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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2018-07-26 ITEM 4 - TRU BY HILTON DESIGN REVIEW - STAFF REPORTCity of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Department of Community Development - Jack Pace, Director HEARING DATE: FILE NUMBERS: APPLICANT: REQUEST: LOCATION: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ZONING DESIGNATION: SEPA DETERMINATION: NOTIFICATION: STAFF: ATTACHMENTS: Staff Report Board of Architectural Review for Tru by Hilton Prepared July 16, 2018 July 26, 2018 L18-0029 Design Review Dale Sweeney, Architect Board of Architectural Review approval for a Tru by Hilton hotel of 92 rooms and related site improvements proposed at a vacant site on the northwest corner of Minkler Blvd. and Andover Park West. Northwest corner of Minkler Blvd. and Andover Park West Tukwila Urban Center — Pond District Exempt The City of Tukwila prepared a Supplemental Environmental Impact State ment (SEIS) for the Southcenter Subarea under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) as set forth in RCW 43.21C.420. Project -specific development proposals within the Southcenter Subarea are not subject to individual SEPA review provided they are consistent with the subarea plan, development regulations, and the SEIS. This project is therefore exempt from SEPA review. A Notice of Application was distributed to agencies that may have an interest in the project on May 11, 2018. The Notice of Application was also posted on the project site and mailed to surrounding residences/property owners. There were no comments received in response to the Notice of Application. Lindsay Brown, Assistant Planner A. Plan Set (Site Plan ST -1, Preliminary Civil Plan P-01, Landscape Plan, Exterior Elevation- West, Exterior Elevation- East, Exterior Elevation - Entrances, Bollard lighting details) B. Materials Board (presented at hearing) C. Limestone material sample (presented at hearing) D. Urban and Workplace Corridor standards summary sheets 6300 Soghcenter Boulevard, Suite #100 • Tukwila, Washington 98188 • Phone 206-431-3670 • Fax: 206-431-3665 Findings Vicinity/Site Description Project Description This project seeks to transform an underdeveloped vacant lot into a 44,405 ft2 five -story, 92 -unit Tru by Hilton hotel located at the northwest corner of Minkler Blvd. and Andover Park West. The project includes frontage improvements along Corporate Drive S., Andover Park West and Minkler Drive, 92 parking spaces, landscaping, and improvements to the vehicular and pedestrian circulation. The site will be accessed by one driveway on Corporate Drive and one on Minkler Blvd. (see Attachment A). Figure 1. Project location Existing Development The lot is currently underdeveloped as a parking lot with no principal use. The site typically has a few passenger cars parked during the day, and oftentimes has commercial truck cabs parked as well, presumably to provide a space for driver rest. The parcel is 1.44 acres in size and is zoned Tukwila Urban Center- Pond. Andover Park West is classified as an Urban Corridor, and Minkler Blvd. is a Workplace Corridor. Corporate Drive S. has no corridor designation in the Tukwila Municipal Code or Southcenter Design Manual. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 2 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 10 Figure 2. Existing Conditions—project site looking SE from Corporate Park Drive S. Surrounding Land Use Adjacent development and land uses include inactive railroad tracks on the south side of Minkler Boulevard and a one-story furniture store to the south of those tracks, a two-story furniture building to the west, a two-story business park to the north across Corporate Drive S., and King County Housing Authority to the east across Andover Park West. Kitty-corner from the parcel is a two-story business park/office complex. Figure 3. Existing Conditions—office building north of the site, across Corporate Park Drive S. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 11 Page 1 3 Topography & Vegetation The parcel's developable area is flat, though the land slopes downwards from the site along all three street frontages to the curbs. There is an existing small retaining wall along the southern frontage, between the parking lot edge and the sidewalk on Minkler Blvd. This retaining wall will be removed for the proposed development, and the landscaping strip will slope downward from the sidewalk toward the curb along Minkler. Figure 4. Existing Conditions— mature trees and gentle slope up to developable pad from Andover Park W. Design Review This project is subject to Board of Architectural Review approval under Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) 18.28.030.D. As a large-scale project, the project is subject to the applicable district -based standards, corridor -based standards, and supplemental standards in TMC Chapter 18.28 and the guidelines set forth in the Southcenter Design Manual. This discussion below is grouped into four sub -sections: District Based Standards; Corridor Based Standards; Supplemental Standards; and Southcenter Design Manual. The standards can be found online at: http://www.tukwilawa.gov/dcd/urbanplan/TMC18.28 New Southcenter Zoning.pdf and the Design Manual can be found at: http://www.tukwilawa.gov/dcd/urbanplan/Southcenter%20Subarea%20PIan Final.pdf. I. District -Based Standards Structure Height (TMC 18.28.070): The proposed building reaches a maximum height of 59 feet for habitable areas, which is in conformance with the building height restriction of 70 feet including a height bonus granted in exchange for public frontage improvements along Corporate Drive S., Andover Park W. and Minkler Boulevard. There is a small portion of the building that is 70' in height, to provide for roof access. