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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLANDMARK APARTMENTS EXPANSION - PDP - PDP120031 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESkaiia archistruction- www.neanaiwom by a modern ranch style: low slope roofs, horizontal lines, simple shapes of stone or brick, and wood. The church across the street also utilizes simple horizontal masses and combination of materials to reduce the visual size of the building. For the proposed project, smaller horizontal wood and stone masses reflect the single family scale, shed roof lines at the first and second story emphasize horizontal lines and reduce the vertical scale of the building, and the low slope roof is articulated with shed roof details similar to neighboring residences. To improve on the transition between Sheely drive and the existing Landmark Apartments, the buildings will utilize a more variation of material and more natural colors. The colors of the houses on Sheely drive are predominantly white, with stone and brick and some vivid highlight colors. Some houses are brighter colors, which work well on smaller masses. The existing Landmark buildings use one color per building, a large visual area. The colors of the proposed project help reduce the scale by combining stone, wood -like materials, and colors. Focal elements are composed of two tones and textures of natural brown/wood colored siding. To further reduce visual scale, the remainder of the building is composed of two compatible earth tone colors such as wheat yellow and sage green. The separate buildings will have different natural color combinations to provide variation in the campus. To encourage neighbor interaction but respect privacy, the project is organized around a pedestrian walkway between buildings perpendicular to Prospect. This will promote pedestrian use and interaction on the street. The central spine will also provide a convenient pathway to the neighboring Landmark Apartments, without increasing pedestrian traffic visible from the single-family properties. There are no balconies on the project that look into neighboring properties. Thank you for your review of the Landmark Apartment Expansion project. Sincerely, 74 61WI , alz' Michael Cha Iona, LEED AP BD+C Design Manager CLARB Certified Landscape Architect (Licensed in CA, CO, GA, TX, WY) 2607 Midpoint Drive I Fort Collins, CO 80525 1 970.493.8747 1 Fax: 970.493.5869 archistructi0n• which reduces their presence along Prospect. The elevations along this side also include varied material on the fatrade and match the roof lines of the houses along Prospect Road. The topography also allows these 2 buildings to be stepped down about 2/3 of the way through the elevation, creating a varied roof plan and lowering the buildings further below the adjacent houses. On the site plan the central and southwest portions of the property have 4 smaller buildings that are broken down in floor area to match the approved Young's Creek houses and garage combination. The apartment buildings are a bit taller at 35', compared to 25' of the house / garage combination. The general massing of the apartment buildings is similar to Young's Creek and incorporate many architectural features that make the buildings compatible with the surrounding neighborhood on both sides of the project. The buildings have been placed on the site in 4 different orientations to continue a varied fagade. By changing orientation there is not just one elevation that may create a 'visual wall', but instead offer multiple enhanced views into the project. This building placement also allows more views between the buildings. The parking area is designed to closely follow the parking and right of way approved in Young's Creek. The vehicular access to the project will be taken from the existing Landmark Apartment internal drives. The access point will be centrally located on the west side of the project boundary. There is a smaller parking area that is in the southern end of the panhandle area to bring parking closer to the two 6 — plex buildings. It is also designed to allow fire truck access per Poudre Fire Authority's (PFA) requirements. The remainder of the parking is overlaid in the area that the Hobbit Street cul de sac is located. This parking area helps create a separation between the proposed buildings and some of the houses to the east and north. The other alternative would have placed the buildings closer to the houses. There is a 3 rd smaller parking area located immediately off of Hobbit Drive in the southwest corner of the project. This parking will support the 6th smaller building. It also includes 10 new parking spaces on the existing Landmark Apartment property. The 10 new parking spaces will require a minor amendment submittal of the existing plan to add these spaces. The intention is to submit that application after initial review of the expansion project and have approval of the minor amendment at or before the final approval of the FDP. c o` The architectural character is based on the transition from the adjacent Sheely Drive � a neighborhood to the Landmark Apartments on Hobbit Street. While the sizes of the buildings are similar to those in the neighboring MMN Landmark development, there is c� an emphasis on articulation to visually reduce the overall size and blend with the aesthetics of Sheely Drive. The mid-century houses on Sheely Drive are