A multifamily building works when the unit mix, the parking solution and the site capacity agree with the pro forma before design begins. Our job as the architect is to find that agreement early, then carry it through permit without losing units along the way.
Temelar designs garden, wrap, podium and mixed-use apartment communities for developers and investors across Greater Houston and Texas. Architecture, structural and MEP engineering sit under one contract, so the unit plans, the structure and the systems are coordinated before the set goes to review.
Key takeaways
- The parking solution usually picks the building type: surface lots point to garden product, a structured garage points to wrap or podium.
- Unit mix sets the rent roll, the parking count and the building's efficiency at the same time, so it has to be tested against the site, not chosen in isolation.
- Most wood-frame apartments are built as Type V-A or Type III-A construction, and a podium lets those wood levels sit on top of a concrete base treated as a separate building.
- Every unit in an elevator building, and every ground-floor unit in a walk-up, is covered by the Fair Housing Act design requirements, with a smaller share built fully accessible.
- In Houston, platting, detention, building lines and fire access shape the site plan long before building permit, and suburban cities often add zoning approval on top.
- Typical size
- 50–300 units
- Design to permit
- 7–10 mo
- Common heights
- 2–7 stories
- Unit types
- Studio–3BR
What types of multifamily buildings are there?
Commercial multifamily falls into a handful of recognizable building types. Each one is really an answer to two questions: how many units the site has to hold, and where the cars go.
Garden apartments
Garden product is two to four stories of wood-frame units, usually walk-up with open or enclosed breezeway stairs, spread across several buildings on a site with surface parking. It is the lowest cost per unit to build and the most land-hungry, suited to suburban parcels cheap enough to give over to asphalt and detention.
Wrap buildings
A wrap puts four or five stories of wood-frame units around a structured parking garage, so residents park on the same level as their front door and the garage disappears from the street. It holds far more units per acre than garden product. The cost of the garage is the price of that density.
Podium buildings
A podium stacks wood-frame residential levels on top of a concrete base that holds parking, the lobby, leasing and amenity space, and often ground-floor retail. It suits tighter urban sites where the garage cannot sit beside the building. The drawing below sets the three side by side: garden units with surface parking, wrap units around a garage, and wood levels above a concrete podium with retail at the street.
Mid-rise, mixed-use and rental townhomes
Beyond the podium, mid-rise buildings move to noncombustible construction, concrete or steel, which buys height at a higher cost per square foot. Mixed-use buildings add retail or restaurant space at the ground floor, with its own parking, loading and venting questions; see our retail sector page. Townhome-style rental communities are still commercial multifamily: one owner, one site, many rental units, reviewed as a development.
Garden
Surface parking on affordable suburban land. Lowest cost per unit, lowest density.
Wrap
Units around a structured garage. Higher density without a concrete base under the wood.
Podium
Wood over concrete with parking or retail below. For tight, high-value sites.
Mid-rise
Concrete or steel frame for more height. Highest cost per square foot.
Mixed-use
Residential over ground-floor retail or restaurants. Two uses, two sets of rules.
Rental townhomes
Attached rental units on one site under one owner.
Type V-A, III-A and podium construction in plain terms
The building code sorts buildings into construction types by how fire-resistant their structure is. That classification, together with the sprinkler system, decides how tall and how large each building can be. For apartments, it is the quiet variable behind every massing study.
What Type V-A and Type III-A mean
Type V-A is wood framing throughout, with the structure protected by rated assemblies, typically gypsum board. Type III-A requires the exterior walls to be noncombustible or fire-retardant-treated wood, while the interior can remain ordinary wood framing. Type III-A generally allows a little more height and area than Type V-A, which is why it shows up on five-story wraps and podiums where the extra floor matters to the numbers.
What a podium is, in code terms
A podium is usually Type I-A concrete, the most fire-resistant category. The code allows the concrete base and the wood building above to be treated as separate buildings, divided by a rated horizontal slab, typically three-hour rated. That provision is what lets a developer put five wood floors over one or two concrete levels without the wood floors counting against the height of the base.
- 01Roofmembrane, insulation and rooftop condensers
- 02Wood-frame levelsType V-A or III-A residential units
- 03Transfer slabrated concrete deck separating two buildings
- 04Concrete podiumparking, retail, lobby, leasing and amenities
- 05Foundationpiers and grade beams on expansive clay
Sprinklers: NFPA 13R or NFPA 13
Apartments are sprinklered, and the standard matters. NFPA 13R is a lighter residential standard written for low-rise residential buildings; NFPA 13 is the full standard, and it is generally required for taller buildings and for the podium levels below. The choice is not only a fire question. Under the building code, the full standard can earn additional allowable height or stories that the lighter one does not, so the sprinkler system and the story count get decided together.
Allowable heights, areas and sprinkler requirements depend on the adopted code edition and local amendments, and Houston-area jurisdictions amend differently. We confirm construction type, sprinkler standard and fire marshal expectations for the specific jurisdiction before massing is locked.
How does unit mix drive rent roll and efficiency?
