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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFEEDER SUPPLY - PDP - PDP130012 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - PLANNING OBJECTIVES (7)F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 1 4/18/2023 7:17 PM Feeder Supply Project RESTAURANT/COMMERCIAL USES NARRATIVE (Updated June 24, 2013) I. Summary Our plan is to a) rehabilitate the existing Mill Building and Warehouse Addition, b) demo the existing West Additions (four small additions/rooms which are structurally deficient and are least historic) and c) add a new Addition on the west of the Mill and Indoor-Outdoor patio on the east, so a compatible adaptive reuse of Feeder Supply can be achieved as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses (including possible distillery or winery tasting room).. Although the Feeder Building is located only one block from Old Town, it will not be a restaurant you happen upon while you are at your “Old Town” destination. Accordingly, Feeder’s Restaurant will not be a typical smaller Old Town restaurant, but will be large enough to be successful as a destination restaurant. The City specifically recognizes how important it is, for development in the entire River District, to have “destination uses” which people seek out and go to (Advance Planning, River District document). The Mill Building, first and second levels, will be used primarily “as is” for seating and tables. And the present existing west Mill door and scale will be part of the Front Patio area but will not be used for access. A window on the west side of Mill will be converted to a door for patrons and service people to have access from the new addition into the Mill dining area. Two other doors, located at the north and east sides of the Mill Building, will be used “as is” with no alterations. It is essential for the compatible adaptive reuse as a restaurant that all three doors be usable and open as passageways for the flow of patrons and service people. The Mill Building first level dining room will be stunning with a 9-foot ceiling and massive post and beam construction adequate for supporting hundreds of tons of grain above. The Mill Building second level is where the grain bins are located. The partitions between grain bins will be removed to create an extraordinary second level banquet/conference room with a two-story vaulted ceiling and natural lighting from one existing window on east (Willow Street) side and three new windows on west non-street-fronting side. The main entrance will be in the new Addition off Linden Street through a front patio area, entering a reception and bar seating area, and from there through an entrance to Mill dining room seating. The north half of the new Addition will be used for kitchen and storage. All restaurant F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 2 4/18/2023 7:17 PM equipment, plumbing, mechanical and the like, will be located in the new addition and will not impact the Mill Building. It is anticipated that the restrooms, as well as major HVAC and mechanical equipment may, in the alternative, be located in new basement space. The elevator and stairs will provide access to the second level banquet/conference room in the Mill Building, as well as second level office (or possibly restaurant or residential) space in the new Addition, however, they will not impact the Mill Building in any way, except for one second level access doorway. The Addition will be constructed from light gray brick and stucco with a medium gray parapet wall, base and cornice, and with white windows, to be complementary to the existing Mill Building but not similar, and in order to have its own integrity as an independent structure built at a later date. The Indoor-Outdoor Patio will have a flat roof and will be constructed from industrial-style steel and glass with a minimal profile a) to allow maximum view of Mill east wall and b) to reflect the different eclectic industrial style of Willow Street buildings. Our goal is to complete Willow Street right-of-way improvements, at least along the 325 ft. Willow frontage to the project, contemporaneously with our Feeder’s project which would include diagonal parking in the middle of the street and parallel parking on both sides of the street, providing about 50 new finished parking spaces in addition to about 50 existing Willow Street “unfinished” parking spaces. On completion of the entire planned Willow right-of-way improvements, there will be 220 parking spaces on Willow between Lincoln Street and College Avenue. In addition, there are 79 existing parking spaces on Linden between Jefferson and the river and 16 parking spaces on Pine Street. Our goal is to create a major destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses just one block from Old Town and to do so with minimal alterations to the Feeder Mill Building and with a sensitive and a complementary addition, which allows 210 degrees of view (from north and south on Willow Street and from east and west on Linden Street) of all of the distinctive and historic architectural and design features of the Mill Building. II. LUC 4.17 River Downtown Redevelopment District (R-D-R) A. The proposed Feeder Supply Restaurant and/or other commercial uses is located in a zoning district known commonly as the River District, which permits most commercial uses, including restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retail, services, offices and the like, as well as multi-family residential and light industrial. B. The purposes of the River District are: 1. “Create a unique new neighborhood between Old Town and the River.” [Advance Planning, River District Document.] This unique new neighborhood already exists and is eclectic, with existing industrial, F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 3 4/18/2023 7:17 PM warehouse, storage yards, feed mill, theatre, multi-family and City rec center uses. It should continue, we believe, to evolve in an eclectic fashion, making a unique Willow Street industrial design statement complementary to but not merely replicating Old Town design features. 