characterized 2607 Miduoint Drive I Fort Collins, CO 80525 1 970.493.8747 1 Fax: 970.493.5869 WIgi•I archistructlone IMMWA"MMCOM property is comprised of a dryland grass with a few Siberian Elm volunteers along the fence lines. One honey locust tree is located near the east property line. The drainage ditch has developed some wetlands (< 1/3 acre). The ecological character study reviewed the wetland area and the whole site for any true environmental value and determined that not much is on site. This same drainage ditch runs through the middle of the existing landmark Apartments project in a small channel about 6' — 8' wide at most and is bordered by bluegrass irrigated lawn on each side. Once the drainage ditch leaves the property it flows south towards Spring Creek. Again the ditch is bordered on the immediate west side by a City bike trail and on the east by Wallenburg Drive. There is not much existing infrastructure located on site. The main utility is a sewer line that runs along the east property line. There is a manhole on the west side that once gave access to a well. The existing Landmark Apartment property access will be taken for this project. Also, water and sewer lines can connect back into the existing Landmark Apartments. There are various types of fences that run around the perimeter of the property. There is some portions of chain link and wire fences along parts of the west side, an old field fence along the south side and a hodgepodge of wood fences along the east side. Each residential house has their own style of fence in various levels of condition. In the northeast portion of the property is a split rail fence that is only a few years old. The proposed project finds itself in a transitional position between the existing 3 story Landmark Apartments, and the 1 and 2 story Sheely neighborhood homes. The houses that are immediately adjacent to the project on the east are single story on Sheely Drive and have walk out basements on the project side, showing a 2 story facade towards this project. The previously approved project (Young's Creek) that the neighbors endorsed consisted of three 4 plexes in the panhandle and west portion of the project and large single family 2 story homes with 2 story garages / second floor apartments in the central and east side of the property. The proposed building layout mimics the massing of the currently approved project as well as ties into the existing landmark Apartments. The proposed buildings incorporate the theme and character of the mid century modern homes and the Young's Creek elevations to create a transitional character. The site plan consists of 6 buildings and associated parking. The bulk of the density is allocated to the panhandle area, which places two 18 plex 3 story buildings nearer Prospect Road and further away from the residential houses. This also allows the buildings to be further articulated due to the topography of the area. The 6 plex building finish floor elevations (FFE) are about 8' below prospect due to the slopes, 2607 Midpoint Drive I Fort Collins, CO 80525 1 970.493.8747 1 Fax: 970.493.5869 I �.I archistruction- 1 .0!fflwlk am City of Fort Collins Current Planning c/o Jason Holland 281 N. College Avenue Fort Collins, CO.80524 November 19, 2012 Landmark Apartment Expansion — Planning Objectives Development Review Staff, The project location is immediately east of the existing Landmark Apartment complex. The apartments are located at the southeast corner of Prospect and Shields Streets on the north and west ends of Hobbit Street on the south side. The proposed expansion project of Landmark Apartments will be owned and operated by the same management company as the existing Landmark Apartments. The tenants of the expansion project will be able to make use of all the amenities and services that the existing Landmark Apartment's tenants use. This includes parking spaces, leasing / management office, open space, swimming pool and sand volleyball court. Included in the application is a letter from the management company stating that the expansion project will be operated the same as the existing facility. The Landmark Apartment Expansion project is zoned MMN and is 3.006 acres in size. The City zoned the property MMN at the time of the adoption of City Code. The parcel of land is a unique shape that is the remnant of past subdivision process. The property has a panhandle area that touches Prospect Road on the north. The property slopes from Prospect to the south and west. In the lower 1/3 of the property a City drainage ditch bisects the property cutting the majority of it off from Hobbit Street. Due to proximity to the Prospect and Shields intersection, City engineering does not want any vehicular access from Prospect Road. The property comes near to Wallenberg Drive in the south east corner, but is separated by a small sliver of land that the Sheely C neighborhood HOA secured to cut this property off from Wallenburg Drive, denying access to the public street. i h The existing features of the property are nothing of great environmental value. The roc property slopes from the north and east towards the southwest. The houses that abut c the property on the east side, sit higher topographically than this property. A drainage y� ditch deeded to the City bisects the lower 1/3 of the property. The majority of the �c 2607 Midpoint Drive I Fort Collins, CO 80525 1 970.493.8747 1 Fax: 970.493.5869 ��