Unit mix is the count of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and the size of each. It is the single largest input to the rent roll. It also sets the parking count, the stair and elevator loads and how efficiently the floor plate turns gross area into rentable area.
Rent roll and efficiency
Smaller units generally earn more rent per square foot; larger units earn more per door. The developer and their market consultant own the balance. Our part is making sure the building can actually deliver the mix they underwrite, at the sizes they assumed, without leftover corners that cost money and earn nothing.
Efficiency is the ratio of net rentable area to gross building area. Corridors, stairs, elevators, trash rooms, electrical rooms and wall thickness all count against it. Garden buildings with open breezeways tend to run efficient; enclosed double-loaded corridor buildings pay for their conditioned corridors and elevators.
These are planning ranges only. Sizes move with the submarket, the product class and the lender's comps.
Corridors, unit widths and bar depth
Most wrap, podium and mid-rise buildings use a double-loaded corridor: units on both sides of a central hallway. The building's depth, commonly in the range of 60 to 70 feet, is set by two unit depths plus the corridor. Once the depth is fixed, the design problem becomes unit width, because width buys window wall, and window wall is what bedrooms need for light and egress.
A one-bedroom that is too narrow loses its bedroom window; one too wide wastes facade. Corner units and units at stairs are where the mix usually breaks, and where we spend the most drawing time.
- 01
Site capacity
units that fit
- 02
Unit mix
rent roll check
- 03
Parking
surface or structured
- 04
Massing
type and height
- 05
Permit set
coordinated package
That loop runs several times, each pass in days, which is why it belongs in the feasibility study, not construction documents.
| Question | LateMix picked after design starts | EarlyMix tested against the site |
|---|---|---|
| Rent roll | Discovered when the plans are priced. | Known before schematic design begins. |
| Parking | Ratio falls short and units get cut. | Ratio and structure sized with the mix. |
| Efficiency | Awkward leftovers at corners and stairs. | Bar depth and unit widths set together. |
| Lender package | Rebuilt to match the new numbers. | Matches the deal that was underwritten. |
| Redesign | Common, and expensive. | Rare, and cheap when it happens. |
Parking ratio, density and Houston site rules
Parking ratio is the number of spaces provided per unit, or per bedroom. It is set by the local parking ordinance, then pushed upward by what the lender and the leasing market expect. On a suburban parcel, it decides how much land the units get. On an urban parcel, it decides whether a garage is needed and how big it has to be.
Why structured parking changes the deal
A structured space costs many times what a surface space costs, and it earns little or nothing on its own. So the moment surface parking stops fitting, the project changes category, from garden to wrap or podium, with a different cost per unit and a different rent needed to support it. We test that threshold on every site because it is where a pro forma most often breaks.
On most sites, the parking decision is the decision that picks the building type. Settle it first and the rest of the design has something solid to stand on.
Density, building lines and platting in Houston
Houston has no conventional zoning, but it is far from unregulated. Chapter 42 of the city code governs platting and sets building lines, the required setbacks from streets, along with lot and density-related rules. The off-street parking ordinance sets minimums by unit type, with reduced requirements in some districts. Private deed restrictions are enforceable and can prohibit multifamily outright, so we read them before a site plan is drawn.
Most new apartment sites need a plat or replat approved before building permit. Stormwater detention is sized to city or county criteria and takes real land, often shaping the site plan more than any setback. Outside the city, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland and other surrounding cities have zoning of their own, and multifamily frequently needs a zoning change or planned development approval, which adds a public hearing process to the schedule.
Fire access and hydrants
The fire code requires apparatus access roads within a set distance of every part of each building, with turning radii a fire truck can actually make. Taller buildings typically need an aerial access lane close enough for a ladder truck. Hydrant spacing and fire department connections are placed with the fire marshal's input. On garden sites, fire lanes often double as drive aisles; on wrap and podium sites, they can govern where the building sits on the lot.
“The pro forma is drawn before the building is.
We draw both at the same time.”
Amenities and leasing
The leasing office, clubroom, fitness room, pool deck and package room are what residents tour first. We put leasing at the front door with visible parking, and size package rooms for real delivery volume, since that room is usually undersized.
Fair Housing, accessibility and sound between units
Accessibility in multifamily runs on two tracks. The dwelling units follow the federal Fair Housing Act and the building code's accessible dwelling provisions. The leasing office, clubroom and other areas open to the public generally fall under the Texas Accessibility Standards, with TDLR registration and review by a Registered Accessibility Specialist when the project meets the cost threshold. Our TDLR review guide explains that process.
Covered units and accessible units
Under the Fair Housing Act, buildings with four or more units must meet its design requirements in covered units: every unit in a building with an elevator, and the ground-floor units in a walk-up. On top of that, the building code requires a smaller share of units to be built as fully accessible, with the remaining covered units built to an adaptable standard. Projects with certain public funding face stricter requirements under federal rules.
