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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201900023 Staff Report 2019-04-09ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB-2019-23: Harbor Freight Tools Review Type Amendment to an Approved Certificate of Appropriateness Parcel Identification 04500000011000 Location 440 Gander Drive. West of Seminole Trail, north of Woodbrook Drive and south of Gander Drive Zoned Highway Commercial (HC), Entrance Corridor (EC), Airport Impact Area (AIA) Owner/Applicant PTAP Investments LLC & APTAP Investments LLC/Permit Advisors (Richard Rizo) Magisterial District Rio Proposal The Gander Mountain building was designed as a single -occupant building with a single entrance. The building is being converted to a multi -tenant building. This proposal is to renovate the west end of the north fagade to establish a new storefront and entrance for Harbor Freight Tools retailers. Context The shopping center lies in a commercial area of Seminole Trail, directly east of Lowe's Home Improvement and the Rivanna Plaza shopping center, north of Safelite Auto Glass, and south of union Bank and Trust. Visibility The north fagade of the building is visible from the Seminole Trail EC. ARB Meeting Date April 15, 2019 Staff Contact Heather McMahon Project History and Context DATE APPLICATION/REVIEW TYPE RESULT 2/19/2013 ARB-2013-8 The ARB reviewed the Final Site Plan for Northtown Phase II A - Gander Mountain 10/31/2013 ARB-2013-88 Staff issued a CoA for the North Town center monument sign 8/22/2013 ARB2013-105 Staff issued a CoA for the Gander Mountain wall signs at Northtown Center 8/6/2018 ARB-2018-77 The ARB reviewed the Comprehensive Sign Plan for Northtown Center 3/18/2019 ARB-2019-26 Goodwill wall sign approved administratively. 4/15/2019 ARB-2019-23 The ARB will review this Amendment to a CoA for the first time The Final Site Plan for Phase II of the Northtown Center development (ARB-2013-8), which included the Gander Mountain building, was approved by the ARB in April 2013. With that approval, the following elevations were approved: -,MI,+- POPLAR FOREST OLD VA BRICK (TO MATCH EX111 ING BANK( MORTAR COLOR: 073 (MATCH OF STELLAR ONE DANK MORTAaj BEIGE 9 EWS EXACT COLOR TBD (TO MATCH STONE AND EXISTING BANK) BEIGE 2 EIFS EXACT COLOR TBD (TO MATCH STONE AND EXISTING BANK STONE VENEER {COLOR TO BE COORDINATED WITH BRICK) STONEVENEER: STONECRAiTLEESTONE.COLOR:OHARDONNAY NOTE: SEE LANUSOAPING SHEET ON sRE PLAN FOR SIZES AND TYPES OF TREES ALONG BUILDING AS SHOWN IN THE RENDERING. The approved north and west elevations for the Gander Mountain building (ARB-2013-8). As were the following materials palette and colors: APPROVED 13 ILDIN _MATERIAL IC'OL0RS PROJECT NAME: Gander Mountain ARB 2013-08 Building Part Material Brand Color Motes al- `Stone 5vawaftIndustrie3- Led est�one Chardonnay Brick Old Virginia Br"ck P13P1ar Forest Shenandoah series, Modular EEFS w9w4w See aVlt colors Sample is fof v xtu - , Paint: Sherwin Williams 6082 Cobble Brown (submitted 2/19/13) W 7037 Balanced Beige lnntrance feature stained log Gander Cowboy Brown For entrance feature Roof of entrance feature Metal Una -Clad, Kynar 500 Fluorocarbon aluminum Shenvood Green VVuHlows Dark Bronze metal Una -Clad On January 7, 2019, staff asked the ARB for direction on the Northtown Center Comprehensive Sign Plan (ARB-2018-7), specifically in regard to the request for a Goodwill wall sign. (Goodwill is replacing Gander Mountain retailers as the main occupant of the building.) In consensus, the ARB determined that: Red, white and blue are approved colors. Black can be used as an accent color. Internal illumination of graphics is not approved, except for the ULC graphic that is being moved from an existing location. External illumination of graphics is acceptable. The 4' letter height for Goodwill is acceptable. - F 1 N A N T 1 _ BUILDING C NORTH ELEVATION Scale- 1r,32- = 1' The approved north elevation for the Comprehensive Sign Plan for Northtown Center (ARB-2018-77) The ARB also noted at the January 7, 2019 meeting that: • Red Harbor Freight letters will be difficult to read on the brick background. White letters would be more legible. • Blue Goodwill letters will be difficult to read on the brown background. White letters would be more legible. Despite this last direction, a blue (equivalent to Pantone 286) internally -illuminated channel letter sign for Goodwill was submitted to staff and approved on March 18, 2019, as it met all of the criteria listed in the Comprehensive Sign Plan as well as the Entrance Corridor Sign Guidelines. IC.7 The approved Goodwill wall sign (ARB-2019-26) 4 ANALYSIS REF I GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION GENERAL GUIDELINES Purpose 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of development As the building has already undergone ARB None. within the designated Entrance Corridors is to ensure that review, its reference to historic architecture new development within the corridors reflects the and building traditions in the region has been traditional architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the analyzed previously. This big -box retail store purpose of ARB review and of these Guidelines, that is compatible with other like structures on proposed development within the designated Entrance the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor, which is Corridors reflect elements of design characteristic of the characterized by suburban strip malls and significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures shopping centers. of the Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to promote orderly and attractive development within these corridors. Applicants should note that replication of historic structures is neither required nor desired. 