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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2017-09-28 Item 4 - Alliance Realty Partners Design Review - Attachment B: Applicant's Response to Design Criteria415 Baker Blvd. Project File #PL17-0037 L17-0041 Public Hearing Design Review Zoning Corrections Response — 1 Sterling Southcenter Southcenter Design Manual Narrative SITE DESIGN ELEMENTS 1. Site Design URBALO ARCHITECTURE URBANIRURAL The Sterling Southcenter Active Adult Residence is a midrise building which responds to the South Center masterplan by enhancing the Walkable and Neighborhood Corridors along Baker Boulevard and Andover Park East. The structure works with the urban context by pushing out to the sidewalk edge as well bringing light, texture and activity to the street. Generous sidewalks surround the project with additional width at the corner of Baker Blvd and Andover Park East, where the main entry is situated. Along Andover Park East, landscaping and pedestrian light poles are located next to the building due to existing utility lines that are at shallow depths, preventing new street trees and lights to be installed. The planting strip will buffer the building, screen structured parking, and soften the hardscape of the urban environment. The upper floors form a 'U' shape with an upper level courtyard facing west and local views of the adjacent hills. 2. Service areas and mechanical equipment A 20' wide, paved, concrete access road is located on the south and west edges of the property to accommodate safe garbage pick-up and move -ins off of the city street. The trash room is internal and not visible by adjacent residences. Currently under construction directly to the south, Washington Place is proposing a fence along their north property line (our south property line), thus providing screening from much of the back of house loading and pick-up. We are currently working with local utility companies on the location of meters, conduit, and service utility apparatus; we plan to locate them to minimize visibility. Existing above and below ground utility infrastructure located at the corner of Baker Boulevard and Andover Park East shall remain. Rooftop equipment will be located where it is not visible from public streets or sidewalks and all downspouts will be internally drained. URBAL ARCHITECTURE 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE 100 info@urbalarchitecture.com Seattle, WA 98102 www.urbalarchitecture.com I T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 37 3. Lighting Proposed lighting shall promote safety, avoid impact to adjacent properties, and enhance the nighttime appearance of the building. Floor -mounted, wall wash lights illuminate the brick walls and recessed lighting in the canopies and overhangs provide adequate, yet appropriate illumination to the pedestrian streetscape. Pedestrian street lighting shall be the Tukwila standard light pole and spacing. 4. Walls and Fences No fencing is being proposed at street level. A single, half height wall occurs at the main entry along Baker Blvd and conceals an accessible ramp. This wall is finished with the same brick that is on the building elevation; it also incorporates a bench and landscaping to provide visual interest. See Figure 1. Figure 1. Half height brick clad wall along entry. 5. Open Spaces Much of the pedestrian open space is located on the corner of Baker Boulevard and Andover Park East. Here, the building angles inward, providing ample room at the corner for bicycle parking and durable site furnishings such as benches, street trees, and plantings. 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE 100 info@urbalarchitecture.com ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 38 www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B BUILDING DESIGN 6. Architectural Concept The building design is organized both horizontally and vertically and is meant to blur the boundary between residential and hospitality with ample amenity spaces for socialization; this is consistent with the active adult community programmed use. A slightly askew, two- story base made up of brick, storefront glass, and metal decorative and woven wire screens provides a light base on which the upper levels lightly sit. This portion is the bulk of the building amenity and has a significant connection to the adjacent streetscape. The upper mass is broken up vertically with a series of large window bays and bolt -on metal decks at a majority of the residential units. A strong, horizontal cornice line stops the eye at the top of the building, completing the architectural concept with a formal cap; this gives the building a timeless appearance. 7. Entrances and Doors The main building entry is on the corner of Baker Blvd and Andover Park East. A distinguished canopy with profiled fascia and signage make the entry easy to find. In order to meet the existing sidewalk grade, two steps and a ramp are provided with a brick wall, bench, and landscaping. See Figure 2. Figure 2. Rendering showing conditions of main entry. 