Smart Window Solutions for a High-Density Waterfront Build

Located along Lake Lorraine, The BLU is a five-story waterfront apartment community designed to attract residents with its combination of upscale finishes and outdoor connection. Early in the project, our team at Pella Sioux City collaborated with Veldhouse Construction to identify window and door solutions that would meet both the design intent and long-term performance goals of the build.

We recommended vinyl windows and patio doors for their streamlined profiles, low-maintenance materials and strong performance in Midwestern climates. A mix of picture and awning windows allowed for flexibility across unit types while maintaining uniform sightlines. With ratings up to PG 50 and U-Factors as low as 0.26, the selected products checked the boxes for energy performance and structural integrity in a high-visibility, multi-unit development.

For a project with a tight construction schedule and a stacked delivery sequence, ease of installation was a top priority. Our team at Pella Sioux City worked closely with Veldhouse Construction to specify products that would streamline site coordination and reduce labor demands. All window and patio door units were delivered with factory-applied finishes, integrated hardware and consistent sizing, reducing the need for post-delivery modifications and minimizing prep work.

InView™ screens and fold-away crank hardware on the awning units added functionality while preserving a clean profile that met the project’s aesthetic goals. The sliding patio doors, which featured performance ratings up to LC PG 35, arrived pre-assembled and install-ready, allowing the installation crews to keep pace with framing progress and maintain a consistent rhythm from level to level.

This level of prefabrication and coordination helped accelerate the installation phase while ensuring every opening was sealed and secure in line with project timelines.

The BLU features a broad range of floor plans, spanning everything from compact studios to expansive two-bedroom-plus-den units, each with its own layout, window count and spatial demands. Achieving a unified look across this architectural complexity requires products that can scale consistently while accommodating structural variation.

Our team recommended a cohesive window and door palette using the 250 Series line in a uniform white finish. This approach ensured visual continuity across more than five stories of alternating balconies, varied elevations and inset configurations. Factory mulling helped maintain consistent sightlines, while reinforced frames and structural supports provided the integrity needed for multi-story installation.

For builders and project managers balancing aesthetics with code and performance requirements, the result was a window system that delivered both a polished exterior and simplified coordination across trades.

Pella Sioux City served as a hands-on partner throughout the duration of the project, working with Veldhouse Construction from initial scope to final delivery to ensure accuracy, efficiency and alignment with the build schedule. With a phased construction timeline and multiple unit types to accommodate, our team provided ongoing coordination to ensure that each delivery was properly sequenced and install-ready.

By staying closely involved during each stage of the process we were able to minimize surprises on site and keep window installation progressing in sync with other trades. Backed by reliable performance data, proven durability and a streamlined install profile, the Pella 250 Series patio doors and windows proved to be a strong fit for this application.

For commercial builders taking on mid-rise multifamily developments, this project reinforces the value of a product partner who understands the pace and complexity of large-scale construction and can help deliver both consistency and confidence at every phase.