Project Partners Announce Key Milestone for One of the Largest Wood-Framed Volumetric Modular Projects in the United States

RISE Modular and module installer ProSet have successfully completed the setting of 205 modules for The Eddi Apartments (formerly referred to as Pentagon Village Apartments), a 202-unit multifamily community offering both market-rate and affordable living options in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, Minnesota. Designed by Cuningham, The Eddi Apartments is a six-story structure constructed with five stories of RISE-manufactured modules over a one-story concrete podium and will be one of the largest commercial wood-frame volumetric modular project in Minnesota and in the United States.

“This was a highly successful mod-set despite our Minnesota weather conditions,” said Mike Denn, vice president of field operations at RISE Modular. “The Eddi is a large modular project, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the US, but it’s also complex with its U-shaped design on a one-story concrete podium. ProSet and RISE worked together to ensure the jobsite was safe and the building protected through some pretty challenging conditions.”

The actual mod-set took place in 34 days with each section of the U-shaped building being stacked one at a time. Modules left RISE Modular’s manufacturing facility in Owatonna, Minn. on a semi-trailer and were delivered straight to the site, immediately lifted from the trailer and stacked in place. This is called just-in-time delivery, and it is used when staging (on-site or nearby off-site storage of modules) isn’t possible or isn’t necessary because the site is easily accessible from the production facility.

“This is the fifth project we’ve installed with RISE Modular, and our teams are just getting better and better at finding the efficiencies, working through the challenges, and delivering on these big, complex projects,” said Scott Bridger, partner at ProSet. “The Eddi Apartments was the first project we set with them in a Minnesota winter, and we strategized together very well on how to stack and install the mods while protecting the building throughout the set.”

Typically, once all modules are set in place, the modules are “stitched” together before plumbing, mechanical, and electrical connections are made. Because of Minnesota winters' harsh and unpredictable nature, the team performed some of their stitching steps after each module was in place, particularly protecting the exterior mate lines — the place where two modules meet — to prevent the interior of the project from being exposed to the elements. This is incredibly important for volumetric modular projects because the manufacturing facility fully completes the apartments’ interiors before site delivery.

Co-developers Solomon Real Estate Group and RISE Modular broke ground in spring 2022 on The Eddi Apartments, which is a part of the larger master-planned Pentagon Village development. Designed by Cuningham, The Eddi’s units will be a mix of studio, alcove, and one- and two-bedroom apartments with a variety of high-end amenities and architectural details designed to stand out and be visible from the nearby highways with a mix of glass, metal, and wood to add texture, depth, and warmth. Cuningham has made a commitment to the modular delivery method for its many benefits, not only for its clients but also for the greater industry and community.

“This development sets a new precedent for multifamily modular projects not just within Minnesota, but throughout the US, and Cuningham is proud to be a part of it,” said Cuningham principal Jeffrey Schoeneck, AIA, LEEP AP. “Because there is such a substantial demand for housing — especially affordable housing —and a lack of supply, many multifamily developers are turning to the off-site modular construction process. It can be up to 50 percent faster and promotes more cost consistency and higher quality while also representing a huge leap forward in regenerative design. As a firm that creates enduring experiences for a healthy world, Cuningham has committed to designing our projects toward Net Zero Carbon by the year 2030 and is actively evaluating modular construction’s contribution toward that direction.”