HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2012-04-12 ITEM 4 - TUKWILA HOME2SUITES - STAFF REPORTDepartment of Conununi�v Developmetj
STAFF REPORT TO
THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
PREPARED APRIL 13, 2012
HEARING DATE
FILE NUMBER:
APPLICANT:
OWNER:
REQUEST:
April 26, 2012
L12 -004 Tuk vila Home2Suites
Dan Bahnelli, Barghausen Consulting Engineers
Nick Westlund, Minkler Associates, LCC
Jirii Hc� llcn'ur
Jack Director
Design Review approval for a 139 -room, 4- stoic hotel on a 2.47 acre site along with
associated clearing and grading, paved parking, landscaping, and site design.
LOCATION: The site is located at 3(_)(_) Upland Drive. It is bound on the north by Minkler Boulevard,
on the south by Upland Drive, and lies a feiv hundred feet to the west of Andover Park
West. The tai parcel number is 88365(_)(_)(_)3(_). The site is currently avacant lot.
NOTIFICATION Notice of Application and Notice of Public Hearing for this Type 4 permit was mailed to
surrounding property okvners, interested parties, affected agencies and posted on the site
on March 7, 2012. Notice of Public Hearing ii also published in the Seattle Times on
April 12, 2012.
ZONING /COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN DESIGNATION: TukNi-ila Urban Center
SEPA DETERMINATION: A Determination of Non- Significance was issued on March 22, 2012.
DECISION: Approval with Conditions
STAFF: Stacy MacGregor
ATTACHMENTS: A. Applicant's response to Design Review Criteria
B. Colored Renderings (3 pages)
C. Colored Elevations (3 pages)
D. Site Plans (2 pages)
1. Phase I-- PreliminaiN with access from Upland Drive
2. Phase II-- Future with access from Minkler Bhd
E. Landscape Plan (3 pages)
F. Building Plans (6 pages)
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FINDINGS
VICINITY INFORMATION
The proposal site is bounded on the north by Minkler Boulevard and on the south by Upland Drive. Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR) spurs line the north, east, and west sides of the parcel and create the parcel's crui ed shape. One and
two -story concrete tilt -up buildings surround the property. Aside from the Southcenter Square project to the north -west,
the surrounding development occurred in the 1970's. The uses adjacent to the site include a mix of bulls retail, office, and
industrial warehouses.
PROJECT INFORMATION
The proposal is to develop a new 71,760 square foot, four -stoi 139 room hotel building on an existing 2.75 acre vacant
lot in the Tukwila Urban Center. An internal drive aisle lined with parking surrounds the building which is situated at an
angle to best utilize the odd shaped lot. The lot's shape is defined by railroad spurs and their associated thim foot
easements which line the north, east, and western boundaries of the parcel.
The project is proposed in two phases due to additional approvals required for access from Minkler Boulevard. Either
phase meets all applicable development standards. Phase I includes the building, landscaping and site desl (Yn and creates
access N'la two points on Upland Drll'e and has minimal improvements over or within the railroad easements that surround
three sides of the site. Phase II improvements include crossing the railroad easements to create access to the site from
Minkler Boulevard while eliminating one access point from Upland Drive and creating a Balking path around the site
perimeter within the railroad easements.
For either phase, the applicant will need to obtain permission from the Union Pacific Railroad to work within their
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easement area. Additionally, for phase II, the applicant swill need to go through the statutoiv process for subdivision
approval to modify the 1977 plat prior to accessing the site from Minkler Boulevard. When this plat was originally- created
in 1977, Tukwila City Council placed a condition on the plat restricting access to "abutting properties" on the tll foot
easement along the north side of the property While this easement ryas quit claimed to the City in 1985 and used to
connect Minkler Boulevard from Southcenter Parkway to Andover Park West, the plat condition was never removed from
the face of the plat.
Neither removing the plat condition nor obtaining a permit from UPRR are design review criteria but are required to work
syithin the easement areas. The applicant proposed tsyo phases to allosy syork to continence syhile securing access rights to
Minkler Boulevard. This project has been reviewed with consideration given to completing only phase I or completing
both phase I and phase II; phase I is independently code compliant and not dependent upon phase IL Phase II approval
allosys the applicant to make these improvements on the site sometime in the future syithout having to return to the Board
of Architectural Review to modify the site design. This decision is good for three years and either phase would need to be
started within this time period under this decision.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comments have been received.
DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA
The project is subject to a Public Hearing Design Review under Tuk vila Municipal Code (TMC) Chapter 18.28.070. The
Board of Architectural Reviesy evaluates the project under the criteria established in TMC 18.60.050 C. The design
criteria explain requirements for development proposals. They_ are the decision criteria from which the Board will
evaluate whether to approve, condition, or deny this project.
The applicant's response to the design review criteria is Attachment A. Below is the staff analysis and response.
1. SITE PLANNING.
a. Building siting, architecture, and lamcr,vcahing shall be integrated into and blend har °rnoniously tivith the
neighborhood building scale, natural environment, and develohrnent characteristics as envisioned in the
('onwrehensive Plan. For instance, a nrulti- fanrily develovnwnt's design need not be harnroniously integrated with
adjacent single farnily str °uctures if that existing single farnily use is designated as or° "High
Densitl^ Residential" in the C'onwrehensive Plan. However, a "Low- Densitl^ Residential" (detached single-fanlrh')
designation would require such harnronious design integration.
The proposed project lies in the Tukwila Urban Center. The City's Comprehensive Plan envisions the area as a
regional urban center syith a desire for development as a high density, regionally oriented and a mixed use center.
The proposed hotel complies with the vision for the area. The proposed site design is dictated by the unusual
shape of this lot. Principal access to the parcel swill be from the south off of Upland Drive so the building is
oriented to face the southeast. The building is also oriented to best utilize this odd shaped lot rather than with the
orientation parallel to the adjacent right of svav to the north and south. Tsvo adjacent buildings to the west are
oriented along the same plane. This four stoic building is 46 -48 feet tall with a 55 feet tower element as its
highest point; it is surrounded by one and two stoi warehouses and office buildings. The current code allows for
building heights up to 115 feet; this building may be seen as a "transitional" building at a height midway between
N-, hat has been built in this area and the maximum of what is allowed.
b. Natural f eatures, tivhich contribute to desirable neighborhood character, shall behreser ved to the rnaxirnurn
extentlxrssible. Natural features include, but are not limited to, existing significant trees and stands of trees,
wetlands, streanrs, and significant to7)ogralAie features.
There are no natural features on the site. The site is essentially absent of vegetation aside from opportunistic
syeeds.
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c. The site plan shall use lanc/scahing and builcing shapes to jorIn an aestheticallvhleasing ancr'he(lestr °ian scale
streetsealy. This shall inch0e, but not be linnlecl to faeilitating jve lestrian travel along the street, using
architecture aml lamiscaTrng to In ovOe a desirable transition f on7 streetscape to the builcing, amlj)rovi&ng an
integrated linkage fi °ornheclestr °ian MAI vehicular facilities to buikling entries.
Typically-, a pedestrian scale streetscape is created by locating a building at the back of sidewalk and providing
visual interest along the ground floor through features such as vvindovvs allowing pedestrians to look into the
building and architectural details. The north property line is approximately 2(_) feet from the right of s-,-as and the
railroad spur prevents sidewalk development. The odd shape of the parcel and the setbacks created by the railroad
spurs limit the ability to create a pedestrian scale streetscape or to facilitate pedestrian activity along Minkler
Boulevard. Further, ground floor guest suites iulubit the use of significant amounts of glazing along the ground
floor exterior walls. With these limitations, site improvements to meet the pedestrian streetscape requirement
include the following:
a) perimeter landscaping along Upland Drive and Minkler Boulevard;
b) a separated sidewalk with landscaping and street trees is created along Upland Drive;
c) pedestrian paths surround the building and connect with pedestrian crossings that lead to both the north and
south property lines and the exterior rosy of parking, and
d) concrete is proposed for the pedestrian crossings within the asphalt parking lot to better define and
highlight the crossings.
