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Ancillary to the foregoing is The Landings residential neighborhood's goal of
maintaining the residential character of their neighborhood.
2. Mixed Use
This project is a mixed use project comprised of approximately one third office and
two-thirds residential.
3. Sense of Community / Quality of Life
Our design goal has been to keep both the office and residential portions at a human
scale with the step-down of buildings as they proceed down the hillside, attractive
street fronts with architectural diversity and setbacks, and a "central courtyard" which
integrates vehicle roadway, bicycle way, guest parking, pedestrian sidewalk,
crosswalks, hardscape and landscaping.
The Courtyard concept in this project is our commitment to pedestrian sensitivity,
sense of community and quality of life.
4. Access
This project has very good access with entrances both off JFK and Landings Drive,
and being located only one-half block from Boardwalk. Boardwalk and JFK provide
access to College Avenue and near -by commercial and retail locations, and most -
importantly Landings Drive provides a very attractive access for pedestrians north to
the Square and Foothills shopping centers via a relatively pedestrian -friendly, low
traffic roadway.
5. Architectural Character
The LUC goal of achieving exceptional architectural character is realized by this
project in terms of a) sensitive small office architectural style, b) step-down building
siting making innovative use of the topography, c) differentiated and interesting
architectural elements of the residential building frontages, d) architecture -design
considerations present in the courtyard-hardscape-landscape areas, and
e) complementary inter -relationship between all the foregoing.
6. Active Living Spaces
Half of the townhouses and smaller condos front onto the courtyard and the balance
have access by pedestrian walks from the rear of buildings to the courtyard. These
active living spaces fronting on and accessing the courtyard create a vibrant
community with the opportunity for interactions between neighbors, quality of
neighborhood and sense of community.
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of economic feasibility and edifying aesthetics, as well as other LUC goals. These
goals can be realized with development comprised approximately one-third of small
office buildings and approximately two-thirds of innovative eight-plex residential
buildings fronting on a private drive -courtyard.
4. Project design should not be beholden to a priority requirement to meet the needs
of vehicles. While the needs for vehicular access should be accommodated, the
primary emphasis should be on pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Accordingly three-
quarters of the garages are accessed at the rear of units off alleys or are detached,
and vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian needs have been met by a concept which merges
front yards, sidewalks, parking, bikeways, roadways into an innovative internal
courtyard. This benefits pedestrians, provides a sense of neighborhood, and
enhances quality of life.
5. Establish and confirm the primary residential character of Landings Drive in a way
which in consistent with current residential uses on Landings Drive and supports the
wishes of the existing Landings Drive residential neighbors.
6. Provide an attractive enclave of residential housing in town immediately adjacent to
major commercial uses, (retail along College, the Square, Foothills Shopping Center).
The ability to locate attractive housing adjacent to employment achieves the goals of
reducing reliance on motor vehicles, encouraging the use of bicycles, and enhances
residents -employees overall quality of life.
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Ill.
Open Space, Buffering, Landscaping, Circulation, Natural Areas
The existing open space in the form of Larimer County Canal #2 and the detention
pond will be maintained and enhanced as per the proposed landscape plan so that it
is an attractive visual amenity, so that it is pleasant to walk along the canal and
detention pond banking, and furthermore so that this existing open space/natural area
continues to provide habitat and food source in particular for song birds and
occasional waterfowl.
The office portion of the project together with related landscaping buffers the
residential portion of the project from office and retail uses to the west and south.
Extensive landscaping within the residential project as well as extraordinary courtyard
design buffer buildings from opposite buildings across courtyard and from pedestrians
walking through courtyard.
Primary traffic, bicycle and pedestrian circulation through the project meanders by
private drive -courtyard from the east entrance at Landings Drive generally northwest to
the west entrance at JFK.
Circulation internally between buildings, courtyard, garages, open space, guest
parking, and supplemental easement parking (in office parking lot) is accomplished by
interconnecting concrete sidewalks.
Buffering of project from existing residential is achieved by means of large existing
trees along the canal along north of project as well as additional landscaping along
detention pond, canal, JFK, and Landings Drive.
IV.
Rationale behind Assumptions and Choices
1. The office portion of project is designed to meet the needs of small office owners
who need in the range of 3000-6000 square feet of office space and desire an
aesthetic, upscale high quality office park environment. These needs are not being
met elsewhere in the community.
2. Notwithstanding the property's E District zoning which permits such uses as light
industrial, taverns and warehouses, it is very important that a thoughtful and sensitive
transition occur between the retail and office uses at the west and south and the
existing residential uses to the north and east of this project.
3. Given the zoning of this property and its market value, it is a challenge to create a
transitional use which is mostly residential but still achieves the paramount objectives
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COURTYARD COMMONS
PROJECT SUMMARY
1.
Introduction
Courtyard Commons is a unique transitional project encompassing five small office
buildings and eight small townhouse -flat residential buildings. The offices buffer the
residential from adjacent commercial uses and provide seventy-eight supplemental
parking spaces for the residential on an easement basis, however, in all other respects
the residential neighborhood is separate and autonomous from the offices portion of
the project.
The residential project is characterized by sensitive use of its adjacency of Larimer
County Canal #2 and the detention pond to the north, edifying design and aesthetics,
sense of community, and innovative courtyard concept.
The residential buildings front onto a central courtyard which a aesthetically merges
vehicle roadway, bicycle way, guest parking, pedestrian sidewalk, crosswalks,
hardscape and landscaping, while still meeting necessary functional requirements for
access.
Furthermore the project makes maximum use of the site contours allowing for more
aesthetic interest and views as buildings step down (office to uphill row of residential,
to downhill row of residential, to canal and detention pond bank).
II.
City Plan Principles and Policies Achieved
1. Transitional
This project is complementary to and transitional in relation to the disparate adjacent
uses (big box retail to the west, banking to the southwest, offices to the south, multi-
family to the north, and residential to the east.)
This project proceeds transitionally from west to east with approximately one quarter of
the site small offices, one half of the site residential, and the balance of the site open
space, canal and detention pond.
This transitional mix of uses as proposed is economically feasible, aesthetic, sensitive
to topography and open space, and creates unique infill development which provides
buffer for and transition to existing adjacent residential neighborhoods.
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December 8, 1998
Planning and Zoning Commission
City of Fort Collins
281 North College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Re: Courtyard Commons - Mixed Use
Office / Residential Courtyard Project
Dear Planning and Zoning Commission Members:
Enclosed is a project summary, a model photograph and a drawing relating
to our Courtyard Commons project.
We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in making this an
extraordinary mixed -use infill office / residential / courtyard project.
Sincerely,
P'^ I
Jon Prouty, President
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Enclosures
3307 South College Avenue, Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525 • (970) 226-5000 • Fax (970) 226-5125