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 4 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 12 Maximum Block Face Length (TMC 18.28.080): The proposed building is in compliance as it is infill of a pre-existing lot; no new streets will be created with the proposal. Side and Rear Setbacks and Landscaping Requirements (TMC 18.28.100-.110): The building location on the site meets the minimum 5 -foot setback and landscaping requirement for the side and rear yards. II. 2. Corridor -Based Standards Andover Park West is classified as an Urban Corridor, and Minkler Blvd. is a Workplace Corridor. See Attachment D for Urban and Workplace Corridor standards summary sheet. Public Frontage Standards (TMC 18.28.150): Workplace Corridors are required to have at least 15 feet of public frontage improvements, split into a 6 ft. wide sidewalk and 9 feet of landscaping located at the back of the curb. The proposed improvements along Minkler Boulevard meet this standard. Because of grade changes between the developable pad area (currently paved as a parking lot) and the street, there is a retaining wall existing between the pad and the sidewalk; this retaining wall will be removed and the landscaping strip sloped with approval of the project. The sidewalk will be at -grade with the development pad. As with Andover Park West, a small concrete wall is proposed at about the midpoint of the site's Minkler frontage in order to retain existing street lighting. Figure 5. Retaining wall of 1.5' — 3' in height along Minkler frontage will be replaced by a 9' sloped landscaping strip and 6' wide sidewalk at -grade with the development pad. The proposed project meets the requirements for public frontage standards along Andover Park West, an Urban Corridor, including streetscape width and landscaping. An 8' sidewalk hugs the eastern elevation of the building, separated from the curb by a 7' wide landscaping strip with street trees, shrubs, and groundcover. The applicant proposes a small concrete cut-out wall for the midpoint of this L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 5 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 13 frontage in order to accommodate the site grade changes and retain existing vehicular -scaled lighting fixtures. Along with the building permit materials, the applicant shall submit a street lighting plan to satisfy the requirements for pedestrian and vehicular -scaled lighting. Building Orientation/Placement & Landscaping (TMC 18.28.160-.190): The proposed project meets building orientation standards, which require the building to be oriented to Andover Park West. The building's endcaps will approach the east ends of the Minkler and Corporate Drive S. frontages; surface parking will be located behind the building on the west side of the lot. No parking is proposed between the building and the street, though the parking area will be visible from Minkler Boulevard and Corporate Drive S. Architectural Design Standards (TMC 18.28.2001: Urban Corridor (Andover Park W) Architectural Design Standards Design Response Acceptable Partial Unresponsive Not applicable Facade articulation Increment Commercial/mixed use maximum — 50 feet X X Major vertical modulation maximum — 200 feet X Ground level Transparency Commercial -use minimum — 60% X Comments: • It meets the vertical modulation by 5 feet of profile change between the southern bank of rooms and the southern and central portions of the eastern facade. • The hotel design does not meet the facade articulation requirement because of the 117' feet of uniform horizontal facade along the eastern frontage for floors 3- 5, and there is 90' of consistent facade appearance for the second floor without a change in style, building materials, or colors. • Incorporating a variety of building materials would increase the articulation increments and create visual interest. Table 1. Architectural Design Standards for the Urban Corridor (Andover Park West) Architectural Design Standards (TMC 18.28.2001: Workplace Corridor (Minkler Blvd) Architectural Design Standards Design Response Acceptable Partial Unresponsive Not applicable Facade articulation Increment Commercial/mixed use maximum — 140 feet X Major vertical modulation maximum — 280 feet X Ground level Transparency L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report Page 1 6 14 Commercial -use minimum — 50% X Comments: • The hotel design meets both the facade articulation and the vertical modulation requirements, but the design provides 41% instead of the 50% ground -floor transparency required for Workplace Corridors. While the offices provide large windows onto the street, the emergency exit stairwell does not include fenestration due to structural requirements. • Replacing the solid wall on the south -facing corner of the dining area with a window would increase the transparency along Minkler Boulevard. Table 2. Architectural Design Standards for the Workplace Corridor (Minkler Blvd) III. Supplemental Standards Special Corner Feature (TMC 18.28.220): The building's southeast corner has a trapezoidal projection featuring the hotel brand. The projection extends 13' from the hotel's exterior wall, over the landscaped area on the south frontage. Landscaping Types and General Landscaping Requirements (TMC 18.28.230-.240): The landscaping plan includes all required information for proposed vegetation. Spacing, dimensional, species diversity, and screening/cover specifications are all satisfied. Irrigation plans have been submitted and approved by the City's Urban Environmentalist. The setbacks are planted with sufficient shrubs and groundcovers to fulfill the landscaping requirements. Perimeter and interior landscaping square footage requirements have been satisfied. The landscaping islands and trees provided within the landscape islands are consistent with the code requirements. The applicant proposes a bioretention area dividing the first two rows of parking as you exit the hotel from the western exit. The plants proposed for this area