With the railroad spur between the property- line and Minkler Boulevard, frontage improvements along Minkler
swill need to be deferred. The City's Public Works Department swill require the applicant enter into a no- protest
local improvement district (LID) to defer improvements including sidewalks until the railroad spurs are removed.
The LID will allow the City to construct frontage improvements in the fixture and pass the costs to the applicant
through monthly assessments. This requires a vote of affected property owners and this property owner swill be
agreeing vote in favor (i.e. not to protest) the creation of the LID. Regardless of when a sidewalk may be
developed along Minkler Boulevard, phase II improvements will create a pedestrian path around the entire site
within the railroad easements.
cr'. Pecr'estr °ian ancr'vehicular° entr °ies shall hrovicr'e ahigh- quality visual focus using buikr'ing siting, shapes ancr'
lamiscaj)ing. Such a feature establishes aI)hvsreal transition between the In olect an llniblic areas, aml
establishes the initial sense of high quality cr'evelohrnent.
The tsvo phase I entries along Upland Drive are lined with landscaping. The sidewalk created along Upland Drive
includes a separated landscape strip with street trees. The eastern -most entrance leads directly to the front of the
building. The phase II entice from Minkler Boulevard swill be adjacent to the monument sign surrounded by
landscaping.
e. 1 ehreular circulation design shall nrrnrnrrze ivewav intersections with the street.
Tvvo vehicle access points will be created. In phase I, tivo points will be created along Upland Drive. During
phase II, the western -most access on Upland Drive swill be closed and a new access point swill be created from
Minkler Boulevard.
f. Siteher °irneter° design (i.e., lan(r'scahing, structures, and horizontal tivic1th) shall be coorclinatecl with site
clevelovnwnt to ensure a harnlonious transition between acriacent j)roiects.
Perimeter landscaping adjacent to the public right of ivay is required by code and helps reduce the visual impact
of parking. The proposed building is located in the center of the site. The adjacent properties to the east and west
are separated by a thirty foot railroad easement. Tuk vila Municipal Code (18.52.020) does not require side yard
landscaping but groundcover will be added to the areas of vehicle overhang along the east and west side yards
within the railroad easement if permission is obtained by the railroad. Phase II swill also create a svallcing path
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around the site perimeter 'within the railroad easement. Additional site perimeter design consists of the required
perimeter landscaping along the north and south, frontage improvements along the south and deferred frontage
improvements along the north.
g. 1'arying degrees ofprivacl for the imliviclual res0ents shall be provicrCe 1, increasing from the public right- oftival.,
to eonrnron areas, to incliviclual resiclenees. This can be aeeonil)lishecl through the use ofsynrbolie aml actual
physical barriers to define the degrees ofhrivacy appropriate to ,tipecific site area functions.
Privacy is afforded to the hotel guests via locating the building in the center of the lot and placing parking
between the building and the public streets. There are areas of shared outdoor spaces for the hotel guests,
including a barbeque patio and dog lawn that are directly adjacent to the building. Beeping the common private
spaces adjacent to the building defines the spaces as private for guests only. The walking trail at the site
perimeter is intended for hotel guests however, the applicant has verbally agreed to allow the public to use the
path along the north and west spurs. These tivo spurs are identified in the City_ 's Walk and Roll plan as a mixed
use trail.
h. Parking aml service areas shall be locatM, cIesignecl aml screened to internil)t aml reduce the visual inil)aet of
large jmvecl areas;
The building is surrounded by surface parking with landscape islands between every ten stalls. Surface parking is
evenly distributed over the site which minimizes the visual impact of the 146 parking stalls and allows for
vehicular circulation around the entire building. Trash collection is located in the southwest corner of the site; the
trash enclosure is clad in the same stone used on the building and screened with landscaping.
i. The height, bulk, footprint am/ scale of each builcing shall be in har'rnony tivith its site and acr'jacent long- ter'rn
structures.
The size and bulk of this building are determined by the corporate prescriptive design standards for a Home2
Suites such as a four stoic wood -frame building with beacon element. The building size is also constrained by
the parking requirements for hotels in Tukwila. Additional rooms would require additional parking but there is no
room for additional surface parking on the site.
