Ronald McDonald House Expansion MHAworks Architects Concept Plan Ronald McDonald House Expansion Old Mason Farm Road Chapel Hill, NC Narrative Describing the Proposal The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, Inc. seeks to expand its current facility to meet the growing demand for rooms to accommodate the families of children who are undergoing extended treatments at the UNC Hospitals. At the same time the organization wants to make several changes to its existing facility to improve the manner in which it functions. The following is a description of the expansion and changes. Changes to the existing facility will include consolidating all service functions into the existing driveway area on the west end of the building. Two existing outbuildings that currently are used for some of these functions will be razed and a wing will be added to the House that will include receiving and workshops on the lower level and guest rooms on the upper level. This wing will also be convenient to the expansion facilities. On the east end of the existing House the Main Arrival point will be improved by providing a Porte Cochere of sufficient high for medical vans. The existing sidewalk system will be enhanced to provide direct access to a bus stop from the main entrance and from a sidewalk to the SECU Family House property and a shelter will be provided at the bus stop. The Dumpster will be relocated to the service area at the west end of the House and will be concealed in an enclosure. Existing portable storage units that are currently in the east parking lot will be removed, their purpose being included in the new west wing. The expansion program will include a family cooking/dining and gathering building, a meeting and staff office building, and three two-story guest room buildings, all connected to each other and to the existing building by a covered walkway system, around a spacious courtyard. The courtyard will have several age-appropriate playgrounds, floral and vegetable gardens, lawn and outdoor eating venues. Parking will be increased for the additional guests and staff as an extension of the current parking area. The parking area will also include a covered arrival area at the expansion building, for public access to the meeting room. The project will be a LEED Certified facility, at least to the level of Silver. It will also comply with the recently-enacted State Energy Requirements enacted through SB 668. And it will comply with Town and University Stormwater Requirements. The architecture is intended to blend with the style of the existing brick and siding building, except that the lap siding will be Hardee Plank instead of vinyl, and stone will be incorporated at the base, in the chimney and in some landscape features. The expansion will be scaled in a manner intended to be compatible with the adjacent residential neighborhood. 13 August 2010 1
Ronald McDonald House Expansion MHAworks Architects Concept Plan Ronald McDonald House Expansion Old Mason Farm Road Chapel Hill, NC Statement of Compliance with Town Design Guidelines The Ronald McDonald House expansion complies with both the broad goals and the specifics of the Chapel Hill Design Guidelines. In the broad criteria, the buildings and outdoor spaces are designed to fit human scale and accommodate pedestrian traffic; the overall design strives for visual appeal and is compatible with other development in the surrounding area; the landscape plan preserves existing trees and will incorporate new native trees and shrubbery that will be aesthetically compatible with the neighborhood; there will be an enhancement and extension of paths and sidewalks for the public; and vistas will be improved by the expansion. The design of the site, to the greatest extent practicable, will preserve natural drainage patterns (by means of pedestrian bridges, in some cases) and pockets of existing trees. Buildings are being designed to harmonize with existing topography, as they are separated into smaller units and set at different elevations. This will also help with the preservation of trees and drainage. Buildings are sited with high sensitivity to solar orientation, to take advantage of prevailing breezes, to deflect traffic noise (but not in a manner that will adversely affect neighbors), and to provide safe and private conditions for the guests and the staff. Circulation around the site will be enhanced by this expansion. At the request of the adjacent neighborhood we intend that there be no driveway connection onto Highland Wood Road. Existing paved trails will be improved and the connections in four directions will be better defined and interconnected with sidewalks and a transit connection. Internal site circulation will follow Town Guidelines by relocating, consolidating and screening all service elements. Vehicular access will be designed to accommodate heavier vehicles where sanitation and emergency vehicles must pass. Existing pedestrian walkways will be used to enhance safe access to transit, neighbors and trails, and minimize areas of conflict with vehicular areas. Parking will be located on the site and screened in a manner that will have the least possible obstruction of views from streets and neighboring properties. Parking bays will be separated from each other with landscaping and bio-retention areas. Building entrances will be visually enhanced, widened for drop off, and have adjacent accessible parking. Most employee parking spaces will be in the enhanced west service area, where all deliveries will occur. Bicycles will be afforded covered storage, and transit riders (who will comprise the overwhelming majority of House guests) will be provided with safe and convenient access to a transit shelter on site. Stormwater standards will meet or exceed those of The Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill and LEED. 13 August 2010 1
Ronald McDonald House Expansion MHAworks Architects The buildings will be designed to create visual interest, human scale, and a variety of outdoor and transitional spaces for interaction, rest, or reflection for the guests. The building program has been divided into smaller volumes to produce a scale of development that is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and is organized around a great court that provides a variety of activities and a safe and quiet environment for guests. The architectural style will be compatible with the existing facility while it explores elements of Arts and Crafts detailing, wide roof overhangs, and improved building materials. To enhance the clarity of the existing main entrance, we are designing a large porte cochere, to better emphasize the entry location and provide more flexibility for oversized medical vehicles. The location of the service entrance and the entrance to the meeting areas are similarly emphasized and are the only three points where there are doorways that face outward on the site. Site lighting will be as required by the Town, University and LEED: full cut-off site lighting, no light spill off of the site. Lighting along covered walks and courtyard paths will be louvered step lights mounted in walls and on columns, to illuminate pathways without interfering with vision. Some carefully situated pendants will be used to mark entrances, but will be mounted on soffits and canopies. The Planting palette will incorporate drought tolerant plants and native species. Once established, the trees and shrubs should need no additional watering outside of severe drought conditions. A natural planting concept rather than a manicured look will be the basis of the landscape design. The plants will be utilized to enhance the architecture and create outdoor rooms that compliment the interior spaces. Fencing will not be used. Instead, we will use stone and brick masonry walls and wood plank garden gates to separate the interior landscape from the surrounding naturalized landscape. 13 August 2010 2
Ronald McDonald House Expansion MHAworks Architects Concept Plan Ronald McDonald House Expansion Old Mason Farm Road Chapel Hill, NC Statement of Compliance with the Themes of Chapel Hill s Comprehensive Plan It is our intent that this proposal will comply with Goals and Themes set forth in the Comprehensive Plan in the following manner: 1. Maintain the Urban Services/Rural Buffer Boundary This is an expansion of an existing residential support service, within the Urban Boundary. The proposal increases density on two existing Chapel Hill Transit lines. 2. Participate in the Regional Planning Process There is no significant impact on the Regional Planning Process. 3. Conserve and Protect Existing Neighborhoods The expansion will not negatively impact the adjacent neighborhood. It will buffer that neighborhood visually and, as activities on the outdoor portion will now be contained in a Courtyard, the noise impact (if any currently exists) will diminish. Site lighting will be designed to not affect the neighborhood. The scale of the buildings and the style of architecture will enhance the neighborhood. The expansion will reduce demand to locate similar facilities elsewhere in the Town. 4. Conserve and Protect the Natural Settings of Chapel Hill The expansion will maintain the natural and enhanced planting along Old Mason Farm Road, and will maintain and enhance a natural buffer along Highland Woods Road. The low-profile nature of the buildings, designed to blend with the existing architecture, while adding natural stone to the buildings and the site design, will improve the appearance of the vista from the Fordham Boulevard corridor. 5. Identify where there are Creative Development Opportunities The expansion is part of an existing development and therefore is not a Creative Development Opportunity. 6. Encourage Desirable Forms of Non-Residential Development The Ronald McDonald House is on Chapel Hill transit lines that make it adjacent to nonresidential services in the Glenwood and Meadowmont Communities it can help to support. It also has a clear relationship of use for the Hospitals. 7. Create and Preserve Affordable Housing Opportunities The purpose of the Ronald McDonald House is to provide affordable temporary housing for families who have children in long term treatment at the hospitals. This project preserves and expands the ability to do this. 13 August 2010 1
Ronald McDonald House Expansion MHAworks Architects 8. Cooperatively Plan with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This expansion is part of an existing facility that is on University property and supports the UNC Health Care System s mission. It is subject to University design review, in addition to that of the Town and of the State of North Carolina and, thereby includes the life safety, energy and design oversight provided by those agencies. 9. Work Toward a Balanced Transportation System The Ronald McDonald House is on two lines of the Public Transportation System and actively encourages the use of this system. The expansion of the facility will include an all weather bus stop and a direct paved pathway to that stop from its front door. The expansion also includes the revision of the entrance canopy at the existing building to allow tall vans and busses to pass under a covered entry. The expansion is expected to double ridership from this facility on the public transportation system. 10. Complete the Bike/Greenway/Sidewalk System The expansion will enhance and expand the town system of trails at the intersection of several important asphalt walking trails that also serve the University track and cross-country programs. The system will be enhanced to better connect with the Botanical Gardens. The sidewalk system will be extended from the SECU Family House, making use of some existing sidewalks on the property so as to maintain existing landscape and drainage systems. It will connect to the asphalt trail system on the west end of the property. As is customary, covered bike storage is provided. 11. Provide Quality Community Services and Facilities While this expansion is not intended to provide facilities for the greater community it will, as discussed previously, enhance connectivity through improvements to the sidewalk, trail and public transportations systems. The facility will also create an improved public meeting space for organizations that provide assistance to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. 12. Develop Strategies to Address Fiscal Issues The expansion of the Ronald McDonald House will not have significant impact on fiscal issue planning for Chapel Hill. 13 August 2010 2
MHAworks 501 Washington Street, Suite G Phone: 919/382-2870 Durham, NC 27701 Fax: 919/682-5369 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING NOTES FOR RONALD McDONALD HOUSE EXPANSION Project No: 10028 Distribution: Shelley Day, RMH Reporter: Clinton Wendy Hillis, UNC-CH Wendi Ramsden, CJT David Clinton, MHAworks Date: 13 July 2010 The following represent comments made by the neighbors of the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. A side show, depicting site plans, building elevations (adjacent to Highland Woods Road), and reviewing general neighborhood conditions and architectural styles was presented by House Executive Director Shelley Day, with additional questions responded to by David Clinton, Wendi Ramsden, and Wendy Hillis. House Board Chair David Stevens was also present. WALKING PATHS: 1. The neighbors were pleased to see the extension of the trail system and mentioned that Botanical Garden Director Jim Ward had proposed a trail on the west side of the Highland Woods Road, to accommodate both bikes and pedestrians. 2. They also liked the connection to the bus stop and mentioned that Jim Ward and Town Engineer Kumar Nepali had discussed a crosswalk over Old Mason Farm Road, at the bus stop. 3. The neighbors were in favor of having a marked trail crossing where the trail crosses Highland woods Road. They also wanted a traffic calming device in that location. 4. Paul Neebe, asked that the relocated trail along her property line be moved farther from the property line. The question was raised as to who will maintain the paths on this property and answered that the House will maintain them. PLANTING BUFFERS: 1. Alice Neebe asked that dense planting be provided adjacent to her driveway, to discourage people on the trail from using the driveway as a shortcut to the road. 2. The neighbors appreciate the density of the existing vegetation along the north edge of the property, at Highland Woods Road and would like to maintain that natural appearance. 3. They would like to see a plan that shows the actual extent of tree removal (noting individual trees) in a subsequent meeting. 4. The designers also said there will be heavy screen planting between the road and the Service Area, as well as between the rest of the new construction and the road, to serve as much to deflect sound from Fordham Boulevard and to provide a visual buffer.
MHAworks 501 Washington Street, Suite G Phone: 919/382-2870 Durham, NC 27701 Fax: 919/682-5369 SITE LIGHTING: 1. The site lighting was described as facing away from the Highland Woods neighborhood, with no site lighting on the north side of the proposed buildings. This was acceptable to the neighbors. 2. The parking area lighting was described as being similar to that at the SECU Family House, next door. This was also acceptable, but one neighbor, Peg Parker, who lives in the fifth house on the south side of Highland Wood Road said the light in the Service Drive of the SECU Family House shines into her window when the leaves are off of the trees and wondered whether the parking lights could be on a time clock. Shelley Day said this would not work for security reasons as guests come and go from the hospitals at all hours. This seemed to satisfy the neighbors. OTHER ITEMS OF DISCUSSION: 1. It was presented that the property drops down about six feet from the north property line to the proposed building location. At the next meeting the neighbors would like to see a sectional profile from north to south though the site, in order to better understand how the expansion will fit on the site. 2. The neighbors voiced approval of the building design and asked how much it might change between now and construction. The response was that there may be changes as a result of reviews by the Town, the NC Department of State Construction, and the University, but that these will be relatively minor in nature and address compliance with regulations, rather than the overall design of the facility. 3. There was general agreement that there should be another meeting shortly before the project is presented to the Town Council for Special Use Permit approval. 4. The Neighbors were made aware that the House no longer has shuttle service but that the HU Bus Route has been expanded to run by every 15 minutes, until 10 p.m. NEIGHBORS IN ATTENDANCE: Alice Neebe Paul Neebe Peg Parker Lisa Bonera Gary Richman END OF DOCUMENT Please report any discrepancies to this office within (7) days of receipt.
MHAworks 501 Washington Street, Suite G Phone: 919/382-2870 Durham, NC 27701 Fax: 919/682-5369