When a developer wants to add a bay later, we plan an end wall for expansion.
Residential and mixed-use buildings are subject to code provisions that industrial buildings avoid: separation between dwelling units and commercial space, sprinklers, egress, accessibility and sound control. The state adopted the International Building Code, with editions still listed by some cities, and a residential code adopted separately. Which one applies to your project depends on the use and height. We work with the project architect and engineer of record on these details.
Oklahoma does not license general contractors, but the licensed trades include electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing, which make up a big share of a residential project. After a series of destructive storms, one city adopted tornado-inspired residential rules in 2014 requiring new homes to withstand winds up to 135 miles per hour, with hurricane straps, foundation ties, continuous bracing and high-wind garage doors. Not every town has that rule, but any mixed-use owner should ask what the local building official expects.
Keep the pieces in the right order. For a podium or stick-built apartment block with a steel commercial section, the schedule usually starts with site work, utilities and foundations. The steel commercial building can proceed on its own track and is often finished first, which lets shops and leasing start early. We coordinate with the apartment builder on shared utilities, curb cuts and stormwater, so the two crews do not tear up each other's work.
Pay attention to the interface between the steel and the other construction type. Differential movement, flashing at the joint, fire-rated walls and shared mechanical routes need to be detailed before anyone buys material. Our design-build approach helps because the engineer and the builder are in the same room.
On a mixed-use site, the cost picture is dominated by land, utilities, parking and the residential structure. The steel pieces are typically the more economical part. Where a metal building saves money is in the clubhouse, shops and retail shells, which go up fast and need little ornament. Where it adds cost is in the details that make it blend in: masonry veneer, canopies, storefront glass and architectural panels.
Parking drives much of the layout. A lot of surface parking takes land; a garage takes money. Covered carports on steel posts are a middle path. We give you budgets for each so that the pro forma can be tested before the site plan is final. A row of steel carports usually costs far less per space than structured parking, though it does not add floors on a tight lot. For commercial neighbours see retail centers.
Send the plan and tell us which buildings you think could be steel. We will say which ones make sense and give you rough numbers. Learn more about commercial metal buildings.
We do not build apartment structures. We build the commercial shells, amenity buildings, maintenance shops, storage and covered parking around them, and we coordinate with the builder of the residential part.
Flood maps and levee status come first. They affect the lowest floor, the foundation type and insurance. Ask for a civil engineer's review before you close on land.
Sometimes, with the right envelope. Masonry veneer, storefront glass and scale are what review boards look at. We bring examples and drawings to the review.
It depends on height, use and the city. Commercial portions follow the building code; residential portions may follow a residential code. We confirm with the building official and your architect.
Usually, between the dwelling units and the commercial space. The rating depends on the use and construction type. The architect specifies and we build it into the frame and wall design.
Tell us about the site, the building and the schedule, and we will set up a review of scope, schedule and permitting.
See the services, building types and industries we plan and manage across Oklahoma.