2. “Create a new sense of place between Old Town and the River with its own unique mix of housing, restaurant, retail, office, art, music, theatre and the like”. [Advance Planning, River District Document.] 3. “More intensive redevelopment of housing, businesses and workplaces.” [Division 4.17(A).] 4. “More modern housing”. [Advance Planning, River District document.] 5. “Importance of destination uses in the River District”. [Advance Planning, River District Document.] C. While the development standards for the River District include extending the positive architecture and design characteristics of downtown, and Linden Street in particular [4.17(A)], the standards also provide an exception for eligible historic buildings, such as the Feeder Building, allowing the rehabilitation of and addition to such buildings to be guided primarily by sensitivity to such historic buildings unique architecture and design characteristics [4.1.7 (D) (3) (a)]. Accordingly, the rehabilitation and compatible adaptive reuse of the Feeder Building as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses will be guided by such sensitivity and by the Secretary of the Interior’s Rehabilitation Standards. Also, the additions to the Feeder Building, necessary to make it a compatible adaptive reuse as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses, will be designed to be complementary but not similar to the historic Feeder Building and furthermore will be designed to incorporate some appropriate features and materials found in Old Town architecture including sidewalk frontage of buildings (excepting patios), exterior walls articulation, lintels, sills, cornices, brick, stone and wood. III. LUC 4.5.3 Standards A. Setbacks 1. The new Addition to the Feeder Building fronting on Linden has articulated exterior walls incorporating multiple design features and setbacks from 11 to 27 ft. While the setbacks exceed 15 feet, they are permitted because this is an addition to a building in a National Historic District [4.1.7(D)(3)(a)] and the additional setback permits a view of the west side of the Mill Building. This Addition is also designed to create a front patio area fronting on Linden which saves the historic truck scale and loading dock as part of the patio. F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 4 4/18/2023 7:17 PM 2. The Indoor-Outdoor Patio addition which fronts on Willow Street with no setback is consistent with both the Feeder Building, which fronts on Linden with no setback, and the proposed adjacent Apartment to the north, which fronts on Willow with between 0 and 2 ft. setback [3.5.3(B)(2)].. 3. The existing Warehouse Addition, which is located between the Mill Building and the Apartment, is setback 23 ft. from Willow, creating a Rear Patio and landscaped area, which is consistent with the LUC exception to build-to line standards [3.5.3(B)(2)(d)]. B. Windows 1. All original windows and doors are being saved. 2. One window is being modified into a necessary accessway from the Addition to the Mill dining room. 3. The original east elevation of the Mill Building fronting on Willow is being maintained and has only one window on the second floor. Accordingly, in order to have adequate natural light for a successful adaptive reuse of the second level for a conference/banquet room, three windows will be added to the Mill Building west elevation, which elevation fronts internally in the project and does not have street frontage. C. Materials and Design The predominant building material for the Addition are gray brick and stucco, which contrast but are compatible with the Mill Building white stucco over brick exterior. Materials also include masonry sills, lintels and cornices. Design features are similar to those of Old Town and Linden Street buildings and are also different but complementary to those of the Mill Building, including medium grey stepped parapet wall on Linden Street frontage, medium grey cornices elsewhere, and white window frames, sills and lintels. D. Massing and Facades Massing and façade treatment, related to the Feeder Building and proposed Additions, are broken in numerous places on both the Linden and the Willow elevations by changes in height, projecting elements, recessed elements, columns, windows and entrances [3.5.3(C) and (D)]. E. Entrances Entrances are clearly defined, both on Linden and Willow (3.5.3(D)4]. F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 5 4/18/2023 7:17 PM IV. LUC 3.4.7 Historical A. The development plan and building design for the rehabilitation of and additions to the Feeder Mill Building provide for the maximum preservation of the building, the minimum alterations