Romeis Millstream Apartments: Safer Homes for Senior Residents

Challenge

Romeis Millstream Apartments serves as essential U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized housing for residents aged 55 and over, many of whom are residents on fixed incomes.

Located along Duncan Creek in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the aging three-story building began experiencing severe structural settlement, ultimately revealing geotechnical deficiencies in two of its three wings. These conditions posed an immediate life-safety risk, and over half of the occupants were forced to relocate. The situation drew public attention, as reported by WEAU News, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.

With limited funding and residents still living in the stable wing, the project required a thoughtful approach that could resolve safety concerns without causing additional disruption or displacement. In response, the team developed a stabilization plan designed to protect the building’s integrity. This allowed 23 apartment units to remain occupied in the western wing, maintaining housing continuity for residents. 

Solution

To get this initial condition assessment, SEH partnered with Paul Davis Restoration Services to investigate the building’s existing conditions and develop viable paths forward. Three approaches were evaluated, ranging from full site redevelopment to targeted preservation and reconstruction.

Strategic Code Compliance

Maintaining resident occupancy required careful navigation of the 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) and close coordination with the State of Wisconsin building code official. The team worked with the State of Wisconsin building code official to reach an agreement that, when considering this wing as a standalone building, it would affect less than 50% of the building area. This distinction is critical, as it avoids triggering requirements for a full automatic sprinkler system and limits fire alarm upgrades to areas impacted by construction, significantly reducing disruption to tenants.

Meeting Egress, Accessibility, and Building Needs

To comply with egress requirements for a building with more than four units per floor, the design includes a new stair core and elevator serving all three stories. By classifying these elements as non-occupiable appendages, the team can add necessary life-safety and accessibility features without triggering an Alteration Level 3. This classification avoids the threshold in which the work area exceeds 50% of the building’s total area. Existing lobby space is being repurposed to accommodate a new mechanical room and laundry facility, supporting building operations while remaining within the bounds of the code.

Minimizing Impacts to Residents

Resident comfort remains a top priority, and avoiding resident displacement is a key part of that effort. By staying within the bounds of a Level 2 Alteration in the IEBC, the team avoided the requirement to upgrade every dwelling unit to Type B accessibility standards. These standards require mobility-friendly features in new multi-family dwellings. This also applied to upgrading 2% of the units to be Type A accessible, which must be fully functional for individuals with physical disabilities.

This exception in the IEBC applies to construction or renovation work on an existing structure that does not qualify as a repair or an addition. Using this provision allows the project to proceed with necessary improvements while reducing the likelihood that residents will need to relocate during construction.

Accurate Data, Integrated Delivery

To support design and coordination, the team performed a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scan of the exterior and interior common areas, generating a highly accurate as-built model while respecting the privacy of occupied units. With in-house civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services, the team is delivering a coordinated solution focused on restoring well-being, stabilizing housing, and rebuilding trust within the community.

This effort reinforces a sense of stability and reassurance for the seniors who depend on this housing. The improvements also prepare the remaining wing to operate as a safe, fully compliant, and standalone building. The result will support long-term aging in place while helping the owner reestablish trust in the property’s future.