When you see a finished condo building like Harbor Lofts in Anaheim, you see walls that appear to be made of strong-looking concrete similar to what you’d see in an industrial building. The art deco styling along with elements that make it appear that it was once a warehouse building that was converted into lofts doesn’t fool anyone that it was built in the 1940s or so, but many might think it was constructed in a similar fashion. Are they right?
Wrong.
As 5 story apartment buildings seem to be popping everywhere in Orange County as California attacks the housing crisis, the reality is that many of these buildings were made as a result of Little Tokyo architect Tim Smith realizing that fire retardant wood can be used in lieu of expensive steel or concrete framing. You can skip to the 1:30 mark to get the rough explanation of how he got the idea while on vacation.
The city of Anaheim has welcomed these projects for apartment buildings more than any city I know in Southern California.
The above photo is the original concept artwork of “A-Town” surrounding Anaheim Stadium. The project today is 90% apartment buildings made of mostly wood framing. Nearby residents are still holding out hope that some kind of retail gets added to the area as a grocery store is sorely needed.
Harbor Lofts Under Construction
Most casual observers won’t realize that underneath the skin of Harbor Lofts, it’s the same wood framing used in this project in the 4 story building. So, next time you see another empty lot being developed in Southern California, there’s a good chance that 2 things are going to happen: 1) It will be a residential building 5 stories or less, and 2) It will be made mostly of wood framing.
Is every residential building in Orange County made of wood?
There are some exceptions especially near Irvine:
