Architectural Review Board Report To: From: CC: Subject: Architectural Review Board Architectural Review Board Meeting: May 21, 2018 Agenda Item: 8-A Grace Page, Senior Planner Stephanie Reich, AIA, LEED AP, Design and Historic Preservation Planner Preliminary Review of the design, colors, materials, and landscape plans for the construction of a four-story mixed use development with ground floor commercial retail, 190 residential units, and two basement levels of creative office over three levels of subterranean parking Address: Applicant: 3030 Nebraska Avenue Michael W. Folonis Architects Recommended Action It is recommended that the Architectural Review Board review the preliminary project design and provide comments to staff and the applicant team for consideration as the project progresses to Planning Commission. Executive Summary The proposal consists of a Tier 1, four-story mixed-use development containing 190 residential units, 8,085 square feet of ground floor commercial retail space, and two levels of subterranean creative office space. 475 automobile required parking spaces are provided in a three-level subterranean garage. The project yields 111,478 square feet of floor area and 86,767 square feet of subterranean office area (exempt from floor area). Pursuant to SMMC Section 9.40.020 all new construction of more than 15,000 SF of floor area located in this Non-Residential District shall require approval of Development Review Permit (DRP). The Architectural Review Board shall conceptually review a DRP application and provide design recommendations prior to consideration of the project by the Planning Commission. Background On February 11, 2008, the Landmarks Commission designated the subject site (formerly SCI-Arc Campus) as a City Landmark. On February, 21, 2008, an appeal of the Landmark designation was filed. On September 8, 2009, City Council granted the appeal, reversing the Landmark designation of the property. The subject Development Review Permit application was filed on August 11, 2016. Despite concerns expressed by Staff, few adjustments have been made to the initial design. The applicant continues to work on the design for Zoning Code and Bergamot Area Plan (BAP) consistency. Staff has raised concerns regarding the project design and site planning, including pedestrian orientation and quality of life issues. 1
Project / Site Information The building context of the general vicinity consists of one- to two-story, industrial style structures. Many of the buildings have been repurposed for creative office uses with some lighter industrial uses remaining in the area. The buildings are situated on long industrial blocks with 90-degree parking spaces along the perimeter of the properties. The subject site is unique in that the Streets (Berkeley and Stanford) are not public ROWs and are on the developer s private property. Berkeley Street, south of Nebraska Avenue is a private drive aisle with private parking extending to Olympic Boulevard. Stanford Street, south of Nebraska Avenue, is a private drive and parking area that terminates and does not extend out to Olympic Boulevard. The proposed development shows streets in conformance with the Street Standards specified in the BAP. The following table provides a brief summary of project data: Zoning District / Design Bergamot Area Plan, Mixed Use Creative Guidelines: Parcel Area (SF): 74,185 square feet Parcel Dimensions: Approximately 375 L x 198 W Existing On-Site Improvements (Year Built): Historic Resource Inventory Status 2-story, 12,000 SF building and 1-story, 900 SF buildings (1951-52) Landmark Designation of former SCI-Arc Campus by Landmarks Commission on 2/11/08 Appeal was filed on 2/21/08 Landmark Designation reversed by City Council on September 8, 2009 Adjacent Zoning & Use: Bergamot Area Plan, Mixed Use Creative Creative Offices and Spectrum (Cable/Utility) The existing condition is a large industrial block with private perimeter parking along the east ( Berkeley Street ) and west ( Stanford Street ) perimeter of the site and Nebraska Avenue as the only public ROW for the site. Nebraska Avenue has approximately 375 feet of frontage and Berkeley and Stanford Streets have 198 feet of frontage. Analysis Site Design The Bergamot Area Plan (BAP) identifies and introduces several street typologies to the subject site and vicinity. Below are the street names and types identified in the plan: Nebraska Avenue: Pedestrian-Priority Corridor Overlay, Shared Street Space Special paving, open plaza space, and active uses are featured on this Avenue. 2
Berkeley Street: Complete Street This street is required to include a minimum of 50% of active ground floor. The active use is limited to the north end of the project due to the placement of support and utility rooms along this street. Elevations note an active lobby frontage of 25-4 but the floor plans do not depict an actual lobby area on the first floor. A portion of the sidewalk area at the south end of the property is also identified as an active community gathering and inappropriately includes the 10-1 dimension designated as active ground floor design. It appears that the project design provides 35% of active ground floor and falls short of complying with the active use requirements on the Complete Street. Stanford Street: Shared Space Street This street is also required to include a minimum of 50% of active ground floor. The active use is limited to the north end of the project due to the placement of support and utility rooms aligned on the street. Also, an extensive portion of the southern end of the building is open to below. An active lobby not depicted in plan, and active community gathering and active noted areas are inaccurately included in the calculation for active use. It appears that the design provides 30% of active ground floor and is not in compliance with the active use requirements on the Shared Space Street. Pedestrian Connection: Between Berkeley and Stanford The BAP identifies a pedestrian connection between Berkeley and Stanford Streets. Creating a connection would enhance the street network within the plan area and further break down the larger block for pedestrians. While a connection is not required on this particular project site, Staff has encouraged the applicant to consider an alley-like feature along the southern edge of the property that could relieve Berkeley Street from being programmed with utilities, loading, and support rooms. Building Design/Architectural Concept As viewed from Nebraska Avenue, the project appears as two solid floors with regular openings above a more transparent base. The project changes and becomes fully solid toward the southern end of the property. The mixed-use building consists of two mirrored C building footprints with an atypical subterranean courtyard space. The building establishes a rectilinear street wall around the perimeter of the project and an exposed subterranean level creating an unexpected and inward-looking quality to the project design. This unique W courtyard opening extends upward and is generally open to the sky. The building design is contemporary and features a centered plaza opening along Nebraska Avenue that may be utilized for outdoor seating or displays for the adjacent commercial storefronts. The building design incorporates a contemporary material palette that is applied throughout all elevations of the project. Mass and Scale The building forms create a strong building street wall presence along all three street frontages and the proposed pedestrian path along the south property line. The most significant break in the building massing is provided along the Nebraska Avenue with the ground floor plaza entrance. Smaller cuts into to wall plane are expressed by inset balcony areas and exterior stairs on Stanford and Berkeley Streets. The recessed 3
balconies and exterior stairs provide some modulation in the wall plane but given the extent of building frontage of approximately 187 feet along each side street, the building appears homogenous and lacks three-dimensional variation. The building design is unique in that the residential floors (1-3) have areas within the project that are open to the sky that do not align with the open areas below grade. Walkways and overhangs from the upper floors encroach into the W courtyard. Within the center of the project site, the potential for a unique sunken courtyard is minimized by the building massing proposed within the interior portion of the site. As dimensioned on the floor plans, the spacing/separation between building forms creating the W opening at the interior range from 10-6 to 26-10. The Board may wish to comment on the configuration of the open space in plan and section. With the exception of the plaza opening along Nebraska Avenue, the building massing along the other street frontages have little porosity into the project. Adjustments to the building volumes at the interior or along the perimeter would allow more connectivity and additional access to light and air within the courtyard. Landscape Design The preliminary landscape plans depict the improvements related to the perimeter/street edge improvements that are generally consistent with BAP street typology design guidelines. These street/curb adjacent improvements include curb/gutter, sidewalks and street trees. The Stanford and Berkeley Streets are concrete sidewalks and along Nebraska Avenue, the Pedestrian Priority Corridor, unit pavers and accent paving is proposed on the walkway and main plaza area. The main plaza features one central planter for a focal tree. Beyond the plaza area, much of the ground plane is open to the subterranean office floors below. The project proposes to landscape the subterranean courtyard situated at the Office Level C2. This proposed courtyard space is approximately 68-feet from the top of the roof deck level of the building. This below grade common area space is conceptualized with planter areas, seat walls, trees, seating areas, and a water feature. The Board may wish to consider the efficacy of the proposed subterranean planting. Wood decking and pavers are used to delineate seating areas from walkway/circulation. With limited access to natural light, landscape palette would need careful consideration at this level. Further, introducing any tree canopy in the courtyard would further obstruct access to sunlight. Tree and plant species have not been specified at this time. The project floorplan does not include any residential common area spaces for the residents on Levels 1-4 and are absent of landscaping. There are four deck areas and a pool deck on the roof but the areas do not incorporate any landscaping at this time. There appears to be no design concept or intention to integrate landscaping within the large 74,185 square foot project site. Materials The proposed material palette consists of contemporary durable finishes. Smooth white stucco, board formed concrete, aluminum louvers, storefront systems with anodized 4
frames and clear glazing are proposed for the building. However, due to a lack of a clear or interesting design concept, the materials do not appear to actualize the project design. DESIGN ELEMENTS Façade Windows Doors Canopy/Awning/ Trellis Railings PROPOSED EXTERIOR MATERIAL, FINISH AND COLOR Stucco, smooth steel troweled, (white) Concrete, board formed (grey) Storefront system (clear anodized frames + clear glass) Aluminum frames (clear anodized frames + clear glass) Glass panel doors (clear anodized aluminum + clear glazing) Storefront Awning (clear anodized supports + clear glazing) Trellis Edge Frame Aluminum Louvers Aluminum and Cable Railing Glass Panel with Aluminum Frame Design Guidelines - Bergamot Area Plan Design In addition to the project s requirement to comply with the development standards, the BAP Design Guidelines are also intended to guide the evolution of the area, improve the public realm, and to create attractive places to live, work, and visit. A primary goal of the BAP is to redevelop the former industrial area into a walkable community. The Site Planning Guidelines in the BAP indicate that on-site circulation should provide a high level of connectivity to the public realm surrounding the site and between on-site open spaces. It also encourages locating open spaces close to pedestrian activity along streets or at meeting points of on-site pathways. While the plaza along Nebraska Avenue is in keeping with these guidelines, the project provides few areas for open space or pedestrian interest. The Building Height Design Guidelines encourage variation in the building height of structures and modulation of upper floors. Use of different building heights, volumes, and roof shapes are provided as examples. There are some parapet and trellis elements along the roof of the project, but the project generally maintains a flat roof design for the large site. Building volumes have not been altered or shaped to address these guidelines. Also, as reiterated in the Skyline Design Guidelines, project designs are encouraged to use step-backs, sloped, and sculpted roof forms that are visible from the public streets, open space, and rights-of-way. The Bergamot Area Plan s Architectural Character Design Guidelines encourage new projects in these districts should consider the essence of the past industrial character and geometries of an earlier era of utilitarian, functional, flexible factory and warehouse structures. It is unclear as to what specific elements of the project design are realized or inspired by the surrounding area. 5
DISCUSSION The subject project is the first mixed-use project being introduced to an area where long standing industrial buildings have been repurposed with creative office uses. This area is envisioned with projects that strive towards the 50/50 split of housing and commercial uses and to create a new neighborhood community. While the intended uses of the project fulfill the land use goals, the design should further align with the Design Guidelines Goals and Objective of the Bergamot Area Plan. Staff encourages site enhancements that utilize the southern side of the property for utilities, loading, and support rooms (inlieu of Berkeley Street), and adjusting the massing and building volume to allow improved connectivity and access to light and air within the project. Improvements to the skyline and integrating landscaping throughout the project should be further investigated. The Board may wish to consider the following: Is the project design appropriate to its Bergamot Area context an inspiration? Does the project have a clear architectural concept? Is the open space appropriate for residential uses? Does the project further goals of the BAP to create a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood? Will the project massing and section allow sufficient light and air in the project? Is the overall configuration appropriate to the project site? Is the mass and scale appropriate? Does the landscape design enhance the project? Do materials and details enhance the overall concept and represent a high quality project? Attachments A. Applicant s Submittal Material B. Bergamot Area Plan: Design Guidelines F:\CityPlanning\Share\ARB\STFRPT\SR18\3030 Nebraska Ave Preliminary Review.docx 6