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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLANDMARK APARTMENTS EXPANSION - PDP - PDP120031 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 -CDN#2594A-009 The following are responses to Historic Preservation comments of the Landmark Apartments Expansion, PDP120031, Round Number 1. All responses are in bold italics. Department: Historical Preservation Contact: Josh Weinberg, 970-221-6206, jweinberg@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: The residential neighborhood adjacent to the east of the proposed project is a designated Fort Collins Landmark District and thus this project is required to be compliant with all applicable subsections of LUC 3.4.7. Response: Agreed. This is described in more detail below. Comment Number: 2 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: LUC 3.4.7 (A) states: Purpose. This Section is intended to ensure that, to the maximum extent feasible: (1) historic sites, structures or objects are preserved and incorporated into the proposed development and any undertaking that may potentially alter the characteristics of the historic property is done in a way that does not adversely affect the integrity of the historic property; and (2) new construction is designed to respect the historic character of the site and any historic properties in the surrounding neighborhood. This Section is intended to protect designated or individually eligible historic sites, structures or objects as well as sites, structures or objects in designated historic districts, whether on or adjacent to the development site. (B) General Standard. If the project contains a site, structure or object that (1) is determined to be individually eligible for local landmark designation or for individual listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places; (2) is officially designated as a local or state landmark, or is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; or (3) is located within an officially designated historic district or area, then to the maximum extent feasible, the development plan and building design shall provide for the preservation and adaptive use of the historic structure. The development plan and building design shall protect and enhance the historical and architectural value of any historic property that is: (a) preserved and adaptively used on the development site; or (b) is located on property adjacent to the development site and qualifies under (1), (2) or (3) above. New structures must be compatible with the historic character of any such historic property, whether on the development site or adjacent thereto. The proposed plans do not meet (A)(2) or (B)(3)(a) of this LUC Section as the overall height, massing, and design of the buildings are not compatible with that of the adjacent Landmark District. See more detailed comments below. CDN#2594A-009 Response: We believe that the proposed project has taken great efforts to respect the character of Sheely Drive Landmark District as determined by the LUC and, with some modifications described below, meets the concerns in the detailed comments below. Comment Number: 3 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: LUC 3.4.7 (F)(1) states: To the maximum extent feasible, the height, setback and/or width of new structures shall be similar to those of existing historic structures on any block face on which the new structure is located and on any portion of a block face across a local or collector street from the block face on which the new building is located unless, in the judgment of the decision maker, such historic structures would not be negatively impacted with respect to their historic exterior integrity and significance by reason of the new structure being constructed at a dissimilar height, setback and/or width. Where building setbacks cannot be maintained, elements such as walls, columns, hedges or other screens shall be used to define the edge of the site and maintain alignment. Taller structures or portions of structures shall be located interior to the site. Structures at the ends of blocks shall be of a similar height to structures in the adjoining blocks. The historic district is comprised of one story Ranch style residences, some with walk-out basements. The height and scale of the proposed buildings are not compatible with that of the historic district. Transitioning from one and two story apartment buildings, at points closest to the historic district and then to three stories moving west, would ensure compliance with this subsection. Additionally, the proposed project should utilize landscaping features such as open space, wildlife areas, and mature trees, which is typified in the adjacent historic district, to both define the edge of the site while at the same time maintaining continuity with the overall character of the historic district. Response: LUC 3.4.7 (F)(1) refers to buildings on the block face or across the street from the block face. The proposed project is behind the Sheely Landmark Designated District, sharing alley-side property line, not the block face. The intent of section 3.4.7 and of 3.5.1 are understood and the proposed project seeks to provide compatibility with the designated Landmark District and land use transition from single family to multifamily developments. • Height and Scale – building style: The Landmark designation for Sheely Drive identifies the neighborhood as incorporating International, Prairie, and Usonian styles in their designs. These styles utilize simple massing, expression of construction materials, and low horizontal shapes. In comparison, typical