are all water -loving plants appropriate for bioretention. The bioretention area will function well to filter water and as the tupelo trees will be planted at the high point of this landscape/bioretention hybrid area, the traditional landscaping should thrive as well. The City's Urban Environmentalist has reviewed and approved proposed plant material to ensure appropriate species selection and spacing. Open Space Regulations (TMC 18.28.250): The building footprint of approximately 9,000 square feet requires 450 square feet of open space. The applicant has designed a small public plaza on the northeast corner of the site, at Corporate Park Drive S. and Andover Park West. The public plaza measures over 500 sf2 and is defined by a decorative concrete paving floor pattern and raised landscape beds. The plaza features a waste receptacle and built-in benches and can be accessed from the doors at the northern end of the building, or from the public sidewalks on Corporate Drive S. and Andover Park West streets. General Parking Requirements and Guidelines (TMC 18.28.260-.270): The proposed project provides 92 parking stalls, which meets the parking requirements for hotels in the Tukwila Urban Center (a minimum of one stall per room). The parking lot meets requirements for compact car stalls, stall dimensions, setbacks, curb cuts, access, and provision of pedestrian walkways. Along the northern and western edges of the parking lot as well as fronting the bioswale and linear landscaping divider, cars will overhang the landscaped perimeter by up to the 2' allowed by code. The pedestrian path through the parking lot will be lit by bollards located in the landscaped islands. Parking lot landscaping and layout meet code requirements. Staff recommends a small section of landscaping be L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 7 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 15 removed just north of the western facade entrance vestibule for the installation of bike racks; parking for two bikes is required of the development. This is a well -lit location that is in front of windows which will provide some observational security. The sidewalk detail on the building permit will be reviewed for conformance with TMC 18.28.260.C.1.c, which requires the curb cut design for driveways to match the height of the sidewalk to ensure that the sidewalk stays at a consistent grade for pedestrians (see Figure 6). Driveway With Planting Strips Planting strips allow the sidewalk to remain level and in a continuous direction. Figure 6. TMC 18.28260.C. requires driveways in the TUC to be level with the height of the sidewalk. Site Requirements (TMC 18.28.280): Pedestrian access to the hotel is accommodated by a 5' wide concrete walkway connecting the hotel's western entrance with Corporate Drive S. and Minkler Boulevard sidewalks. Additionally, the hotel's eastern entrance is flush with the Andover Park West sidewalk- building orientation to the street is a requirement of the Urban Corridor Design Standards. The pedestrian crosswalk within the parking lot will be finished with a stamped concrete to enhance pedestrian safety, comfort, and the attractiveness of the site, and help it stand out to motorists. IV. Southcenter Design Manual The Southcenter Design Manual guidelines support and complement the community vision described in the Southcenter Subarea Plan, supplement and expand upon the design requirements in Chapter 18.28 and provide a flexible tool for quality and innovation. The Design Manual is organized into two main sections: Site Design Elements and Building Design. Site Design Elements covers a number of design topic areas, including Site Design, Service Areas and Mechanical Equipment, Lighting, Walls and Fences, and Open Spaces. The section on Building Design covers Architectural Concept, Entrances and Doors, Building Facade — Base and Top, Corner Treatments, Building Massing, Building Details and Elements, Building Materials and Colors, Windows, Weather Protection, Blank Walls, and Parking Structures. For each topic area, there are one or more Design Criteria, which can be general in nature. The Design Criteria explain the requirements for development proposals. They are the decision criteria by which the Director or Board of Architectural Review will decide whether to approve, condition or deny a project. The examples and explanations which augment each Design Criteria, provide guidance to the project L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 8 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 16 applicant, to City Staff in reviewing a project proposal, and to the decision maker in determining whether the project meets the Design Criteria. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 9 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 17 A. Site Design/Elements 1. Site Design The intent of the site design/elements criteria is to encourage site design which is easily understood, appropriate to the area, takes advantage of unique opportunities, and is a positive element in the architectural character of the District within which it is located. The design criteria address various elements including: facilitation of traffic circulation by connecting through -streets; provision of safe, convenient, and connected pedestrian access; encouragement of harmonious visual character (where desirable); arrangement of buildings to enhance street frontages and the pedestrian environment; incorporation of open space and landscaping as a unifying feature; incorporation of screening, environmental mitigation, utilities and drainage as positive design elements; incorporation of opportunities for joint development of sites; and the use of site design to take advantage of and/or enhance views of and access to natural amenities such as the Green River. The proposal adds a sidewalk along its northern perimeter where there is currently none, thus completing the pedestrian walkway along Corporate Drive S. The hotel is placed flush against the Andover Park West street frontage improvements to be built with the project, making pedestrian access to the hotel convenient and inviting while maintaining access to cars toward the rear of the lot, accessed by a driveway on Corporate Drive S. and another on Minkler Boulevard. The public open space plaza is accessible, well-defined and inviting, and the landscape architect has incorporated a bioswale into the parking lot for natural runoff filtration. 