to the building and the most sensitive possible adaptive reuse of the building as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses, as well as protecting and enhancing its historical-architectural value. B. The only alterations to the Mill Building will be a) bring existing stairs to second level up to code as required, b) open the bricked-in arches on the Mill main level between the front room and the main room to permit better access between rooms, c) remove the interior partitions between grain bins on the second level, d) add three windows on the west non-street-facing wall of the second level to allow natural light into the banquet/conference room (this permits the east exterior wall of the Mill, which is the primary wall that is viewed from Willow Street and east Linden Street, to remain exactly “as is”), and e) structural improvements as necessary for support and integrity of second level exterior walls (in this regard we have submitted an application for a Historic Structural Assessment). C. The Addition to the Mill Building is designed to be subordinate (lower and set back) and different (medium and dark grey brick and stucco, historical elements of design but not similar to the Mill Building design features), and reading as having its own separate integrity as a building. Also a “glass break” will be used between the Mill and the New Addition which will contribute a) to this Addition having separate integrity as a building and b) to the Mill being a separate historical building. And the Indoor-Outdoor Patio is also designed with a minimal profile so full view of the east exterior wall is maintained. D. These minimal alterations and the sensitive Addition and Indoor-Outdoor Patio are designed to preserve the Feeder Building to the maximum extent and to protect and enhance its historical and architectural value, while at the same time allowing for its compatible adaptive reuse as a destination restaurant. E. It should be noted that the present existing west mill door and scale will be part of the Front Patio area, but this door will not be used for access. A window on the west side of Mill will be converted to a door for patrons and service people to have access from the new Addition into the Mill dining area. Two other doors, north and east sides of the Mill Building will be used “as is” with no alterations. It is essential for the compatible adaptive reuse as a restaurant that all three of these doors be usable and open as passageways for the flow of patrons and service people. F. The proposed work and its effect on the historic-architectural character of the Mill Building are as follows: F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 6 4/18/2023 7:17 PM i. On all elevations and the roof – white stucco-faced brick has been part of the Feeder’s building character since 1944 or earlier and corrugated metal roof has been part of its character since 1929 and/or 1941. ii. Both the stucco-faced brick and the metal roof will be repaired and maintained as necessary. Stucco will be hand washed and repaired as necessary with the same style of knockdown stucco that exists in order to maintain the same color and texture. In the interior, the roof will be made watertight and insulated as necessary but in a historically sensitive way, and the interior brick walls, some stucco covered and some exposed brick, will be maintained “as is.” Sandstone base and foundation will also be maintained as necessary, but with no alterations (our preliminary structural assessment showed the stone foundation and exterior walls to be in excellent shape). iii. On the Mill Building front elevation (its south elevation fronting on Linden Street) – there will be no effect as this elevation will be maintained exactly “as is”. The stunning front elevation with sandstone base, storefront glass, clerestory glass, stepped parapet walls, related details and red and blue trim will be maintained. iv. The west Mill Building elevation will be repaired and maintained in the same fashion as described in paragraph ii. above. While an addition will be constructed, approximately 85% of the exterior wall and roof will remain outside and exposed. The upper portion of the west elevation wall will be altered to add three windows, which are essential to provide natural light to the Mill second level banquet-conference room. It is proposed that these three new windows be modern style fixed glass or casement windows so as not to mimic the historical character of the existing Mill windows. The benefit of providing the new natural lighting to the second level banquet-conference room in this fashion is that it will allow us to leave the east elevation of the Mill (fronting Willow Street) untouched in its current historically pristine state, with no new windows or doors in it. v. The east Mill Building elevation (fronting Willow Street) – will also be repaired and maintained, in the same fashion as described in paragraph ii. above. The four existing windows and one door will be maintained “as is”, and no additional windows or doors will be added, preserving the historical character of this Willow frontage elevation exactly as it has been for many years. A minimal profile flat roof will be added over the indoor/outdoor patio, but will not block the view of this east Mill Building elevation. This additional F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 7 4/18/2023 7:17 PM