The Blue Light Living

The Blue Light Living mixed-use apartment project, in Durham, North Carolina, is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for residents to savor a modern, upscale living experience. The site was built to house off-campus student housing, centrally located between Duke University’s East and West Campuses, and was previously occupied by a bottle shop and restaurant dating back to the 1940s. The concept for The Blue Light Living was to create a move-in ready residential building that would accommodate all residents’ needs. The project features 80 two- and three-bedroom luxury apartment units, ground floor commercial space, and structured and at-grade parking.

The project contains several amenity spaces including a rooftop spa and lounge area, two fitness areas, a group lounge on each residential floor, and four study areas throughout the building. Other amenities designed include an interior bike storage room and repair station, a room designed for modern package drop-off and delivery, and two rooftop spas, firepits and grills. The Blue Light Living boasts high-end finishes and boutique-style furniture, all put together specifically with a modern, sophisticated resident in mind.

Because the first residents were scheduled to move in during the height of the pandemic, MHAworks was tasked with creating a social distancing plan that could be easily implemented on a tight deadline. As a result, custom acrylic screens were installed at the lobby reception desk and hand-sanitizing stations were set up at each level. In addition, signage coordinated with the project’s branding package was installed on floors and at elevators to create visual boundaries and serve as reminders to the occupants.