2. Service Areas and Mechanical Equipment The intent of the service areas and mechanical equipment design criteria is to minimize the potential negative impacts of service elements through thoughtful siting and screening while meeting functional needs. Design criteria include: service element location and design; minimizing public visibility of loading docks and service bays, location and/or design of utility meters; electrical conduit and other service utility apparatus; rooftop equipment screening; and concealment and design incorporation of downspouts. The refuse and disposal area is accessible and properly screened by appropriate enclosures (concrete masonry unit wall with exterior insulation and finish system to match building exterior- dark brown) and landscaping. The doors for the trash and recycling enclosure are western red cedar, a local and high- quality building material. While there are shrubs proposed around the generator located north of the building, taller, evergreen plantings could increase the effective screening of this mechanical equipment. There will be mechanical equipment (HVAC, fans) placed on the rooftop; the applicant will be required to design appropriate screening or prove that mechanical equipment will not be visible from adjacent streets at the time of building permit submittal. 3. Lighting Site lighting should be designed to promote safety as well as enhance the nighttime appearance of buildings and landscaping. Solar -powered LED bollard lights will provide pedestrian -oriented lighting along the pedestrian walkway through the parking lot to the west entrance to the building. The lighting proposed adapts itself to the lighting levels outside, minimizing energy use while providing ample, directed lighting for pedestrians. No details or fixtures for the hotel exterior were submitted, but discussions with the applicant revealed plans for light bars to be installed underneath the weather protection along Andover Park West and L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 10 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 18 under the porte cochere. This concept will illuminate the sidewalk along Andover Park W. for pedestrians without the lighting being obscured by the over -sidewalk canopy. The applicant shall submit details for the under -canopy lighting and all exterior lighting fixtures at the time of building permit submittal. 4. Walls and Fences Walls and fences shall be designed to be compatible with the building, improve the appearance of the site, and improve safety. The walls of the refuse and disposal enclosure will be coated with the EIFS finish and color of the lower level exterior of the building- a dark brown. The gate of the enclosure will be western red cedar or equivalent; the roof line is flat, matching the hotel's roofline. Maple trees and shrubs will provide screening for the sides of the enclosure. 5. Open Space Provide safe, attractive, and usable open spaces that promote pedestrian activity and enhance the setting and character of the development. The proposed design features a patio area on the northeast corner of the site, accessible to guests via the first -floor interior hallway and accessible to the public via the sidewalks along Corporate Drive S. and Andover Park West streets. The patio is defined by a stamped concrete pattern, raised landscaped beds and built-in bench seating. The landscape beds include a satomi dogwood tree which blooms dark pink blossoms in late spring, and red ace pontilla shrubs with blooms ranging from yellow to deep red in late spring through fall. The patio will serve as an inviting public space along Corporate Park Drive S., enhancing the character and functional use of the north side of the building. The applicant shall submit a stamped concrete detail/material sample for planning approval with building permit materials. There is no weather protection proposed for the patio area; please see the discussion in Building Design -Weather Protection section below. B. Building Design 1. Architectural Concept The architectural design criteria encourages building design with easily understood organization, an appropriate relationship to the site, and with a positive impact on the architectural character of the District within which it is located. Architectural design should unify the massing and components of a structure or structures on a site into a cohesive and consistent thematic or stylistic architectural character or style that is responsive to the functional requirements of the development. The hotel features tan limestone on the first floor exterior to create a ground floor distinct from upper levels and provide more protection from the elements than E.I.F.S. affords. Notable elements of modulation include a pop -out of two room's width above the entry vestibule on the western facade, small projections in facades at the hotel's corners, and a distinct base and top for the southernmost portion of the eastern facade. 2. Entrances and Doors The primary entrance should be located and designed to represent the overall style and architectural character of the building and ensure a welcoming public face to the building. The primary entrance on the western side of the building has high visibility (with a covered port cochere) and is consistent with the building' pedestrian entrance on the eastern facade in style and L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 11 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 19 color (Figure 7). The entrance vestibules are brightly -colored, modern shapes consistent with the brand's modern aesthetic. Figure 7. The western fagade's porte cochere (L) is architecturally consistent with the eastern fagade's pedestrian entrance (R). 