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United Properties, developer of distinctive cooperative communities throughout the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, brought Candace Amberg, RLA of Brauer & Associates, Ltd. into the new Applewood Pointe senior housing development project in Bloomington to create a site and landscape plan that would enhance the living spaces for the future residents. Candace, a principal of the Minneapolis-area (Hopkins, Minn.) firm, has been designing for Brauer & Associates for 16 years.
The development?EUR??,,????'???s large parking lot meant there was storm water runoff that needed to be pretreated. Typically, storm water ponds are kept in an inconspicuous location. After fitting the building and parking around the preserved mature vegetation, the cooperative had very little land left for storm water control. United Properties consulted with the design team to discuss options for making the storm water treatment an amenity for the new residents, as it was important the views from the housing units to the outdoors would remain aesthetically pleasing.
Amberg worked with United Properties and the project design team to plan a larger central pond as the focal point of the courtyard. The fountain placed in the center of the pond aerates, and also serves as a decorative element.
To expand on the idea of improving water quality, the landscape architect designed a stream and waterfall along one end of the pond. The Aquascape snorkel vault with two ?EUR??,,????'??centipede?EUR??,,????'?? modules pump water from the main pond to create a cascading waterfall over rocks. The water flows through a streambed beneath a pedestrian bridge on the trail, then back into the pond. The sights and sounds of the stream have become very popular with the residents.
On the opposite end of the pond, a gazebo/picnic shelter (Litchfield Industries) was built on a deck that extends out over the top of the pond and is surrounded by extensive landscaping.
The site plan includes a loop trail around the pond with links to the building, the parking areas, a residential garden area and various seating areas. One seating node overlooks the stream and waterfall, one is set into the hillside by the other end of the pond and there is also seating under the shelter.
The teak benches and tables are specifically designed for ease of use by the senior residents. Construction was completed in 2010, creating a variety of outdoor spaces for the senior residents to enjoy, while making an amenity out of a utilitarian function and providing spectacular views for the housing units facing the courtyard area.
Applewood Pointe, Bloomington, Minn. Owner: United Properties Residential LLC Design Team Architect: JSSH Architects General Contractor: Weis Builders, Inc. Landscape Architect: Brauer & Associates, Ltd., Hopkins, Minn. Structural Engineer: Blanchard Engineering Engineering - Civil: Plowe Engineering, Inc. - Electrical: Wunderlich-Malec - Mechanical: Foehringer Engineering, Inc.
Vendors Aquascape, Inc. DuMor Inc. Litchfield Industries
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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