HomeMy WebLinkAboutLANDMARK APARTMENTS EXPANSION - FDP190002 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - DESIGN NARRATIVEPage 1
January 29, 2019
Landmark Apartments
Design Narrative
Project Title: Landmark Apartments
Past Meeting Dates: City Council Appeal Hearing 1.31.17
General Information: The proposed use for the site is 68 multi-family apartments in 5
buildings. The intent of the MMN district is to be a setting for concentrated housing within
easy walking distance of transit and a commercial district, and to form a transition and a link
between surrounding neighborhoods and the commercial core. The project will serve as an
extension of the existing Landmark Apartments and will utilize existing vehicular and
pedestrian connections to provide a congruent site plan that integrates with the adjacent
parcels to the west, east and south. Additionally, this extension of the Landmark
Apartments will serve as an effective transition between the NC zoned parcel to the south
and the existing Sheely neighborhood to the east. The design team is currently working with
representatives from the Sheely neighborhood to create a compatible project to the Historic
designation.
Vehicular access for the project will be off the main circulation system of the existing
Landmark Apartment site and Hobbit Street. Pedestrian access will be accessed off of
Prospect, Wallenberg, and Hobbit.
The site design will incorporate pedestrian access and connectivity. It will utilize
landscaping to enhance the buffers between buildings and the surrounding neighborhoods
and allow the current wetlands area to remain a feature in the site. The building architecture
will respond to the architectural character found throughout the adjacent neighborhoods,
and will pay significant attention to the adjacent historical Sheely neighborhood to the east.
Proposed structures will be a traditional 2 and 3 story, walk-up style buildings with internal
stairs allowing tenant access to units. The topography of the site drops significantly from the
north to south. It is our intent to utilize this grade to reduce the scale at the uphill side of the
buildings by providing partial garden level units.
Uses surrounding the property consist of the following:
South: vacant land owned by Blue Ocean
West: The existing Landmark Apartments development
North: Prospect Road
East: The existing Sheely neighborhood
The project will be designed to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods as
required by the City Code. Architectural compatibility will be achieved by incorporating
design elements from the surrounding neighborhood such as building materials, horizontal
elements, fenestration and roof lines. The proposed building materials will consist of
horizontal and vertical lap siding in contrasting colors with brick veneer accents. The roofs
will consist of asphalt shingles.
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Existing Owners: RTA Hobbit LLC
Neighborhood Concerns: A site walk and meeting was held on January 24, 2019 with 10
neighbors to discuss and address each Condition of Approval item. Concerns such as
headlight glare, balconies, privacy and noise were discussed. There was discussion about
placement of evergreen trees and landscape along the property lines. There was also
discussion about fence style, height and locations. The Final Plan submittal reflects a
revised Landscape Plan that reflects what was discussed. The Site and Landscape Plans
show the fence detail and locations.