apartment buildings and larger scale buildings of this era utilized similar principals, but the mass and scale was much larger. Considering the intent of today’s Land Use Code, larger scale buildings of this era would be too stark, without enough variation of material and scale to be accepted. The intent of the proposed development is to create multi-story buildings that are sensitive not only to the design style, but to the scale. See diagram sketches: CDN#2594A-009 Diagram character elevations of mid-century ranch style housing: Horizontal massing, low slope roofs, overlapping shapes, asymmetrical windows. Diagram character elevations of previously approved development: Horizontal massing, low slope roofs, overlapping shapes, asymmetrical windows. Diagram Character elevations of proposed development: Horizontal massing, low slope roofs, overlapping shapes, asymmetrical windows. CDN#2594A-009 • Height and Scale - massing: The houses in the landmark designated district typically are composed of one dominate material making up the mass of the house, with one or two additional materials in smaller amounts. A multi story building does not have the ability for the mass as a whole to be visually low and horizontal like the homes. But in the proposed design the design elements, roofs, and materials are organized in an asymmetric and horizontal manner to complement the single story houses. The 1 story element of the horizontal siding ties the various building masses into a cohesive structure while strengthening the horizontal feel of the building. The stone walls provide vertical elements that other materials can be organized around, like the stone fireplaces of the ranch style homes, and horizontal stone elements extend at ground level like the built-in planters and site walls of the homes. Also, roof elements have been added to lower levels of the building, in conjunction with material changes, to reduce the visual mass of the buildings. • Height and Scale – Grade Change: On Prospect Avenue, the most prevalent view of the project and it’s adjacency to single family houses, the building has been lowered into grade to reduce the visual height. The shed roof lines at the second story level play off the roof lines of the residence to the West (the nearest house to the project). The remainder of the project is at a built at elevation at least 10 feet lower than the houses on Sheely. The project cannot be seen from Sheely Drive. Comment Number: 4 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: LUC 3.4.7 (F)(2) states: New structures shall be designed to be in character with such existing historic structures. Horizontal elements, such as cornices, windows, moldings and sign bands, shall be aligned with those of such existing historic structures to strengthen the visual ties among buildings. Window CDN#2594A-009 patterns of such existing structures (size, height, number) shall be repeated in new construction, and the pattern of the primary building entrance facing the street shall be maintained to the maximum extent feasible. Characteristic of Ranch style architecture, roof planes in the historic district - which are major character-defining features of the homes - have low slopes with broad overhangs that often cantilever and have clearstories. To strengthen visual ties among the new construction and buildings within the historic district, roof forms of the apartment buildings should better relate to those of the neighboring Ranch style residences through the use of clearstories and/or steps in ridges at various elevations to help visually decrease the length of the overall ridge. Furthermore, the majority of roofs in the historic district feature intersecting and cross gable elements with flat or shed roof that define entry ways. Adding such elements to the proposed apartment buildings would help strengthen visual ties to the adjacent historic district. Response: The proposed multi-family housing has sought to design in character with the neighboring areas. As a transition between the single-familiy residence and the existing multi-family Landmark Apartments, the building size is similar to the adjacent apartments, but provides greater detailing and reduction of mass to visually reduce the overall size, with an emphasis on horizontal lines and roof articulation. • Design Character - Low Slope Roof Planes: The low slope roof planes are character defining features of the Sheely Drive homes. This roof design feature has been utilized on the proposed project. The roofs are at a 2:12 pitch and cross gables (like those in the historic district) with shed roof elements have been utilized to highlight changes in mass to reduce the visual scale of the buildings. • Design Character - Roof Overhangs: The soffits of the roof overhangs follow the slope of the roof and overhangs cantilever further than typical construction to align with the character of the ranch houses of Sheely Drive. CDN#2594A-009 • Design Character - Windows at Roof: Rather than clerestory windows, main windows have been placed at the ceiling height so roof masses can visually extend from interior to exterior. This strengthens to indoor/outdoor connection prevalent in ranch style homes. • Design Character – Ridge line: Similar to most ranch style homes, the ridge line itself only has slight changes in elevation, but the intersecting shed roof and gable ends of the roof give a dynamic quality from pedestrian views of the buildings. Comment Number: 5 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: The architecture of the historic district was designed to create a relationship between the indoors and outdoors through