2 Visitors to the significant historical sites in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area experience these sites as ensembles of buildings, land, and vegetation. In order to accomplish the integration of buildings, land, and vegetation characteristic of these sites, the Guidelines require attention to four primary factors: compatibility with significant historic sites in the area; the character of the Entrance Corridor; site development and layout; and landscaping. Compatibility with significant historic sites: 3 New structures and substantial additions to existing This is neither a new structure nor an See recommendations in #9. structures should respect the traditions of the architecture addition to an existing structure but an of historically significant buildings in the Charlottesville alteration to a portion of an existing and Albemarle area. Photographs of historic buildings in structure's fagade. Rather than allude to the area, as well as drawings of architectural features, historically significant buildings in the which provide important examples of this tradition are region, the alterations should respect the contained in Appendix A. building design present. The alterations should be compatible with the majority of 4 The examples contained in Appendix A should be used as a guide for building design: the standard of compatibility the building that will be left unaltered. These with the area's historic structures is not intended to issues are addressed below with guideline impose a rigid design solution for new development. #9. Replication of the design of the important historic sites in the area is neither intended nor desired. The Guideline's standard of compatibility can be met through building scale, materials, and forms which may be embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well as traditional. The Guidelines allow individuality in design to accommodate varying tastes as well as special functional requirements. Compatibility with the character of the Entrance Corridor 5 It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to The Gander Mountain building is compatible None. establish a pattern of compatible architectural to other big -box buildings that characterize characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order Rt. 29, such as the Lowe's Home to achieve unity and coherence. Building designs should Improvement store across Rt. 29 to the west; demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within the Wal-Mart to the northwest; and other the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is shopping center buildings in the vicinity. substantially developed, these Guidelines require striking This alteration will not alter the overall a careful balance between harmonizing new development building's compatibility with the suburban with the existing character of the corridor and achieving retail character of Rt. 29. compatibility with the significant historic sites in the area. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES Compatibility with significant historic sites Structure design 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, The Gander Mountain building was Provide complete, doors, materials, colors and textures should be compatible previously a single -occupant building with a dimensioned, and to -scale at with the forms and features of the significant historic single entrance; it is being converted into a 1/8" = 1'-0" scale elevations buildings in the area, exemplified by (but not limited to) multi -tenant space and a new, second of the north facade and west the buildings described in Appendix A [of the design entrance is desired. This request is to modify side elevation. guidelines]. The standard of compatibility can be met the westernmost two bays of the building's through scale, materials, and forms which may be north facade to create a new entry and Reduce the width of the piers embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well as storefront for a new tenant, Harbor Freight supporting the front -gable traditional. The replication of important historic sites in Tools. A complete elevation of the north roof to achieve a less Albemarle County is not the objective of these guidelines. facade which is to scale and dimensioned has not been provided, but a partial elevation and imbalanced composition. 