3. Building Facade — Base & Top Create a building base where the horizontal articulation of the lower part of a building fagade's design establishes a human scale for pedestrian users and passers-by, and aesthetically "ties" a building to the ground. Create a "top" on buildings through a substantial horizontal articulation of the fagade at the uppermost floor of the building to provide an attractive facade skyline and complete the upper facade composition. Rooflines should reflect the architectural style of the building and be a distinctive design element. Roof surfaces should be punctuated with varying roof forms to break up large massing of roof surfaces and/or to provide opportunities to daylight interior spaces. Roof overhangs for both flat and sloping roofs are encouraged to add depth, shadow and visual interest. The first floor facade is wrapped in tan limestone to provide horizontal articulation and a durable and distinct base. Further distinguishing the ground level on the eastern facade are wide windows and a turquoise canopy projecting from the building edge, providing weather protection for pedestrians along Andover Park West and creating a bright horizontal border between floors 1 and 2. There are very slight variations in rooflines (2' distinction in height) excepting the staircase projection for roof access, and only the southernmost portion of the eastern facade has a distinctive "top". For the majority of the building, the roof is unarticulated by profile or color from the building's exterior edge. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 12 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 20 Figure 8. East elevation rendering of proposed hotel, showing a "top" on the southern portion of the roof. Potential design modifications that would increase the distinction of the roofline include: 1) Create a distinct roof line that includes details and cornice treatment similar to Figure 9. 2) Add a prominent cornice molding with distinct color similar to Figure 10. 3) Use different color, material and window pattern to treat the top story different that the remaining floors to create a distinct top similar to Figure 11. Figure 9. Tru in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, showing a "top" with the rooflines. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 21 Page 13 Figure 10. Tru in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a color stripe and molding, plus portions of projecting rooflines Figure 11. Troy, Michigan Tru hotel, featuring a top floor distinguished from lower floors by material and color L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report Page 14 22 4. Corner Treatments The design criteria serve to emphasize building corners at important intersections with a distinctive building element. The Northeast corner of the hotel site features a small patio area with integrated bench seating and raised landscaped beds. This patio will increase pedestrian activity on Corporate Drive S., an area typically not pedestrian -activated past office hours. The southeast corner of the building features a prominent projecting "wing" featuring the hotel brand sign. The projection extends 13' from the hotel's exterior wall at the tallest plane, over the landscaped area on the south frontage. 5. Building Massing The use of horizontal and vertical modulation is required to maintain the desired human scale and character for the Southcenter area. The requirements encourage the design of building facades which incorporate interesting architectural details that add variety to the facade, animate the street presence, and are attractive at a pedestrian scale. The hotel is a large rectangular building, with exterior projections and indentations ranging from 2' at the building ends near the stairwells to 9' of projection for the western entrance vestibule on the western facade. The stepped edges of the hotel's main facades meet the vertical modulation requirements of commercial buildings on Urban Corridors (Andover Park West). While the building design differentiates the ground floor from upper floors by use of distinct finishing materials, weather protection, and increased fenestration, the design does not meet the facade articulation requirement of buildings on Urban Corridors. The maximum facade articulation increment is 50 feet, meaning that for every 50 feet of building frontage along Andover Park W., the exterior should be visually broken up by a change in building projection, design, or materials. The southern section of the western facade presents a uniform block of hotel rooms lacking modulation or distinction. Between the dark brown trapezoidal projecting wing and the northern portion of the building that projects from the main plane and has larger windows and a vertical mosaic -like stripe, there is 95' of uninterrupted, uniform horizontal facade. Any treatment to create a more pedestrian -scaled elevation on the eastern elevation should also be applied to the western elevation. Figures 9 and 10, above, use more frequent modulation increments and projections in addition to vertical striping and a change in materials to break up the building's elevations visually into smaller - scale sections as required by the Southcenter Design Guidelines. Staff recommends incorporating these techniques into the Tru design on both western and eastern elevations. 