the use of awnings and other shading devices, glass sliding doors, groupings of windows, and corner windows. The proposed apartment buildings appear to lack this relationship between indoors and outdoors. Design elements such as window expanses, canopies and roof overhangs will strengthen this relation between buildings and their site, which is an important character-defining feature of the historic district. Response: A significant design theory of the ranch style home is connection between indoors and outdoors, with large expanses of glass, patios and decks, to provide connection to outdoor lawns and garden areas. Though this is a valuable design principal for all living spaces, the development of a multi-family development adjacent to a single-family housing development needs to respect the privacy of the single family neighbors. Fort Collins Land Use Code promotes outdoor spaces and neighborhood connection among pedestrians. The Landmark development has sought to balance the respect for privacy while promoting outdoor connection. Based on comments from the neighborhood meeting, to respect privacy of single-family neighbors, the development has opted not to have outdoor balconies or single unit patios that could potentially overlook neighboring yard spaces or have noise concerns for neighbors. Rather, the project has primarily focused the main entry of unit groups to walkways and natural areas within the site. CDN#2594A-009 • Indoor Outdoor Connection – Windows: Windows in the design have been updated to engage the outside corner to increase the window expanse, and inside corners to visually connect interior elements to the exterior. While the apartments do not have a physically accessible connection from the indoors to the outdoors, there is a visual connection based on the location of windows. The outside corner windows open up the expanse and view to the outdoors. The windows at inside corners and at the ceiling height allow wall and roof masses can extend from interior to exterior. This strengthens the indoor/outdoor connection by letting outdoor building masses visually continue into the building through windows. • Indoor Outdoor Connection – Building Elements: On the portions of the site where the building is stepped into the contour of the site, the stone material base is extended from the building onto the retaining wall elements, physically connecting the building to the site. The stone elements of the building extend at horizontally like the built-in planters and site walls mid century ranch style homes. Only 2 of the homes in the Sheely Drive district exhibit this feature. In addition, the exterior siding material will extend into the landscape to enclose the trash area. • Indoor Outdoor Connection – Landscape Elements: landscape features are planned to reinforce the building extensions into the landscape, where horizontal building features terminate, landscape features will continue the lines, blurring the lines between building and landscape. Comment Number: 6 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: Like the previous comments (in relation to LUC 3.4.7(F)(2), windows and window patterns are a major character-defining feature of buildings in the historic district. Window sized and spacing in the historic district is often irregular - corner windows are common, along with floor-to-ceiling windows. Multiple door and door-sized windows are combined to form glass walls. Casement type windows are most common in the historic district. CDN#2594A-009 Repetition of such variable window sizing and irregular window patterning (particularly the use of casements and iconic floor-to-ceiling windows) in the proposed apartment buildings would strengthen the visual ties between the new construction and the buildings of the historic district. Response: • Window Patterns: Window Design has been modified to provide a variety of window patterns. Living room windows of the units have been enlarged and moved to the outside corners of the building to wrap the corner and provide the look of glass to the ceiling. Bedroom windows have been modified to provide multiple casement windows to provide irregularity and variety in the buildings. This window pattern more closely resembles the previously approved development. Comment Number: 7 Comment Originated: 12/28/2012 12/28/2012: LUC 3.4.7 (F)(3) states: The dominant building material of such existing historic structures adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the proposed structure shall be used as the primary material for new construction. Variety in materials can be appropriate, but shall maintain the existing distribution of materials in the same block. The building materials of the historic district consist of board and batten siding, glass blocks, lap siding, stucco, native sandstone and other decorative masonry. Stucco appears to be the predominant material on the proposed apartment buildings, rather than the varied materials that are dominant in the adjacent historic district. Response: • Building materials: The development uses the same materials that are prevalent in the mid- century ranch style homes of Sheely drive: board siding, stucco, stone, and glass. The use and placement of the materials is intended to reduce the visual scale of the buildings. Less than half of the exterior is made up of 2 different colors of stucco. This is intended to create a base or backdrop for the more prominent materials of stone and board siding. The siding materials are of a darker and richer color to express the horizontal lines of the design and complement the design and scale of the neighboring ranch style houses.