The four- stoi hotel is surrounded by one and two story structures. This is the last remaining vacant parcel to be
developed; the surrounding development occurred in the late 1970's following subdivision of this plat. The
surrounding structures range from 5,0u00 to 67,000 square feet. At 76,000 square feet, the buildings mass is
larger than the buildings that immediately it. The height of the hotel is between forty_ -six and fifty_ -five
feet.
2. BUILDING DESIGN.
a. Architectural srlde is not restrietecl; evaluation of a project shall be based on the qualirl^ of its design aml its
abilirl^ to harnronize builcing texture, shape, lines aml n7ass with the surroumling neighborhood.
This proposal is for a four stoic modern style building. The building reflects the prototypical model for a Home2
Suites with some customized design elements for the Citv of Tukwila. While taller than the surrounding
development, the massing of this building and the surrounding buildings are generally more horizontal than
vertical. The building uses modern design elements including EFIS (faux stucco), stone and metal which have an
industrial appearance; the surrounding construction is primarily concrete tilt -up.
b. Builclings shall be o f appropriate height, scale, am/ design shape to be in har'rnon with those existing per'rnanent
neighboring clevelopnwnts which are consistent with, or envisioned in, the C'oniln- ehensive Plan. This will be
e.tipecially irnpor'tant for' per'irneter' structures. Acr acent structures that are not in conformance with the
C Plan shoulcl be consiclerecl to be transitional. The clegree ofarchitectural har'rnony require4l
shoulcl be consistent with the noneonf n'n7ing structure's antieipate4l pern7anenee.
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The building is four stories with vai roof heights of =46, =48, and 55 feet. The comprehensive plan allows
buildings up to 115 feet vet the surrounding buildings are only 1 and 2 stories high. The scale of the building is
defined by its use (a hotel with king -size bedroom suites) and the available area for the required parking. As part
of the brand identity, a tower or beacon element is included on all Home2 Suites. The tower is =4.5 feet higher
than the top of the parapet and is capped in white, frosted, translucent glass.
c. Builcling components, such as tivimlows, doors, eaves, bur °abets, stairs am cr'ecks shall be integrated into the
overall builcing design. Particular enil)hasis shall be given to harnronious proportions of these eonrponents with
those of ahrI( cent cr'eveloprnents. Builcling components and ancillar -t- parts shall be consistent tivith the anticipatecl
life of the structure.
The building components reflect the modern style of the building and as a result are understated. The vvindovvs
are mounted flush to the walls; the portico is a simple flat roof on columns; and the building faces are fairly flat.
The appearance of quality is generally reflected in the details of a building. The Home2 Suites swill have charcoal
grad vvindovv frames. The pool and barbeque area is integrated into a one stoi indoor /outdoor room wrapped
with stone walls. The parapet wall is of EIFS and appears to be an integral part of the building.
cr. The overall color scheme shall work to recruce buikling prominence aml shall blencl in with the natural
environnrent.
Stone is used to clad portions of the building and is used on the support columns of the portico and pool room.
The main color on the building is Sianr Blue on modern -style corrugated metal panels. Rocky Ural, a dark green
gray metal is used on the tower element and used on recessed sections of three of the four sides of the building.
The dark grad- color is framed in off -white EIFS. The grad- color is repeated again on EIFS that runs in horizontal
bands delineating each floor level. The off -white EIFS is used on projecting details of the building and is used to
define various rectangles that emphasize the modern design. The first floor and a vertical section of the building
are clad in stone. A warm stone with shades of grays and browns called .Sage is proposed.
Monotony ofcr'esign in single or° multiple buiklingprojects shall be cn>oicr'ecl. 1'ariery of(letail, for °rn, (//I(/ Siting
shall be usecl to provicle visual interest Otherwise monotonous flattivalls MA/ uniform ver °deal planes of imlil'011al
builcings shall be broken up with builchng nrochilation, stairs, creeks, railings, ancr focal entries. Multiple builcing
creveloprnents d shall use siting an acklitional architectural variery to avoicr inappropriate repetition of builcing
cresigns ancr appearance to surrounding properties.