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE 100 info@urbalarchitecture.com ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 39 8. Building Facades — Base and Top This building has a very prominent two-story base with brick walls, providing the "anchor" to the ground. Significant amounts of glazing, metal columns, decorative and woven wire screens provide visual transparency between the inside and outside; this provides a safer pedestrian experience. The upper residential stories cantilever over the base, creating a clear and dramatic separation between base and top. See Figure 3. Vertical bays break up the upper level mass, with a series of decks providing depth and shadow to the elevation. The roofline is a very formal, stepped architectural profile, expressing the intended use of an active adult community, and providing a substantial horizontal articulation. This profile is broken up at building ends so as to allow the corner elements to have prominence. Figure 3. North East Corner Rendering; Top and Base 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE100 ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 40 info@urbalarchitecture.com www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 9. Corner Treatments Corners are emphasized with larger vertical masses of the white bays, higher roofs, wider, dark window trim and a blue vertical accent piece. The goal is to provide subtle distinction on the secondary corners, while the main corner on Baker Blvd and Andover Park shifts 45 degrees to provide most impact. At this intersection, the building cantilevers off the angled base, giving it a dramatic and almost precarious position as it looms over the corner. See Figures 4 through 6. Figure 4. SE Corner Figure 5. NE Corner — Main Entry Figure 6. West Facade Corners 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE 100 ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 info@urbalarchitecture.com www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 41 10. Building Massing Building mass is broken up horizontally between base and top as described above. The design meets the major vertical modulation increment in chapter 10, option 2; using contrasting vertical modulated design components. The white bays extend through all floors above the base and utilize a change in material of white paneled fibercement against a gray lap siding; they are modulated by 18" and provide a modulated profiled architectural roofline as well. 11. Building details and elements For the purposes of this chapter we will assume the building is categorized as "mixed-use" since residential uses are limited to the upper floors and ground floor uses are all residential amenity type spaces. The entry treatment uses (g) decorative elements of a canopy, brick finish, a bench and landscaping, composed to create an attractive entry sequence. The building uses brick as an accent material, bringing warmth and texture to the base. When lit up at night, the masonry facade will be accentuated further. Finally, decorative metal screens in a custom pattern create interest in the fagade at the structured parking openings. 12. Building Materials and Colors All materials are a high quality and low maintenance to assure longevity of the overall appearance. Contrasting and neutral colors make up the pallet with white, gray, bronze, and a sky blue accent. Textures such as fibercement panels, using aluminum reglets in a logical pattern create the bulk of the residential fagade. Contrasting gray lap siding form the recessed plane. At the base, brick, glass, metal, and metal screens combine to create a pleasing composition. 13. Windows Large expanses of glass across the base of the building provide visual transparency and an indoor/outdoor connection. These windows create a pattern along Baker Blvd and Andover that is visually interesting. At void spaces separating structured parking and the street, a combination of custom decorative screens and woven wire mesh is used to continue this pattern. Upper level residential have large vinyl windows placed in a rhythm that is in keeping with the siding configuration. These large windows allow significant natural light to penetrate deep into units. 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE 100 info@urbalarchitecture.com ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 42 www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 14. Weather Protection Weather protection is being met on Baker Blvd via the significant cantilever of the building. See diagram on ADR 1.40. Per Chapter 14 Weather Protection, we "provide pedestrian weather protection along [the] adjacent street front sidewalks and open spaces using awnings, canopies, or building overhangs..." Weather protection, is not provided on Andover Park East due to the location and depth of existing utilities. As discussed in our planning meeting on 8/9/17, we propose to keep the sidewalk in its existing location and locating the plantings and street trees on the building side of the sidewalk, instead of street side. This makes weather protection on the building impractical as it would cover the planting strip and trees only. 6' LINE AND WEATHER 'ROTECTI©N Figure 7. Rendering showing weather protection along Baker Blvd. ARCHITECTURE 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE100 Seattle, WA 98102 info@urbalarchitecture.com www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B 43 15. Blank Walls There are no blank walls on facing streets, sidewalks, open spaces, or pedestrian pathways. The only blank walls occur at the ground level along the south elevation adjacent to the service drive and largely hidden by the neighbors proposed fence. 16. Parking Structures Structured parking adjacent to pedestrian walkways blend in with the overall fagade composition. While at the Amenity Spaces, storefront glass faces the street— at the parking garage, a combination of woven wire mesh and custom decorative metal panels infill the same pattern as the storefront. 1938 Fairview Avenue East SUITE100 ARCHITECTURE Seattle, WA 98102 44 info@urbalarchitecture.com www.urbalarchitecture.com T 206-257-0972 Attachment B