- Accessible building entrance on an accessible route
- Accessible public and common use areas
- Doors wide enough for wheelchair passage
- Accessible route into and through each unit
- Reachable switches, outlets and thermostats
- Reinforced bathroom walls for future grab bars
- Usable kitchens and bathrooms
We check the typical units hardest, because an error there repeats in every identical unit.
Sound between units
Two ratings govern sound between units. STC, Sound Transmission Class, measures how well a wall or floor blocks airborne sound like voices. IIC, Impact Insulation Class, measures how well a floor-ceiling assembly blocks footsteps. The building code sets a minimum rating of 50 for both in lab-tested assemblies, and many owners target better, because noise complaints show up in renewals. On wood-frame buildings, the floor assembly, underlayment and sealed penetrations matter most.
MEP systems, envelope and the Houston climate
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in apartments repeat hundreds of times, so small decisions compound. Because our engineers are under the same contract, unit plans and systems are coordinated together rather than traded back and forth between separate firms; one contract, not four explains why that matters.
HVAC, metering and plumbing
Each unit typically gets its own HVAC system, so residents control and pay for their own comfort. Condenser location, on the roof, the ground or balconies, trades off noise, screening and service access. Electric service is usually metered per unit, with meters banked in rooms that need planned space and clearances. Water is often submetered so residents can be billed for use.
Plumbing works best when kitchens and bathrooms stack directly above each other, floor after floor, so drain lines run straight down. Every offset adds cost and a potential leak. On a podium, those stacks have to be carried through or around the transfer slab without landing in a parking stall or a retail ceiling.
Houston climate and the envelope
Houston is hot and humid for much of the year, and moisture is the envelope's first enemy. We detail continuous water-resistive barriers, flashed windows and drained cladding, and size HVAC to control humidity, not just temperature. Wind drives roof attachment and exposed elements like balconies and parapets. Flood exposure drives finished floor elevations and site grading, and energy code compliance is part of every permit set.
Water
Detention sized early
Floors above flood risk
Air
Humidity-controlling HVAC
Tight, drained envelope
Wind
Roof uplift detailing
Secure balconies and parapets
HUD and lender packages, and how long it takes
Lenders and equity partners review the design as closely as the city does. Construction lenders want drawings, a unit matrix and a schedule that match the underwriting. HUD-insured loans, including the 221(d)(4) program for new construction, have their own architectural review, documentation and contract requirements, and those should be planned into the schedule from the start rather than discovered at closing.
How long does multifamily design take?
From site study to a permit-ready set, a multifamily project generally runs seven to ten months, depending on size, jurisdiction and decision speed. Platting and detention review often run in parallel. Zoning approvals in surrounding cities, or a HUD review, extend the schedule.
- 013–4 weeks
Site, parking and unit-mix studies
Capacity, mix and parking tested against the pro forma.
- 025–6 weeks
Schematic design
Building type, massing and site plan set.
- 035–7 weeks
Design development
Structure, MEP and envelope coordinated into the units.
- 049–12 weeks
Construction documents
The coordinated permit and pricing set.
- 058–14 weeks
Permit and plat review
City review, comments and resubmittal.
Planning ranges, not a project quote. Timing varies with owner decisions, project complexity, and jurisdiction workload.
Temelar provides no construction services. The general contractor works for you, and we stay on as architect through construction administration. If you already have a design team, our owner's representative service puts a licensed reviewer on your side. The full design scope is on the architecture page.
Frequently asked questions
A wrap places the residential units around a structured parking garage, side by side on the same levels. A podium stacks the residential units on top of a concrete base that holds parking, lobby and often retail. Wraps suit larger sites; podiums suit tighter sites where the garage has to go underneath.
It describes five stories of wood-frame residential construction over one story of concrete podium. The building code allows the concrete base and the wood structure above to be treated as separate buildings, divided by a fire-rated slab. Variations with two concrete levels are also common.
The minimum comes from the city's off-street parking ordinance, which sets requirements by unit type, and some districts allow reduced parking. Lenders and the leasing market often push the count above the minimum. Surrounding cities set their own ratios, so we confirm the number for the specific site during feasibility.
Not every unit, but most. In a building of four or more units with an elevator, every unit must meet the Fair Housing Act design requirements; in a walk-up, the ground-floor units must. The building code separately requires a smaller share of units to be fully accessible.
The City of Houston has no conventional zoning, so a use change is not required. Projects still need platting, detention, building-line, parking and fire access compliance, and private deed restrictions can prohibit multifamily. Many surrounding cities do have zoning, and apartments there often need a rezoning or planned development approval.
Yes. HUD-insured loans such as 221(d)(4) have their own architectural review, documentation and contract requirements, and we plan the drawing set and schedule around them from the start. The same applies to conventional construction lenders with their own design review.
No. Temelar provides architecture, with structural and MEP engineering coordinated under one contract, and no construction services. The general contractor contracts with you, and we act as your architect through construction administration.
Start with the site and the pro forma
Send us the site, the target unit count and the parking assumption through the contact page, and we will tell you plainly whether the numbers fit the land. For the wider picture, see how we work across all sectors, or read about tenant improvement for the ground-floor retail spaces in a mixed-use building.