In addition to three different textures (stone, stucco, and metal), the building, which is essential a rectangular box,
has the materials applied asymmetrically across three of the four building faces. Aside from the south elevation
which is a short side of the building, breaking the building into asymmetrical faces emphasizes the modern style
of the building. The green -grad- walls appear to recede and increase the illusion of depth or modulation on the
building faces; the grout used in the stone work swill be a similar color.
3. LANDSCAPEAND SITE TREATMENT.
a. Existing natural topographic patterns aml significant vegetation shall be reflected in protect cresign when thee'
contribute to the natural beaury of the area or are important to crefining neighbor-1100(r iclentiry or a sense Of
place.
The site is essential flat so this criterion is not applicable.
b. Lancrscape treatment shall enhance existing natural arnr architectur °al features, help seperr °ate public fi°om private
spaces, strengthen vistas ancr nnlportantviews, provicle shacre to nloclerate the effects of large jmvecr areas, ancr
break up visual mass.
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Part of the corporate identity for Home2 Suites is an "eco- friendly" focus. The landscaping on this site was
chosen to be native or drought tolerant to minimize irrigation needs. The landscape architect believes that plant
palate and landscape design compliments the modern architectural style of the building.
Required perimeter and parking lot landscaping, according to Tukwila Municipal Code (18.52.020 0 3 15), is
approximately 9,5(_)(_) square feet. This project provides nearly 19,057 square feet of landscaping plus an
additional 1,404 square feet of right of ivay landscaping. The northern most six feet of the required perimeter
landscaping along the north frontage occurs within the railroad easement. If the railroad allows this planting, it
will consist of low groundcover. If the railroad does not allow work within their easement, the applicant is
requesting perimeter landscape averaging to include the landscaping created along the northwest corner of the
site. In the fixture, if Minkler Boulevard is expanded due to track abandonment, a separated sidewalk with
planting strip would be created and the perimeter landscaping would be continued from the property line to the
back of sidewalk.
The trash collection area is screened with an enclosure and the enclosure is screened with landscaping on the side
adjacent to the street. Site lighting includes pole- mounted lighting in the parking lot landscape islands to
illuminate the parking areas.
C. Walkivaus, harking .~hares, terraces, am/ other jmvecl areas shall hrornote safety a1A1j)Povicr'e an inviting (//I(/ stable ahhearance. DirectI)Mestrian linkages to thehublic street, to on -site recreation areas, aml to acr'iaeent
hublie recreation areas shall behrovicrM.
Pedestrian paths surround the building and connect the entrances to the parking areas. Further, exterior paths lead
to the outdoor barbeque area and dog lawn. Crosswalks in concrete connect the building to the north and south
public rights of ivav and to the parking areas. Walkway_ s and groundcovers are placed in areas susceptible to
vehicular overhang and pedestrian traffic.
Phase I proposed landscaping will be displaced by the walking path in phase II_ A landscape plan addressing the
displacement and replacement -,vas not submitted as part of the Phase 11 proposal. The walking path is partialIv
located outside the property- lines along the north side of the site.
c1. Ahhrohriate lancr'seahe transition to at r'joininghroherties shall behroviclecl.
The t-,-,-o side yards are separated from the adjacent properties by 3(_)' -,vide railroad spurs and associated easements.
Side yard landscaping is not required. Groundcover is sho-,-,-n on the landscape plan -,-thin the railroad easement.
-l. MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES:
a. Miscellaneous strzretur Shall be clesignecl as an integral hart of the architectrral eoneeht and lancr'seahe.
Materials shall be conymlible with builclings, scale shall be chhrohriate, colors shall be in har °rnony With
builclings and surrounclings, and structure hrohortions shall be to scale.
