Nih Dawin’Naa Affordable Apartments

Project overview

Completed in partnership with Sacajawea Non-Profit Housing and Smoke Architecture, the project converted a former industrial building into 15 affordable apartments, with two additional units created in an adjacent duplex. The development, named Nih-Dawin’Naa—meaning “where we live” in Ojibwe—reflects Sacajawea’s mission to provide safe, affordable housing through property acquisition, revitalization, and culturally grounded support services. It represents the organization’s third major housing development.

Originally constructed in 1911, the three-storey brick factory at 16 Steven Street has served many purposes over its lifetime, including residential and performing arts uses following a 2006 conversion. The adaptive reuse project carefully preserved the building’s historic character while preparing it for its next chapter. Original timber floors, wood and steel framing, and the quadruple-wythe brick exterior were retained wherever possible, with targeted structural and masonry repairs extending the building’s lifespan. A new roof was installed, and the original oversized windows were replaced with heritage-inspired replicas. New spandrel panels featuring woodland-style artwork by Indigenous artist Naomi Smith celebrate the building’s cultural identity and create a lasting visual connection to the community it serves.