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding context of buildings. rendering with a color and materials legend has been provided for review, on which this Revise the storefront design to create a pediment form that 11 The overall design of buildings should have human scale. Scale should be integral to the building and site design. analysis is based. is distinguished from the wall 12 Architecture proposed within the Entrance Corridor The applicant proposes to create three bays plane in its use of a different should use forms, shapes, scale, and materials to create a by removing the existing central pier that material. The use of synthetic cohesive whole. divides the present two bays. The newly- logs such as those utilized on created central bay will be capped in a front- the west elevation would tie gable roof form that roughly mimics the the two elevations together. profile of the existing Gander Mountain porch. The proposed front -gable roof is supported by two engaged piers, the width of which matches the two end piers to remain unaltered. This width appears over -scaled for this secondary entrance and results in an imbalanced composition. The proposed piers are composed of EIFS (`Cobble Brown' SW6082) atop stone veneer bases (Stonecraft Ledgestone `Chardonnay'). The exterior wall planes between the piers are layered in a tri-partite, horizontal pattern of EIFS (`Cobble Brown' SW6082) at the top, EIFS (`Balanced Beige' SW SW7037) in the middle, and brick veneer foundations (Old Virginia `Poplar Forest'). These proposed EIFS, brick, and stone materials and colors match what was approved in 2013. The existing Gander Mountain building is not symmetrical: where two bays extend west of the central core on the north facade, only a foreshortened bay extends east of the core, forming an imbalanced composition. The addition of a secondary entrance on the west end, without mirroring the change on the east end, will further emphasize this already imbalanced, asymmetrical composition. That imbalance is heightened by the fact that the proposed entrance feature has no de th. Whereas Gander Mountain has a porch with a recessed entrance, the proposed Harbor Freight Tool entrance is in line with the exterior building wall. For compatibility, continuity and a more architectural solution, the secondary entrance should have depth and provide shelter rather than just being a non-functional applique. Note that continued use of the Gander logs would not be considered appropriate for a new portico. A side elevation will be needed for an entrance that incorporates depth as described here. An alternative approach that might be pursued is adapting the pediment feature on the west elevation to the new entrance. Notice that a change of material demarcates the pediment from the wall plane. On the west, synthetic logs are used to allude to the main entry porch on the north facade; a continuation of this material over the Harbor Freight Tools entrance would tie the two elevations together, but ultimately, any appropriate material and color could be used to better replicate a pediment. The west elevation of the Gander Mountain building at 440 Gander Drive. Note the pediment form is created by a change in materials, the synthetic logs an allusion to the main entry porch on the north fagade. 13 Any appearance of "blankness" resulting from building design should be relieved using design detail or vegetation, or both. Except for the proposed double -door entry with transoms, all of the wall planes are blind. The proposal illustrates large expanses of blank EIFS in the flanking bays as well as in the area above the entrance and below the pediment profile; the only decoration in the latter area is the proposed wall sign that sits uncomfortably in the expanse of wall. Additional detailing or fenestration should be considered to mitigate this vast blankness. Provide additional architectural detailing or fenestration to mitigate the blankness of the walls flanking the entrance and the area above the entrance and below the front -gable roof profile. Note that a separate sign application is required for the illustrated wall sign. 14 Arcades, colonnades, or other architectural connecting None such devices are proposed. None. devices should be used to unify groups of buildings within a development. 15 Trademark buildings and related features should be The applicant has requested that the Revise the elevation drawing and modified to meet the requirements of the Guidelines. standing -seam metal shed canopy above color legend to show the the entrance (the brand of which has not approved brand and color for all been provided) be colored `Interstate standing seam metal proposed Blue,' which is presumably a trademark (MTL-1 and MTL-2). color for Harbor Freight Tools. The existing canopies are Una -Clad, Kynar 500 Provide manufacturer's cut sheets Fluorocarbon aluminum in `Sherwood and samples of the standing seam Green.' Adding a blue canopy would metal if the ARB approves contribute to the incoherent and alternative colors for the imbalanced composition of this fagade, canopies. although a bronze or brown canopy might blend with the exterior finishes well enough to not show such contrast. Alternatively, consistently using an appropriate shade of blue for all awnings, roofing and coping throughout the building could establish an acceptable appearance. Blue metal would be compatible with the previously approved red, white and blue sign colors. Note, however, that the shade of blue approved for the Goodwill sign i.e., Panton 286 is quite bright: PANTON E 286 A darker shade would be needed for the metal building elements. For colors other than the approved green, manufacturer's cut sheets and samples will be needed. The standing seam metal on the main entrance front -gable porch roof- the standing seam metal on the canopies on the north fa(ade; and the coping along the entire building are painted `Sherwood Green'. A blue standing seam metal canopy at the Harbor Freight Tools entrance will not have a coordinated appearance. Bronze or dark brown may be an option for the new canopy and for the coping. 