The Felix apartment building in downtown Santa Rosa, California, was one of the first major housing developments built since the 2017 Tubbs fire that destroyed a portion of the area's housing stock. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 5,636 residential, commercial and other structures were destroyed in the area, and 317 were damaged. That affected about 5% of the city's housing stock, according to the David Baker Architects website, the architect and interior designer of Felix.
The development represents one of the first efforts to revitalize the area and a determination to produce sustainable, energy-efficient housing despite increased construction costs, labor shortages, and other development challenges.
Construction on the eight-story multifamily development with 168 units began in 2023. Despite a challenging entitlement and planning process, as well as increased material costs and labor shortages, developer Related California completed construction on the urban infill site in May 2025.
Felix Apartments was designed with sustainability in mind, earning its LEED Gold certification in August 2025, which is the second-highest score in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council. Sustainable elements of the property include podium parking, secure bicycle storage, electric vehicle charging and proximity to public transit.
The property has also boosted activity in downtown Santa Rosa by providing more housing options near the business district.
“Delivering a LEED Gold Certified project when construction costs are already high should be applauded," said Haden Ongaro, executive managing director at Newmark and one of the Impact Awards judges for the market.
Its eco-friendly design is one of the reasons why the deal earned a CoStar Impact Award, as judged by the local real estate professionals who reviewed the nominated projects in the market.
About the project: The Felix has a mix of studios, one‑bedroom and two‑bedroom units, as well as private work pods, a fitness center, communal dining areas and a landscaped courtyard.
What the judges said: "Felix coming online in downtown Santa Rosa is a testament to the housing opportunity in the region. The North Bay is hungry for housing at all levels, but we had not yet seen a new project in the luxury market added in our largest city's downtown. This project serves as a guiding light for many others entitled in the area, as well as other land sites that developers are looking to begin master planning. This project is expected to bring a new demographic to Santa Rosa and pull from some other, more expensive Bay Area cities," said Pauline Block, director of marketing and development at Cornerstone Properties.
They made it happen: Matthew Keipper, senior vice president, and Grace Hamwey, project manager, both with Related California, helped guide the development effort. Michelle Whitman, executive director of housing for the city-county Renewal Enterprise District, and Robin Stephani, executive director of the district, supported the project’s housing and community mission. Financing was led by Deborah Beveridge, senior vice president of East West Bank. Daniel Simons and David Baker of David Baker Architects designed the complex.