6. Building Details and Elements Detail elements are required to encourage the incorporation of design details and small-scale elements into building facades that are attractive at a pedestrian scale. The project relies on bright colors and sharp lines at the first floor vestibules, the parte cochere, and a distinctive vertical mosaic pattern runner stretching from the ground floor to the roof on the eastern facade to stand out and capture interest. Increased fenestration on the ground floor, use of natural limestone as a building material, and a bright turquoise canopy along the Andover Park West facade help break up the ground floor into smaller -scale features attractive at a pedestrian scale. The use of trellises and creeping vines should be considered at the hotel endcaps to visually break up the appearance of tall, uninterrupted walls on the exterior of the staircases. While there are shrubs L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 15 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 23 proposed in the landscaping plan, vertical plants would visually break up a tall, uninterrupted flat wall space. 7. Building Materials and Colors The use of natural materials that reflect our Northwest setting such as stone, local woods like cedar and fir, and functional materials like concrete, brick, and metal are encouraged. Wall cladding materials appropriate to the architectural style and building type shall be used. Authentic materials and methods of construction should be used to the degree possible. More than two colors and materials should be incorporated into each building's design. Monochromatic schemes are discouraged. Color choices should include warm rich colors that reflect and complement the woodlands, water and open sky of the region; weathered wood and oxidized metal colors relate to industrial and agricultural influences. Tru by Hilton is a national brand marketing itself as "vibrant, affordable and young -at -heart", and the color palette is bright and modern and not reflective of the Pacific Northwest's setting. Facade materials and colors are primarily neutral (cool -white and dark brown), with Tru by Hilton brand colors (light and bright turquoise, cerulean blue, canary yellow, bright purple) used on a vertical mosaic accent stripe and to highlight the hotel entrances. The porte cochere and pedestrian entrance vestibule canopies are bright turquoise, with distinctive, modern shapes. The majority of the eastern first -floor facade is comprised of large windows into the open lobby spaces of the hotel. On the western elevation, ground floor windows are located primarily on the southern half of the facade. The second floor of the western facade is finished with E.I. F.S. in a cool white color, as are floors 3-5, through there is a slight vertical projection (2.5' deep) in the facade that starts with the second floor on the southern side of the western facade. The majority of the 2nd floor of the eastern facade is proposed as dark brown E.I.F.S.; the southernmost bank of rooms on this side of the building projects approximately 7' from the rest of the facade. Floors 3-5 on all facades of the hotel are primarily the cool -white colored E.I.F.S.. The Southcenter Design Guidelines states that E.I.F.S. should be sheltered from extreme weather by roof overhangs or other methods, and weather -exposed horizontal surfaces should be avoided. E.I.F.S. is the primary building material, but the applicant has incorporated tan limestone into the design at the building base to add some visual and textural interest at the pedestrian level and provide a more durable surface on the areas where damage is most likely- the first few feet above the ground plane. Figure 12. Tru in St. Charles, Missouri featuring brick detail L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 16 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 24 Figures 9-12 show proposed and constructed Tru hotels in Murfreesboro Tennessee, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Troy, Michigan and St. Charles, Missouri and that incorporate distinct and natural building materials such as brick, stone, and tile into the hotel design. The doors for the trash and recycling enclosure are western red cedar, a local and high-quality building material. The applicant could incorporate this material as an accent into the building design (perhaps as a soffit material), which would increase the project's adherence to design standards and make the trash enclosure more architecturally compatible with the hotel. 8. Windows Ornamental framing and hardware should be used to provide a utilitarian opportunity for craftsmanship and decoration. Window frames and sills should be designed to be prominent and substantial in order to enhance openings and add additional relief. Figure 13. Lancaster, Pennsylvania Tru showing windows slightly inset The project's hotel room windows are neither prominent nor substantial. The window frames for hotel rooms shown in Figure 13, above, are inset slightly from the building's exterior wall. The proposed hotel's room window frames are thin aluminum; it is difficult to determine if the window frames are slightly inset such as at the Lancaster Tru location. On the Tukwila Tru proposal there are blank walls on the building ends (facing Minkler Boulevard and Corporate Park Drive S.) that are the sides of hotel rooms, but do not include windows. The second -floor guest rooms on the southern section of the eastern facade do not appear to be framed by building modulation or relief from the floors above it, but are differentiated by a darker color E.F.I.S. The lack of prominent sills or window frames is consistent with the brand's modern aesthetic but is not consistent with the intent of the Tukwila Urban Center Design Guidelines. The second -floor guest room windows on the eastern facade could be more prominent if framed by a building modulation in addition to a darker -colored fagade cladding, as shown in the Hershey Tru rendering (Figure 10). On the Hershey Tru facade, the second -floor windows appear to be installed flush with the building exterior as on floors 3-5, but the darker -colored framing of the windows juts out from the building facade a few feet, providing more architectural interest. Other modifications that would increase the conformance with the L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 17 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 25 design guidelines include using higher -contrast window framing and ventilation grates (shown in Figure 12) or adding a window sill extending a few inches from the building facade. 