Adventures of a Snarkitect

by Mike Van Houten / May 25, 2015

I've been friends with blogger Mike McGonagle for years now, but few know how involved he actually is with the resurgence of Midtown. I figure I'd take you on a little McTour of Midtown.

First up is the new project at 130/130.5 Caliente. 130 Caliente is  a sweet new unit added to 128 Caliente with 10’ ceilings, 1 bedroom, 1.5 baths and office.  The existing 128 Caliente is also newly renovated and nice inside with a lot of original detail.  124/126 Caliente are 1 bedroom 1 bath with sleeping loft master bedroom additions to the existing duplex.  130.5 Caliente will be a loft duplex.

McGonagle is also spearheading the project on Sinclair and Stewart, which when done, will be 12 units.

Currently it's one large green Victorian style home, two empty lots, and a smaller green unit facing Sinclair. The green house will be taken back to its duplex roots, the green standalone facing Sinclair will become a single family unit, and then additional units constructed in the empty lots.

If that weren't keeping him busy enough, he's also spearheading the 1401 Midtown Project (formerly the Cov) located at 1401 South Virginia.

And finally closer to home, and me, in the grouping of homes framed by Sinclair, Holcomb, Moran and an alley, there will be four new lower units similar to the sweet basement unit located under the house on the corner of Moran and Holcomb. Two of the units on Sinclair will feature lower units, with a connecting courtyard dug out between them. Also in this same assemblage of homes, 2 radical remodels will happen, with one of

So, a friendly nod to my friend and fellow blogger Mike McGonagle, who will soon be changing the face of Midtown, literally, with several key projects.

Post your comments
  • May 25, 2015 - 6:45:56 PM

    I have seen some of Mike's plans for these "daylight dugout" basements. This is a really interesting concept. Could this be the new midtown vernacular? Pick any two houses with unused basements and dig out a courtyard between them and make the subterranean life a bit more bright! Well I think it's brilliant. Seems like a great hack. It's way easier than adding a second story. I could see these little basements with dignity adding a huge number of bodies downtown...something that is absolutely great. Keep it up snarkitect!

  • May 26, 2015 - 6:01:07 PM

    So what is actually going in the 1401 Midtown Project? Any new drawings of the final design?

  • May 27, 2015 - 7:29:18 PM

    "Exactly" and "1401" are two words I have learned never to use in the same sentence! This will all be public record when we file the permits in a few weeks, but I can tell you 1401 MidTown will be truly mixed use. Headquarters space for a very successful home-grown ecommerce group. Retail space for a prominent local retailer. 3 of the most bitchin' lofts you will ever see in Reno (do you turn a former bank vault into a billiards room or a sling room or both?). PARKING! Bars and restaurants from the local folks who build MidTown in the first place. And 8 new funky live work loft residences with roof decks overlooking MidTown all the way to Mount Rose. These were originally designed as rentals, but I know there is already an interest list forming to purchase the indivudual units.

  • June 14, 2015 - 3:38:50 PM

    who do we contact if we're interested in purchasing one of those lofts on s virg?

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