October 2024

32 — October 2024 — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal

www.marej.com

O wners , D evelopers & M anagers

Phase II adds 96 apartments to the 19-acre luxury apartment community in Chester County Hankin Group begins floodplain restoration project with expansion of Keva Flats in Exton, PA

XTON, PA — Hankin Group has begun con- struction on Phase II of Keva Flats, which includes one of Chester County’s first floodplain restoration projects and the addition of 96 apart - ments to the 242-unit, 19-acre luxury apartment community in Exton, Pennsylvania. Phase II is anticipated to be completed in fall of 2026. The $2.4 million floodplain restoration, an identified pri - ority by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmen- tal Protection (DEP) , will restore the site’s floodplain area E

reducing pollution and improv- ing local water quality. “After several years of close collaboration with the Penn- sylvania DEP, Township, and local project partners, we are thrilled to begin work on the stream and floodplain restora - tion,” said Neal Fisher , VP of development, Hankin Group. “By restoring the wetland, floodplain, and stream to how it existed hundreds of years ago before settlement, we are creating a win-win situation, delivering benefits to our resi - dents, the local community, and the environment.”

A 2022 study by Land- Studies , the ecological design company leading the initia- tive, found that the on-site steam and floodplain have been naturally degraded over time. The project will widen the Lionville Run stream channel and restore the large wetland meadow and flood- plain. With the restoration, LandStudies estimated the project would reduce sedi- mentation by 50,000 pounds annually – a significant benefit as sedimentation is a primary reason many local streams fail to meet the state’s surface water quality standards. LandStudies will also serve as the landscape architect for the restoration, planting a wide variety of native trees, shrubs, and vegetation throughout the restored floodplain. “Stormwater control, flood - plain management, and stream water quality are all major con- cerns for the Township as they have a direct impact on our residents’ quality of life,” said John Weller , director of Plan- ning & Zoning, West White- land Township . “Hankin Group’s floodplain restoration not only addresses all three of these issues, but also adds more local housing and improves our community’s environmental resiliency. This project is a triple win for us, and we hope Keva Flats becomes a model for future development across the region.” Phase II will also add 96 apartments across two build- ings, one at the northeast cor- ner of Waterloo Blvd. and one at the southeast corner along Lincoln Hgwy. Keva Flats community is LEED Gold certified and has re - ceived the PECO Green Award, which is given to a commu- nity for exceptional sustain- ability initiatives. Keva Flats has also been recognized with awards from the Pennsylva- nia Apartments Association (PAA), International Inte- rior Design Association, and National Apartment Association (NAA) . The stream restoration re- ceived significant support from both West Whiteland Twp. and DEP. The Township has also invested in the initiative towards traffic impact and open space fees. The initiative is the first floodplain restora - tion in Chester County to meet NPDES stormwater program requirements. MAREJ

Keva Flats waterway

to help accommodate the high volume of water associated with severe storms. In addition to cutting-edge stormwater man- agement, floodplain restoration

projects are shown to provide several other significant en- vironmental benefits, such as mitigating erosion, revitalizing and expanding local habitats,

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