Block 7 Development

A mixed-use district bringing housing, activity, and public life back to downtown Redding

Project Type: Mixed Use
Location: Redding, CA
Scope: Mixed-Use Master Planning

Set in Jackson, Wyoming, this project shows how careful design thinking can turn a constrained site into a stronger residential development. Working within planning limits that allowed eight units across five parcels, the design balances density with the character of individual homes. Through strategic massing, grading, and close coordination across the team, the project created private outdoor space, framed expansive Teton views, and delivered a product shaped as much by site intelligence as by architecture.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. California Place affordable housing. Modern multi-story building with alternating vertical panels of green and orange. Glass windows, a sidewalk, parking lot, and trees in front, under a clear blue sky.

Mixed-Income, Net-Zero Units

The project includes 78 affordable apartments in three buildings, offered at a range of income levels. The housing is designed to be net-zero energy, with high-efficiency systems, solar power, and simple design strategies like roof overhangs and shaded entries to reduce heat.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. California Place affordable housing. Modern multi-story residential buildings with metal and wood exterior, with a landscaped courtyard and trees in the foreground, under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Retail at the Base

Each housing building includes retail space on the ground floor, helping bring life and services to the neighborhood while supporting long-term economic stability.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. California Place affordable housing. Modern building with rust-colored metal panels and large glass windows, trees in front, and a clear blue sky.

Durable, Honest Materials

The architecture takes cues from Redding’s industrial past, using durable materials and straightforward detailing. Exposed structure and a restrained palette give the project a practical, contemporary character that’s built to last.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. California Place affordable housing. Modern residential building with multiple windows and trees in the courtyard, blue sky above.

Connected Open Space

Two pocket parks are carved into the housing block, offering semi-private outdoor space for residents. These green areas also act as buffers between the buildings and the street.

Across the street, Whistle Stop Park transforms a former parking lot into a vibrant public space that offers shade, comfort, and community in the heart of Redding.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. Whistle Stop Park custom steel pavilion. People sitting and walking in an urban park
Block 7 Development in Redding, California. Whistle Stop Park custom steel pavilion.

Custom Steel Pavilion

The park’s central structure is made from a series of stacked, weathered steel ribs that form a shaded open-air pavilion. The shape and material echo the layered landscape and historic rail lines that give the park its name.

Modern multi-story building with large glass windows on a city street during dusk, with streetlights and traffic signals visible.

Shasta College: an adaptable hub for administration, outreach, and nontraditional learning

The Shasta College building serves as a civic anchor within Block 7, bringing daily activity and public-facing programs into the district. Located next to Whistle Stop Park, it connects education, work, and community life within the downtown neighborhood.

A modern conference room with a long table where multiple people are working on laptops. Large floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of mountains and a cloudy sky. The ceiling features wooden slats with integrated lighting, and there are a few cameras and a monitor mounted on the wall.
Open office with desks, computers, and people working, glass walls, artwork on the wall, modern design with exposed pipes and ceiling, natural light, and sliding glass doors.

Programmed for Complexity

The building supports a layered set of uses—from executive leadership to state-funded programs for the broader community. The plan balances privacy, accessibility, and adaptability across a highly variable set of users and schedules.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. Whistle Stop Park custom steel pavilion. A cityscape at dusk with buildings, trees, and a stage or amphitheater in a park, with mountains in the background and a clear sky.

A Connected Downtown Neighborhood

Together, the pieces of Block 7 form a connected downtown neighborhood—where housing, education, retail, and public space support one another. By layering uses and prioritizing walkability, the project turns a formerly single-purpose site into a place designed for everyday life, shared activity, and long-term community value.

Block 7 Development in Redding, California. Whistle Stop Park custom steel pavilion. Nighttime view of an urban plaza with modern buildings, string lights, people sitting on a bench, and a mural of mountains on a building wall.