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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHOWES/CANYON MIXED-USE (CORTINA) - PDP - 45-02 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - BUILDING EXTERIOR (3)Howes. In the 1989 Downtown Plan, buildings of greater height and mass are encouraged in the Canyon Avenue District. In conclusion, there has been little opportunity or interest for a developer to pursue an upscale mixed -use development such as the Canyon/Howes project in the downtown area. This site is an ideal location for a potential landmark building that could set the precedence along Canyon Avenue by providing cultural activities, pedestrian connectivity, proximity to transit, and superior architectural character. The Review Standards for a building greater than 40 feet in height are addressed in the following: Views — it is our opinion that the proposed building is not blocking desirable views. In the downtown area, there are many mature large existing trees, thus preventing views to the mountains. The foothills west of town are barely visible from downtown, even in the winter. In addition, there are many tall buildings adjacent to the site, therefore further precluding views. 2. Light and Shadow — the shadow that would be cast by the proposed building would not create adverse impacts on adjacent property. The shadow analysis provided indicates that the morning shadow on December 21 sc cast by the structure falls predominantly on the Rocky Mountain building. Since a portion of the Rocky Mountain building is taller (7 stories), that piece casts a shadow that is longer than the one shed by the Canyon/Howes building. The afternoon shadow falls for the most part on public streets. 3. Privacy — since there are no existing residential areas or public parks adjacent to the site, privacy will not be an issue. 4. Neighborhood Scale — We feel that this proposed building, in its location on the corner of two public streets, is compatible with the scale of the surrounding neighborhood. In terms of contextual height, existing buildings located adjacent to the lot are as follows: • There are three residential -type buildings to the south of this site that are two stories in height. Two of the buildings contain businesses and one is a private home. • The 3 1/2-story Masonic Temple is located east across Howes Street • The 12-story Key Bank is north of this site. • The Rocky Mountain Building is located west of Canyon Avenue. The south portion of the building is one-story and the north portion is seven stories. • The new Larimer County building is located northeast of the intersection and is proposed to be five stories tall, with a seven story tower element. There are several reasons that this six -story building is well -suited to this location. With the exception of the residential -scale buildings to the south, the remainder of the neighboring area consists of structures over 3 stories tall. In response to this issue, the architect has designed the southeast corner of the building to step back and down in order to be sensitive to the character and scale of the smaller buildings along South Building Height Review Canyon/Howes Mixed -Use Project Development Plan November 19, 2002 r f VF RIPLEY ASSOCIATES INC. Landscape Architecture Urban Design Planning 401 West Mountain Avenue Suite 201 Fort Collins, CO 80521-2604 PHONE (970) 224-5828 FAX (970) 224-1662 The proposed Canyon/Howes PDP is located at the southwest corner of Canyon Avenue and South Howes Street. Because Canyon Avenue is angled, it intersects with Howes Street at a point. The six -story building is situated right on the property lines as allowed in the Downtown District, which encourages minimal setbacks. The building will offer offices on the first two floors and four floors of residential uses. Parking will be provided in a below -grade structure underneath the building. The height of the building will be 75'-8" to the top of the parapet and 80'-11" to the top of the stair tower building. There will be no ventilation equipment located on the rooftop, as all mechanical equipment will be located below ground in the parking structure or in an outdoor building. In the Land Use Code, Article 4, Division 4.12 Downtown District, Section (D)(2), it states that the maximum building height for the Canyon Avenue Subdistrict shall be 168 feet or twelve stories. The proposed building will be six stories, half of the allowed maximum height. In Section 3.8.17 Building Height Measured In Stories, (2)(b), no story of a commercial or residential building shall have more than 25 feet from floor to floor. This building is 11'-0" from floor to floor on the commercial floors and 10'-8" on the residential floors. The purpose of this letter is to address Section 3.5.1(G) Building Height Review (1)(a) of the LUC.