Wellsmith Apartments
Best Low-Rise Apartment Community (Non-Garden, Five Stories or Less)
Location: Richmond, VA
Award Applicant: Hickok Cole and Gumenick Properties
Architect/Interior Designer: Hickok Cole
Developer: Gumenick Properties
General Contractor: KBS
Marketing Firm: Hickok Cole Creative
Project Website: wellsmithapts.com
Project Statement
The 382,000-square-foot Wellsmith residence is the second of three multifamily developments to hit Richmond's new Libbie Mill-Midtown district. Each residence strategically appeals to a distinct yet complementary audience while incorporating components of the neighborhood’s overarching brand.
From inception, the developer placed emphasis on delivering best-in-class residences to the Richmond market while challenging the design team to achieve classic massing concepts, clearly distinguish the building from others in the market, and focus the budget on impactful areas.
A connection to nature and wellness-inspired interiors differentiates Wellsmith from its neighbors, offering a fresh approach to urban light living and elevating expectations in Richmond’s booming multifamily market. Standing five stories tall, its white brick facade takes inspiration from Richmond’s signature architecture while leaning away from its classic profiles and detailing for a crisp identity that sets the residence apart from its red brick neighbors.
One of the core objectives was to establish a connection with Libbie Lake, a central fixture of the new neighborhood. Rather than forming a closed figure-eight, the building opens onto Libbie Mill East Boulevard to create an inviting U-shaped exterior courtyard. The slight setback of the lakeside corner allows Wellsmith’s entry to be visible from many access points. This move also creates a more expansive pedestrian plaza by extending one of Wellsmith’s two private courtyards into the streetscape.
Boasting 350 luxury units and 12,000 square feet of curated amenity spaces, Wellsmith infuses rest and rejuvenation into every touch point from the resident’s leasing experience to the moment they walk through their front door, making it one of the most desirable communities in the region.