Indoor/Outdoor Patio dining area is essential to achieve the necessary total dining area size for a successful compatible adaptive reuse of Feeder’s Supply Building as a destination restaurant. vi. The east elevation of the Warehouse Addition will be repaired and maintained in the same fashion as is described in Paragraph ii. above, and will remain “as is”, except for one necessary entrance door which will provide patrons’ access, two windows, one on each side of same, and a fire sprinkler room access door. It is proposed that we use modern but complementary windows and door for this alteration, and not represent in any way that we are replicating same historically accurately. The existing oversized warehouse door on the east side of the Warehouse Addition will be preserved and secured but will not be used, as it does not meet code and its historic character would be negatively impacted if it was modified to meet code. vii. On the north elevation of the Mill will be repaired and maintained in the same fashion as is described in Paragraph ii. above. The stepped parapet walls and related details are the most significant aspects of historical and/or architectural character, and view of them will be maintained. G. The dominant aspect of architectural-historical character of the Feeder Building is its large stepped parapet walls and related details. The materials are brick surfaced with white knockdown style stucco. The second major aspect of architectural-historical character is the corrugated metal gable roofs, including a grain elevator cupola. And a third major aspect of architectural-historical character is the classic turn of the century storefront with sandstone base, storefront glass, clerestory glass and red and blue trim. The new additions respect all three of these very substantial aspects of architectural- historical character and allows them to be fully visible in a 220-degree range of view (from east and west on Linden Street, and from north and south on Willow Street). The new Addition is lower and set back relative to the Mill Building. It is constructed in a more modern style but with some historic aspects of character that are consistent with other buildings in the National Historic District and the Old Town Historic District, particularly those on Linden Street. The Addition will be constructed from light gray brick and stucco with a medium gray stepped parapet wall, base and cornice. The window design details include lintels, sills and white frames. This is complementary but not similar to the Mill Building, as well as complementary but understated relative to most other buildings in the districts. The Indoor-Outdoor Patio has a flat roof and is designed and constructed very simply from glass and steel a) so the full view of the east elevation of the Mill Building is F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 8 4/18/2023 7:17 PM maintained, and b) to introduce an industrial-style design architectural element on the Feeder Building Willow Street elevation. H. In conclusion, our plan provides for: i) the maximum preservation of the Feeder Supply Buildings, ii) the minimum alterations to the buildings, (iii) sensitive additions to the buildings, iv) the most compatible possible adaptive reuse as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses, and v) maximum protection and enhancement possible of building’s historical-architectural value. I. All “Reuse, Renovation, Alterations and Additions” shall be in conformance with Secretary of Interior’s “Rehabilitation Standards” as follows: i. Feeder Building is being used for a new compatible adaptive reuse as a destination restaurant and/or other commercial uses, which requires minimal change to its defining characteristics. The Feeder Building’s major defining characteristics are: The dominant aspect of architectural-historical character of the Feeder Building is its large stepped parapet walls and related details. The materials are brick surfaced with white knockdown style stucco. A second major aspect of architectural-historical character is the corrugated metal gable roofs, including a grain elevator cupola. And a third major aspect of architectural- historical character is the classic turn of the century storefront with sandstone base, storefront glass, clerestory glass and red and blue trim. There will be minimal change or no change to these defining characteristics and, in addition, east exterior wall of the Mill Building remains unchanged and fully viewable through a low profile Indoor-Outdoor Patio, and the Addition at the west is sensitively designed to have minimal impact on existing historical-architectural features. ii. The architectural-historic character of the Mill Building is retained and preserved, the major elements of which are: The dominant aspect of architectural-historical character of the Feeder Building is its large stepped parapet walls and related details. The materials are brick surfaced with white knockdown style stucco. A second major aspect of architectural-historical character is the corrugated metal gable roofs, including a grain elevator cupola. And a third major aspect of architectural- historical character is the classic turn of the century storefront with sandstone base, storefront glass, clerestory glass and red and blue trim. Accordingly the architectural-historical character of the Feeder Building is being retained and preserved, and