9. Weather Protection Design buildings with non-residential ground floor uses to provide pedestrian weather protection along adjacent street front sidewalks and open spaces using awnings, canopies, or building overhangs such as porticos, covered porches and arcades. Where building orientation to streets/open spaces is required for the applicable Corridor Type, weather protection at least 6 feet in width along at least 75 percent of the facade must be provided. An eight -foot deep horizontal canopy overhangs 83% of the first -floor facade along Andover Park W. and a porte cochere and vestibule provides cover for the passenger loading zone at the main building entrance on the western facade. The northern elevation with an exterior door leading to the public open space and sidewalks does not have any weather protection proposed. A small canopy to match that along Andover Park W. would provide some weather protection for guests using the plaza, as would a canopy or sail covering over the built-in bench. 10. Blank Walls Blank walls are not permitted facing streets, sidewalks, open spaces, or pedestrian pathways and instead shall be designed to provide visual interest and human scale. The proposed project has tall, blank walls on the building ends where there are stairwells. On the building's southern end, the landscaping proposed are primarily small shrubs; a trellis and creeping vine plants could lessen the starkness of the wall (discussed in 6. Building Details and Elements), as would the integration of different building material colors as textured, as discussed in 7) Building Materials and Colors, above. The hotel's northern edge could increase its visual appeal at street level with the use of trellises and creeping vines; the addition of a weather -protection canopy for the door and weather protection for the bench area in the plaza would further increase visual interest and emphasize the human scale. 11. Parking Structures Design criteria do not apply as the project does not include a parking structure but rather a parking lot. V. Public Comments A Notice of Application was distributed to agencies that may have an interest in the project on May 11, 2018. The Notice of Application was also posted on the project site and mailed to surrounding residences/property owners. There were no comments received in response to the Notice of Application. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 18 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 26 Conclusions 1. District -Based Standards There is a portion of the building that reaches the 70 feet height limit of buildings in the Tukwila Urban Center- Pond District, for the stairway providing for roof access. The development may reach the max height of 70 feet because of frontage improvements to Corporate Drive S. The proposed hotel development meets the design standards of the TUC- Pond District, including structure height, setbacks, and landscape requirements. 2. Corridor -Based Standards Andover Park West is classified as an Urban Corridor in the Tukwila Urban Center, and Minkler Blvd. is a Workplace Corridor. The site design meets the public frontage standards of those corridor types and installs a sidewalk where there is none along Corporate Drive S. The small retaining wall along Minkler Boulevard will be replaced by a sloped landscaping strip, keeping the sidewalk at - grade to the development pad. If the placement of the gas line and easement prohibits the installation of landscaping adjacent to the curb along Andover Park W., the sidewalk and landscaping positions will be switched and the existing mature maple trees along that streetscape can remain, Most architectural design standards for Urban and Workplace Corridors are met, but increased articulation along the eastern elevation, incorporation of distinct, high-quality building materials, and replacing a small section of solid wall with a window will ensure a final design that meets or exceeds design standards and increases the attractiveness of the design. With recommended conditions of approval, the proposed hotel will meet all corridor -based standards. 3. Supplemental Standards The supplemental standards for the Tukwila Urban Center include requirements for special corner features, parking, landscaping, open space, lighting, and pedestrian circulation. With a recommended condition of approval to replace a small section of landscaping near the building's western entrance with bicycle parking, the site design reflects conformance with all supplemental standards including the percentage of compact spaces allowed, aisle dimensions, parking lot and perimeter landscaping, and pedestrian walkways. A small area of bioretention will provide natural filtration of stormwater, and a prominent pedestrian walkway lined with adaptive LED bollards ensures that hotel guests will have a lit path to the hotel entrance at any time of day or night. VI. Southcenter Design Manual 1. Site Design Elements The proposed development meets the minimum setback requirements and creates a pedestrian - scale environment on Andover Park West. Pedestrian amenities such as benches and shade trees are provided in the publicly -accessible plaza at the corner of Andover Park West and Corporate Drive S. The project completes and improves pedestrian access along all three street frontages. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 19 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 27 Landscape islands and stamped concrete pedestrian crossings will promote efficient vehicular circulation and access to parking spaces while providing safe and convenient pedestrian access throughout the site. The proposed site design adds one additional access point from existing off of Minkler Boulevard, which will allow hotel guests and the general public to access the hotel from two frontages and provide emergency vehicle access between the two roads. Interior parking lot landscaping and perimeter landscaping follow a coherent design concept, which will soften the built environment and create an inviting, pedestrian -friendly atmosphere. Staff recommends adding evergreen plantings to more effectively screen the generator proposed near the public plaza. The proposed bollard lighting of the pedestrian pathway matches the contemporary building design and will improve visibility at night with reduced energy use. The applicant shall submit details for exterior building lights and lighting under the pedestrian and vehicle canopy with building permit materials. The proposed public patio will enhance the pedestrian environment on the corner of Andover Park W and Corporate Drive S. through improved landscaping and amenities such as benches, shade trees, and stamped concrete. Staff recommends adding weather protection for the public plaza, over the integrated bench. Applicant shall submit a stamped concrete sample for planning approval with building permit materials. 2. Building Design The proposed hotel design uses bright accent colors and modern shapes at entrance vestibules to emphasize the fun and youthful aspects of the new brand. With minor architectural changes including adding or extending rooflines, making windows more prominent, and using a wider variety of building finish materials, the proposed Tru by Hilton could meet all design requirements. Staff recommends incorporation of these techniques to meet or exceed the Building Design- base and top, building massing, and building materials and colors requirements of the Southcenter Design Manual. Adding a trellis and creeping vines at the northern and southern building ends would visually break up the appearance of tall, blank walls and increase the hotel's attractiveness at a pedestrian scale. Recessing the hotel room windows slightly or adding a projecting window sill would make the windows more prominent and substantial, and adding weather protection for the northern exit door and over a portion of the public plaza would increase their utility in the winter months and meet the weather protection requirements. Recommendations Staff recommends the approval of the Design Review application with the following conditions: 1. Replace the solid wall on the south -facing corner of the dining area with a window to increase the transparency of the facade facing Minkler Blvd. The Workplace Corridor standards require 50% transparency for Minkler Boulevard. 2. Incorporate an additional building material to visually break up the 95' of uniform horizontal plane on floors 3-5 on the eastern building facade. Building material shall be consistent with the figures incorporated into the staff report as examples and meet the requirements of the Southcenter Design Guidelines. 3. Remove a small section of landscaping north of the entrance vestibule on the western building facade and install bike racks that will accommodate at least 2 bicycles. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 20 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 28 4. Revise landscape plans to incorporate evergreen plantings around the proposed generator to increase screening of the mechanical equipment. 5. Incorporate one of the recommendations below into a revised building elevation to create a distinct base and top to the hotel: a. Create a distinct roof line that includes details and cornice treatment similar to Figure 9. b. Add a prominent cornice molding with distinct color similar to Figure 10. c. Use different color, material and window pattern to treat the top story different that the remaining floors to create a distinct top similar to Figure 11. 6. Incorporate a vertical modulation or projection and/or a new natural building material such as brick, stone or tile to visually break up the areas of uniform building planes into smaller -scale sections. 7. Add trellises and creeping vines to the blank staircase exterior walls at the northern and southern ends of the hotel, at ground level. 8. Create a more substantial window appearance by insetting the windows, adding a projecting window sill, or installing a darker -colored window frame or grate. 9. Add a weather -protection canopy over the building's north exit; canopy should match the materials and design of the canopy along Andover Park West. 10. Install a sail or other weather protection for the public plaza. Informational Items 1. At building permit submittal, applicant shall submit a street lighting plan to satisfy the requirements for pedestrian and vehicular -scaled lighting. 2. At building permit submittal, applicant shall submit exterior building and under -canopy lighting specs and details for conformance with corridor -based standards. 3. At building permit submittal, provide cross-sections of the sidewalk grades along all frontages to be reviewed for ADA compliance and to ensure the grades of sidewalks stay at a consistent grade for pedestrians, even across driveway cuts. 4. Submit details for the stamped concrete pattern, integrated benches, weather protection, and waste receptacle proposed for the public plaza at time of building permit submittal. 5. All mechanical equipment must be screened or not visible from adjacent streets. At time of building submittal, show adequate screening or viewpoint diagrams for rooftop mechanical equipment. L18-0029 Tru by Hilton Page 1 21 Board of Architectural Design Review Staff Report 29