Miscellaneous structures consist of a trash collection area, a bike rack for 5 bikes, parking lot light standards, and
the outside barbeque area. A freestanding monument sign is proposed along Minkler Boulevard and -,vall signs
are proposed on the north, south, and east sides of the building. The freestanding sign is integrated into a
monument clad in the same stone used on the building. The site has approximated 650 lineal feet of street
frontage shared equally bet-,veen Minkler Boulevard and Upland Drive. The sign code allo-,vs one monument sign
for properties with 6()() -799 lineal feet of frontage and allows the monument to be located anvwhere on the site,
subject to setbacks. The code also allo-,vs properties -,with multiple street frontages one monument sign per
frontage provided each frontage is at least 2(_)(_) lineal feet and each frontage provides direct access to the property
(i There are 485 lineal feet of north and south frontage. Perimeter la idscaping in these areas is 15' deep 485' x 15' =7,275 sf of perimeter
landscaping). 146 parking spaces each require 15 sf of landscaping 146 x 15 sf =2,190 sf of parking lot landscaping). 7,275 2,190 sf 9,465 sf of
required site landscaping.
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from the public street. Phase II would provide direct access from Minlder Boulevard.
Wall signs are allowed on wall faces that have an exterior public entrance. The main entrance is to the east but
the north and south ends of the building have entrances that are typically key -card access only. The applicant has
proposed making the north and south entrances open to the public during daNlime hours and, for security,
allowing only key -card access during nighttime hours. The size of the wall signs was not reviewed under design
review. The allowed sign size is a percentage of the wall size with larger signs requiring larger wall faces and the
details of the sign will be reviewed under a separate sign permit application.
b. The use oftivalls, fencing, planting, ber °ins, or° combinations of these shall accomplish screening ofserOce yarn's
and other places that tend to be unsightly. Screening shall be effective in ~hinter° and sururner
The barbeque area is located adjacent to the pool within an enclosed yard and framed by a trellis. The trash
collection area is located at the southwest corner of the site enclosed by_ a structure clad in stone and surrounded
by landscaping.
e. Mechanical equipnaent or other utilitl^ harcr'ware on roof ground or' buildings shall be sereenecr frona view.
Screening shall be designed as an integral part of the architecture (i.e., raised parapets and fully enclosed iincler
roof) and landscaping.
Mechanical equipment consists of t-,-, HVAC units and the elevator penthouse on the roof and seven HVAC units
on the ground. The rooftop HVAC units are located in the middle of the building and screened from view with a
screen four feet above the parapet wall. The elevator penthouse is the same height as the parapet wall. The
ground- mounted HVAC units are located adjacent to the building in landscape areas. Landscaping is planned to
hide these units from view.
d. Exterior lighting standards and fixtures shall be ofa design and sire consistenttivith safer', building architecture
and adjacent area. Lighting shall be shielded and restrained in design tivith no oft-'site glare .~hill -over. Excessive
brightness and brilliant colors shall not be used unless clearly denaonstrated to be integral to building
architecture.
Site lighting is provided by parking lot light standards. The light fixtures are black with flat cobra -heads that
mirror the modern style of the building. The applicant provided a luminaire schedule demonstrating that the light
on the site will not spill over to adjacent sites.
In addition to the specific criteria of the Board ofArchitectural Revietiv, proposed development must shotiv consistency
with adopted plans and regulations (18.100.030 TMC'.) Below are the specific policies frona the adopted C'oniln- ehensive
Plan that relate to the location of the proposal.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICIES
1. Commercial Areas Goal 1.7: "Commercial districts that are visually attractive and add value to the
community, are visitor and pedestrian friendly, are designed with pride and constructed with quality
workmanship, are secure and safe with adequate lighting and convenient access, are uncongested with smooth
flowing traffic patterns, are well maintained with adequate streetscape landscaping, and are wholesome and in
harmony with adjacent uses
a) This significant conw7ercial develol)n7ent requires design review (1.7.1).
b) This develol)n7ent requires sidewalks (1.7.2).
c) The developrnentprovides adequate pax °hang and lighting (1.7.3).
This project is being presented to the Board of Architectural Review for review.
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Six foot wide separated sidewalks are provided along south frontage on the site and the sidewalks along Minkler
Blvd are deferred due to the location of railroad tracks.
Tukwila Municipal Code (figure 18 -7) requires 146 parking stalls for a hotel building of this size. This project
provides 146 stalls. A lighting plan demonstrating that there is adequate lighting onsite is included with this
proposal.