in addition, east exterior wall of the Mill Building remains unchanged and fully viewable through a low profile Indoor- F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 9 4/18/2023 7:17 PM Outdoor Patio, and the new Addition at the west is sensitively designed to have minimal impact on existing historical-architectural features. iii. The physical record of the construction of the Feeder Supply Buildings was: The Mill and Grain Elevator was constructed about 1911, followed by the construction on or before 1917 of a hay warehouse (the Warehouse Addition), a small storage room, a coal room and a wagon shed. The wagon shed was replaced in 1925 by a larger detached one-story structure. There have been no further construction activity since then except for reroofing and application of stucco to the Mill Building in 1944. No false sense of historical development has occurred in the past or will be undertaken. iv. The Feeders Supply Buildings have had few changes over time, as are described in Paragraph iii. above. An observation is that while the Warehouse Addition reflects good engineering and quality of construction, the subsequent Western Additions (four little add-on additions/rooms most recently built) were a) very poorly designed and constructed, b) have not acquired any substantial historic significance in their own right, c) would be exceedingly difficult to rehabilitate because of footing, foundation, slab, wall and roof problems which would be encountered, and d) are not consistent with a successful adaptive reuse of the Mill and the Warehouse Addition as a destination restaurant. Accordingly, these additions will be demoed. See enclosed detailed study of the Western Addition by Aller-Lingle-Massey, Architects, commissioned by the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority, which came to the same conclusion. v. The distinctive finish and construction techniques of knockdown stucco over brick exterior will be preserved and maintained. The interior of the Mill, both on the first and second levels, will be preserved and maintained in its existing condition to the maximum extent possible and used primarily for restaurant seating. All major posts and beams will be left exposed, as will the ceiling on the first level. No sheetrock will be used to the extent reasonably possible. vi. The only deteriorated historical features are the doors and windows, which will be carefully and sensitively repaired rather than replaced. vii. Stucco will be hand-washed prior to any repairs. viii. If any archeological artifacts are found during excavation, construction will be halted until all relevant local and state procedures have been followed to protect them. ix. The proposed additions (new Addition and Indoor-Outdoor Patio addition) do not destroy any historic Mill materials. Furthermore, new Addition is differentiated in design and materials (exposed gray brick and stucco) but is compatible with the Mill’s sense of history and architecture, and it allows the F:\Documents\Feeder Supply\PDP Documents\Restaurant.Narrative.052413.doc 10 4/18/2023 7:17 PM major architectural-historical design characteristics of the Mill to be dominant. Such major architectural-historical design characteristics are: The dominant aspect of architectural-historical character of the Feeder Building is large stepped parapet walls and related details. The materials are brick surfaced with white knockdown style stucco. A second major aspect of architectural-historical character is the corrugated metal gable roofs, including a grain elevator cupola. And a third major aspect of architectural-historical character is the classic turn of the century storefront with sandstone base, storefront glass, clerestory glass and red and blue trim. The new additions respect all three of these very substantial aspects of architectural-historical character and allow them to be fully visible in a 220- degree range of view (from east and west on Linden Street, and from north and south on Willow Street). The new Addition is lower and set back relative to the Mill Building. It is constructed in a more modern style but with some historic aspects of character that are consistent with other buildings in the National Historic District and the Old Town Historic District, particularly those on Linden Street. This addition will be constructed from light gray brick and stucco with medium gray stepped parapet wall, base and cornice. The window design details include lintels, sills and white frames. This is complementary but not similar to the Mill Building, as well as complementary but understated relative to most other buildings in the district. The Indoor-Outdoor Patio addition has a flat roof and is designed and constructed very simply from glass and steel a) so that full view of the east elevation of the Mill Building is maintained, and b) to introduce an industrial- style architectural element on Feeder Buildings Willow Street elevation. x. If new additions are removed in the future, the Feeder Building will retain 100 percent of its architectural-historic design characteristics and integrity. The only alterations, which would have to be repaired, would be the second level accessway in the north exterior wall and the first level west window, which was modified into an accessway. These could be bricked in and surfaced with stucco to match the color and texture of the adjacent original stucco.