Drexel, Barrell & Co. is proud to have played a role in the development of The Mill Apartments, a 60-unit residential community in Fraser, Colorado, designed to expand access to affordable housing in Grand County.
Located at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Leonard Lane within the Byers Peak Ranch development, The Mill includes two multifamily residential buildings with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. DBC was selected to provide surveying and civil engineering services for the approximately 4.2-acre development, supporting the project from subdivision platting through site and infrastructure design.
Our scope included the preliminary and final subdivision plats, civil construction plans, site and horizontal control plans, grading, utility and drainage plans, drainage calculations, and stormwater management planning. Surveying services included establishing property boundaries and setting property pins for the project site.
Supporting Housing in Grand County
The Mill represents an important investment in housing opportunities for the Fraser community and the broader Grand County region. The project was awarded 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and was developed to provide housing for households earning approximately 30% to 80% of the area’s median income. State housing documents identified The Mill as the first new affordable rental housing development in Fraser since 1995.
The need for attainable housing remains an important issue throughout the Fraser Valley. The Fraser River Valley Housing Partnership estimates a regional housing gap of approximately 645 to 730 units by 2027, underscoring the importance of projects that add long-term housing options for local residents and workers.
The Mill’s 60 units were specifically structured around income-based affordability requirements, with units serving multiple Area Median Income levels. This approach allows the development to serve a broader range of households while contributing to the region’s long-term housing supply.
Engineering for a Mountain Community
Projects in Colorado’s mountain communities require careful consideration of site conditions, infrastructure, drainage, grading, access, and local development requirements. For The Mill, DBC brought together its surveying and civil engineering capabilities to help establish the framework for the development.
Our original 2019 proposal anticipated Grand County’s subdivision entitlement process, including preliminary and final plat approvals, as well as the preparation of civil construction and stormwater documentation.
The project also demonstrates the value of having surveying and engineering expertise under one roof. DBC’s integrated approach allows survey information, site conditions, infrastructure design, grading, drainage, utilities, and development requirements to be considered together throughout the design process.
A Long History of Serving Colorado
The Mill Apartments is one example of the type of work Drexel Barrell has provided to Colorado communities for generations.
Drexel Barrell began in Boulder in 1949, when founder Frank R. Drexel opened his surveying practice. The firm incorporated as Drexel, Barrell & Co. in 1964 and has continued to grow as an employee-owned Colorado engineering and surveying firm. Today, DBC has completed more than 25,000 projects throughout Colorado and neighboring states.
That history provides a foundation of practical experience that we bring to every project—whether working on a major public infrastructure improvement, a community development, a mountain residential project, or a complex drainage and water resources assignment.
DBC’s experience in the region also includes a long list of projects throughout Colorado’s mountain communities, while our broader practice encompasses land surveying, civil engineering, water resources, transportation and traffic engineering, site infrastructure, and construction engineering.
For The Mill Apartments, that experience helped DBC provide dependable surveying and civil engineering support for a project with an important community objective: creating additional housing opportunities in one of Colorado’s mountain communities.
Learn More About The Mill
The Mill Apartments has its own online resources where prospective residents and members of the community can learn more about the development, available floor plans, amenities, and leasing information.
Visit the The Mill Apartments website or follow The Mill Apartments on Facebook for project and community information.
To learn more about Drexel, Barrell & Co. and our civil engineering, surveying, water resources, transportation, and infrastructure services, visit Drexel Barrell.
Drexel, Barrell & Co. — Serving Colorado since 1949.