2. Tukwila Urban Center (TUC) Goal 10.2 "Encourage and allow a central focus for the Tukwila Urban Center,
with natural and built environments that are attractive, functional, and distinctive, and supports a range of
mixed uses promoting business, shopping, recreation, entertainment, and mixed use residential opportunities:"
a) This cleveloprirentshall achieve a high- qualiry design; contribute to the creation ofhospitable pedestrian
environments through site design techniques, such as integration ofarchitectural site design landscape elements
and co- existence of auto, transitheclestrian traffic; should be designed tO ivaxiiniZe pedestrian safety and
convenience; and should incorporate physical and natural elements that enhance the areas Overall aesthetic,
including street orientation (10.2.3).
b) This developrirent is designed with an al)l)rol)riate scale an4II)rol)ortion; l)e4lestrian- orientecr features and street
front activity areas, such as ground floor windows, n7odulated facades, rich details in nutterials and signage;
qualirl landscaping; an appropriate relationship to adjacent sites; an Overall building qualiry; and tirith
sensitiviril to irirportant features such cis Green River and Tuk" Pond. (10.2.7)
The building is at an acute angle, rather than parallel, to the street which is a deviation from typical development
in the area. However, the buildings directly adjacent to the west are located at the same acute angle. It will add
sidewalks to the south frontage. Internal pedestrian paths will connect the parking lot to the building via concrete
ivalkivays which will connect to the walking path installed under phase IL The site design disperses parking
evenly around the building.
CONCLUSIONS
DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA
1. Site Design
The proposed site design meets the design review criteria. The site has remained vacant since platting in the 1970's,
possibly due to the unusual shape of the parcel. The surrounding land use is predominately tilt -up construction. The
proposed new construction will improve the immediate area. The height of the building is approximately half of the
allowed height in the zone. While twice as tall as surrounding buildings, it may seiire as a transition between future,
taller construction and existing one and tsvo stoic buildings.
The shape of the lot defines and constrains the development on the site, yet results in an unusual but interesting and
effective layout. Parking areas surround the building which minimizes the visual impact of one large parking area.
A circular perimeter internal drive aisle facilitates onsite circulation. The proposed site design does not create any
transition issues between adjacent properties. Access to the site is proposed through tsvo ingress /egress driveways.
Pedestrian movement onsite and along Upland Drive is well planned and the creation of a walking path around the
project supports the city's Walk and Roll plan. To do work within the railroad easement areas, a permit from Union
Pacific Railroad will be required and should be a condition of approval. To create access from Minkler Boulevard,
the subdivision plat condition will need to be removed and should be a condition of approval for phase IL Frontage
improvements, including sidewalks, along Minkler Boulevard will be deferred. The applicant will enter into an LID
no- protest agreement, which should also be a condition of approval.
2. Building Design.
The design meets the design review criteria. The single building is a modern design and follows the prototype for a
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Hilton Home2 Suites. All four sides of the building are fully designed Nyith ii planes broken iyith modulation,
projections and surface treatments. The use of dark, cool colors and light, white color increases the sense of depth
on the building. The front and rear of the building are both punctuated by ground level projections. The front of the
building has a portico for vehicle loading /unloading supported by stone columns. Directly opposite at the rear of the
building, an enclosed swimming pool and barbeque area extends off the ground floor. As part of the corporate
branding, the highest point of the building is a "beacon" element, Ni-hich is fifty -six foot tall.
The proportions of all the building components are appropriate for the building and the adjacent structures.
3. Landscaping and Site Treatment.
The proposed landscaping and site treatment meet the design review criteria. The site is level. A plant palette of
drought resistant species was chosen to be environmentally responsible. The trash collection area is screened in
materials that match the main building and the exterior lighting fixtures match the metal features of the building.
The walking path proposed as part of phase II is shown partially off the property lines to the north and does not
address landscaping impacted by the trail. A landscape plan showing displaced landscaping replaced onsite and the
path located completely- ii -ithin the property- lines shall be a condition of phase II development. Groundcover is
shown along the east and west sides of the property within the railroad easement. This landscaping is not a code
requirement but does require permission from UPRR to install within their easement. Some of the required
perimeter landscaping on the north side is ii -ithin the railroad easement and required by code. It also requires
permission from UPRR to install within their easement.
