HomeMy WebLinkAboutLARIMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE OFFICES - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 37-98C - CORRESPONDENCE - MEETING COMMUNICATION4. Concerned about pedestrian connectivity between the building and street parking on Oak and Howes.
Also, the current landscaping shown on the site plan impedes pedestrians from crossing in location
other than the corners.
Potential Solutions: Consider providing rounded sidewalk connections from Oak and Howes into the diagonal
sidewalk leading to the South Entry. Also consider providing pedestrian access near mid -block locations on
these streets.
5. Concerned about handicap access/connectivity from the parking lot into the building.
Potential Solutions: Consider relocating the Handicap parking closer to the building.
6. Concerned about pedestrian sidewalk connectivity on Mason Street. Pedestrian cross two driveway
areas, one for the loading/receiving area and one for the entrance to the parking lot.
Potential Solutions: Consider relocating parking lot entrance from Mason Street to Oak Street. Also consider
adjusting angle into the loading receiving area to be closer to a right angle to Mason Street to reduce the
amount of paved driveway the pedestrian must cross.
7. Concerned that the size of the loading/receiving area and dock doors is visually unappealing to
pedestrian traffic on Mason.
Potential Solutions: Consider an alternative location for receiving semi -truck loads in order to decrease size of
loading/receiving area. Also consider enhancing the visual interest of the dock doors by using dock doors with
windows and providing some architectural detailing with the stone around the doors similar to some other
buildings in the Old Town Area.
8. Concerned about the visual interest of the landscaping and the building along Mason Street.
Potential Solutions: Consider adding street trees along Mason Street. Also consider providing some Human
Scale Architectural Elements along Mason Street to help enliven the area and distract pedestrian views away
from the loading/receiving area. Consider providing detailing with stone on the walls surrounding the
transformer and generator.
Ed Zdenek of ZTI Group provided additional comments and suggestions concerning the appearance and
liveliness of Mason Street.
1. Can a single transformer support this building? If so, then consider decreasing the size of the area for the
generator and transformer and relocating these to the South Side of the building.
2. Consider relocating the dock doors and loading/receiving area to the South Side of the building.
3. If dock doors cannot be relocated to the South Side of the building, consider relocating the further South on the
Mason Street side. The generator and transformer would need to be relocated to the South Side to accomplish
this.
4. Consider reducing the service drive size.
Additional Comments:
1. Ron Gonzales, PFA agreed that the Oak Street entry is feasible from fire safety issue. The only concern is the
90-degree turn required to approach the fire lane on the South and West sides of the building. This needs to
be addressed in the design if the parking lot entrance is relocated to Oak Street.
2. Rick Goodale, DDA mentioned that the DDA might have some funds available to contribute to items enhancing
the visual interest along Mason.
3. Does the City of Fort Collins have any funds available that could be used for art or architectural features
requested to help enliven Mason Street?
4. Cameron Gloss, City of Fort Collins Current Planning expressed a preference for the site plan developed for
the building when Mason becomes a two-way street. He mentioned that possibly the City of Fort Collins could
speed up this process to coincide with the completion of our building.
Conclusion:
The design team for the Courthouse Offices Building will begin reviewing these concerns and consider design
modifications responding to the concerns. These designs and the associated cost impacts will then be reviewed by
Larimer County to determine feasibility within the scope of the budget and timeframe for building completion.
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COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE
Meeting Report
FACILITIES DEPARTMENT
2555 Midpoint Drive, Suite D
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
Date: January 9, 2002
Project: Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building
Facilitator: Dave Spencer, Larimer County
Present: Cameron Gloss
Bob Barkeen
Troy Jones
Cam McNair
Katie Moore
Tom Reiff
Randy Hensley
Gaylene Rossiter
Rick Goodale
Ed Zdenek
Ron Gonzales
Rob Helmick
Matt Lafferty
Dave Spencer
Babs Cornell
Connie Gunter
Greg Billingham
Brian Chaffee
Kelley Ransom
Corey Sefcovic
Jeff Schulz
Harmon Anderson
Steve Nardy
Purpose of Meeting:
City of Fort Collins, Current Planning
City of Fort Collins, Current Planning
City of Fort Collins, Current Planning
City of Fort Collins, Engineering
City of Fort Collins, Engineering
City of Fort Collins, Transportation Planning
City of Fort Collins, Parking
City of Fort Collins, Transfort
Downtown Development Authority
ZTI Group
Poudre Fire Authority
Larimer County, Planning
Larimer County, Planning
Larimer County, Facilities
Larimer County, Facilities
Larimer County, Facilities
Fentress Bradburn Architects
Fentress Bradburn Architects
EDAW
Hensel Phelps Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction
PHONE (970) 498-5900
FAX (970) 498-5901
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss issues relating to the City of Fort Collins Location & Extents Plan
Review of the Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building. The City of Fort Collins presented areas of concern
regarding the site plan and building design. They also provided design ideas and potential solutions to address
these concerns. The specific issues or problems that were presented and the possible solutions are listed below
Issue:
1. Concerned about the Mountain Street entry attracting pedestrian activity.
Potential Solutions: Consider a more formal prominent entry similar to the original 1880's Courthouse through
the use of a tower element similar in size to the South Tower. Relocate this entry to open into the Break -Out
Space, which would bring it closer to the pedestrian activity at the Mountain and Mason intersection.
Concerned about pedestrian connectivity between the building and street parking on Mountain if the
North entrance is not relocated.
Potential Solutions: Consider providing additional sidewalk connections from Mountain Street to the ramp on
West Side of the North Entry.
3. Concerned that the transformer is visible from Mason Street.
Potential Solutions: Consider creating an enclosure with doors that open into the driveway or creating a screen
with architectural elements such as columns with wrought iron fencing between.
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