EXTON, PA — Hankin Group’s $2.4 million floodplain restoration at Keva Flats, a 266-unit apartment community in Exton, has earned a Chester County development award for integrating environmental restoration into residential construction and addressing stormwater runoff, erosion and water quality.
The Chester County real estate development and management company received the 2026 Development Excellence Award through the Citizen Planner Awards program, presented by Chester County 2020 and the Chester County Planning Commission.
Hankin Group and project partner RGS Associates accepted the award during a ceremony Oct. 15.
The recognition centers on a floodplain restoration initiative that began in 2024 at Keva Flats, a 19-acre residential development in West Whiteland Township.
The project incorporates stormwater management measures designed to reduce erosion, limit pollution and improve water quality while restoring and expanding habitats within the development site.
The restoration represents one of the early floodplain rehabilitation efforts of its kind in Chester County, according to Hankin Group.
The investment illustrates how residential development can incorporate environmental infrastructure intended to manage runoff and protect surrounding natural resources.
“Floodplain restoration and innovative development are great examples of what can be accomplished when the public and private sectors work together,” Bob Hankin, president and chief executive officer of Hankin Group, stated.
Hankin credited West Whiteland Township with supporting the project through a public-private partnership.
The Development Excellence Award recognizes planning and development projects that balance growth with the protection of natural and historic resources.
The broader Citizen Planner Awards program honors community leadership, planning initiatives and collaborative projects affecting land use and development across Chester County.
Keva Flats combines 266 residential units with environmental improvements intended to support stormwater management and habitat restoration on the property.
The award recognizes Hankin Group and RGS Associates for incorporating those measures into the development, reflecting the growing role of environmental restoration in local land-use planning.
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