4. Miscellaneous Structures.
The light fixtures reflect the modern style architecture of the building. The rooftop mechanical equipment is located
aiyay from the edge of the roof and is screened from vieiy by the height of the building and the proposed screen.
The ground mounted HVAC units are screened with landscaping
The freestanding sign location meets code. A second freestanding sign on the site iyill only be alloyed as part of
phase II, ii -hen the site will be accessed from Minkler Boulevard. In order to qualify- for building mounted signs on
the north and south Nyall faces, the entrances on those sides Nyill need to remain open to the public. Allowing public
access at night to these doors is a safety Allowing these walls signs should be conditioned upon providing
daNlime public access to the building. The final size of the signs will be reviewed for code compliance when a sign
permit is submitted for approval.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDELINES.
1. Commercial Areas Goal 1.7
The project meets the Commercial Areas Goal. The project is going through design revieiy. Sideiyalks along Upland
Drive are included as a part of the site development. Adequate lighting is proposed and the proposed parking meets
code.
2. Tukwila Urban Center Goal 10.2
The project meets this goal. The building is a high quality- design. The ability to create pedestrian features is limited
by the railroad easement. Locating the building at an acute angle should create a visually engaging site. The parking
areas surround the building which minimizes the appearance of one large paved parking area.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the BAR adopt the Findings and Conclusions of the staff report and approve the request subject to
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the folloNving conditions.
1. Applicant shall obtain a permit from Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) prior to starting -,work -,vithin their easement.
The permit Nvill need to provide approval for the site improvements Nvithin the easement area consisting of
landscaping for phase L Prior to obtaining the construction permit for phase II applicant shall provide
documentation of approval by UPRR for the Nvalking path, landscaping, and access over the railroad tracks.
2. The underlying plat includes a condition that restricts access to abutting properties along the northern thin foot
easement along Minkler Blvd. Prior to obtaining the construction permit for the access driveway to Minkler Blvd
the applicant shall seek approval for an amendment to the subdivision to have the plat condition removed.
3. Prior to the issuance of the building permit the City's Public Works Department Nvill require the applicant to enter
into a no- protest LID to defer improvements including sidewalks until the railroad spurs are removed.
4. Prior to obtaining the construction permit for Phase II, the landscape plan shall be revised to account for the
displaced plants. Any displaced plants as part of Phase II shall be replaced in the same area and at the same or
greater density. The walking path shall be located entirely Nvithin the property lines.
Conditions of approval that will be added to the future Building Permit:
1. No changes to the Design Review approved plans and conditions will be allowed without prior approval of the
Planning Department, these include changes to the exterior finishes of the building, landscaping (both design and
plant species), site plan, and site finishes. If you wish to make any changes you must submit a written request
along with a justification for the requested change and an explanation as to ivhy the issue ivas not addressed as
part of the design review process.
2. All design elements on the building and the site, including landscaping must be completed prior to final
occupancy The city will not allow the design elements to be deferred; all items must be completed before final
inspection. It is highly- unlikely that the city will consider financial guarantee in lieu of completing the work.
3. A soils inspection will be required after amending the soil, but before any plants are installed.
4. An inspection to approve the exterior finishes (materials and colors) is required before doing any exterior finish
work, to ensure that the finishes approved as part of the design review process are being used.
5. Prior to requesting a landscaping inspection the applicant shall provide an affidavit from the landscape architect,
stating that the landscaping Nvas installed per approved plans. As part of the landscaping inspection you will need
to verify that the irrigation system is working properly-.
Informational Items
1. The proposed signs have neither been reviewed nor approved. A sign permit shall be applied for and issued for
any neiv signs on the site including building mounted signs. The permit application shall show any existing
building or wall mounted signs that are to be removed or retained. If a wall sign is proposed for either the north or
south wall faces, the sign permit will require that the entrance doors along those facades shall remain open to the
public during daNlime hours.
2. This Design Review is subject to a 14 day appeal period. Commencing construction prior to expiration of the
appeal period is at the applicant's risk.
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