HomeMy WebLinkAboutWEST PLUM HOUSING - PDP - PDP160029 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PROJECT NARRATIVEland planning landscape architecture urban design entitlement
West Plum Housing
Project Narrative:
West Plum Development, formerly 1303 Plum Street, is located in the Campus West area at the
intersection of Plum Street and City Park Avenue. Located within 1000 feet of the Colorado
State University campus, the proposed development is a high-quality residential project
designed for a predominantly student population. The development will include a total of 63
dwelling units with 233 bedrooms.
The site is bounded by The District to the north, Campus West Condominiums to the east, City
Park Condos to the south and International House to the west; all multi-family buildings ranging
from two and a half stories to five stories tall. This project will replace the last enclave of single
family homes along Plum Street.
Plum Street is classified as a collector street and City Park Avenue is classified as a local street
on the City’s Master Street Plan. Plum Street has two travel lanes, striped bicycle lanes and
parking is prohibited. It lacks adequate right-of-way width to incorporate detached sidewalks.
Currently sidewalks are attached and very narrow if they exist at all, forcing the student
population to walk in the street as they head to campus. This project will dedicate additional
right-of-way and construct seven foot wide, detached sidewalks creating a safe, convenient and
attractive streetscape that will promote walking and increase bicycle safety on the street by
greatly reducing pedestrian conflicts over what exists today. The spaces between the curb and
the buildings are integrated into the streetscape to create visually exciting and functional urban
spaces. The main entry located on the northwest corner of the building is envisioned to include
special paving, a variety of seating opportunities, lighting, trees and ornamental plant materials.
Fixed bike parking will be located along City Park Avenue and each unit will have a minimum of
one bike hook for secure storage.
The building will consist of one, two, three, and four bedroom units designed using craftsman-
style architecture as suggested in the West Central Area Plan. The units along the ground floor
facing Plum Street will have individual porches and entries. A locally sourced stone veneer will
anchor the building’s base and provide a human scale while wood and steel trim details will be
used in combination with board and batten siding for an attractive and durable exterior. The
five-story building will have articulated facades and step-backs to mitigate the size of the
building and to provide a transition to the adjoining neighbors. Although the setback requirement
is zero, a range from 12’ -0” minimum to 19’-0” is provided along the Plum Street frontage as
measured from the new property line. The setbacks range from 16’-10” minimum to 20’-4” along
the City Park Avenue frontage. A 5th story private deck is located on the northwest corner of the
building creating a step-back. There is a second step back located on the north east side of the
building. There will be two courtyards on the south side of the building. Amenities may include a
pool, rain gardens and passive seating areas that will be accessed through the interior fitness
center.
W. Plum Development
Project Development Plan Project Narrative
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A parking garage is located behind the units along the eastern edge of the project. It is
anticipated that there will be 180 parking spaces. There is one consolidated driveway entry to
access the parking garage which will replace five existing driveways. The project is parked at
.77 spaces per bed which exceeds the minimum parking requirement of .75 spaces per bed.
Two neighborhood meetings were held on May 11, 2016 and July 27th, 2016. The first raised
questions about the bus route capacity and the surrounding intersections. Martina Wilkinson
answered questions from a City wide perspective and mentioned that a traffic study would be
done with this project. The second neighborhood meeting had three people in attendance.
Traffic concerns were the main topic. Ideas were suggested such as making Plum Street one
way and adding bike lanes to Mulberry Street. The questions were answered within the meeting
and notes are attached with this submittal.
Stormwater for the project will be detained in an open vault located within the parking structure.
All areas of the roof will be routed to this facility. Stormwater will then be released at flow rates
required by code into Plum Street via an 8” storm outfall pipe that will tie into the curb and
gutter. Water quality for the majority of the project will be achieved primarily through the use of
a sand filter located in the detention vault. This sand filter will remove sediment and debris from
the stormwater runoff prior to it leaving the site. Stormwater runoff from lower portions of the
project, such as patios and the pool deck, will be collected in perimeter swales and routed to
suitable outfall locations. These areas will not be detained, however they will receive water
quality treatment via bio-swales, rain garden planter boxes and landscape buffers.