10 The metal coping on the proposed gable (labeled as MTL-2 on the drawing) is incompletely identified as "Color: match existing, adjacent." The existing color is `Sherwood Green." Bronze or dark brown may be acceptable alternatives for the coping at the new gable. 16 Window glass in the Entrance Corridors should not be The note has not been provided on the Provide the standard highly tinted or highly reflective. Window glass in the submitted architectural elevation (A3.0). window glass note on the Entrance Corridors should meet the following criteria: No sample or manufacturer's architectural elevations. Visible light transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below specifications have been submitted for 4001o. Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed review. The approved windows for the Provide manufacturer 3001o. Specifications on the proposed window glass Gander Mountain building (ARB-2013-8) specifications for the should be submitted with the application for final were Una -Clad with a dark bronze metal proposed storefront system. review. frame. The proposed storefront system Ensure that the should use the same to establish a specifications are for the coordinated appearance. same window brand and color reviously approved. 17-20 Accessory structures and equipment This application is for the renovation of Provide a roof plan one building elevation and does not showing the locations and encompass site development. Loading, dimensions of any proposed service, and refuse areas were approved on rooftop mechanical previous site plans. No fencing, screening, equipment. Provide a site or stormwater management facilities are plan showing the locations proposed here. of any proposed ground - mounted mechanical No accessory structures or mechanical equipment. equipment are being proposed. If additional, new, or replacement roof - mounted equipment are contemplated, then a roof plan showing the locations and dimensions of proposed rooftop equipment must be provided for review. If any additional, new, or replacement ground - mounted equipment is proposed for the north, west, or south sides of the building (i.e., visible from the Entrance Corridor), 11 then a site plan showing the proposed locations and dimensions of the ground - mounted equipment must be provided. 21 The following note should be added to the site plan and The note has not been provided on the Provide the standard the architectural plan: "Visibility of all mechanical submitted architectural elevation (A3.0). mechanical equipment note equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be on the architectural eliminated." elevations. 22-31 Lighting No lighting plan has been submitted for Provide manufacturer cut review although the architectural rendering sheets illustrating proposed shows four proposed light fixtures. For a lighting fixtures and coordinated appearance, the proposed light information on illumination fixtures should match those models already type, intensity, style, approved and existing on the building. shielding, color, finish, and Manufacturer's specifications must be installation height. Provide provided for review. Full cutoff fixtures either photometric diagrams are recommended. or a photometric plan addressing all fixtures and indicating that lighting does meet the requirements of Section 4.17 of the Zoning Ordinance for all proposed wall -mounted light fixtures. 29 The following note should be included on the lighting The note has not been provided on the Provide the standard plan: "Each outdoor luminaire equipped with a lamp submitted architectural elevation (A3.0). lighting note on the that emits 3,000 or more initial lumens shall be a full architectural elevations. cutoff luminaire and shall be arranged or shielded to reflect light away from adjoining residential districts and away from adjacent roads. The spillover of lighting from luminaires onto public roads and property in residential or rural areas zoning districts shall not exceed one half footcandle." 7-8, Landscaping The site has been previously developed None. 32-38 and landscaped. No additional landscaping is proposed. 6, Site Development and layout The site has been previously developed None. 39-44 and graded. No site development is proposed. 12 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. The architectural character of the new entrance: an entrance feature with depth, a true pediment, other options. 2. Reducing the width of the piers supporting the front -gable roof profile. 3. Adding architectural detailing or fenestration to mitigate the blankness of the walls. 4. Appropriate color(s) for the proposed canopy, existing canopies and roofs, existing and proposed coping. Staff offers the following comments on the Amendment to an Approved Certificate of Appropriateness: 1. Provide complete, dimensioned, and to -scale at 1/8" = F-0" scale elevations of the north facade and west side elevation. 2. Reduce the width of the piers supporting the front -gable roof to achieve a less imbalanced composition. 3. Revise the storefront design to create a pediment form that is distinguished from the wall plane in its use of a different material. The use of synthetic logs such as those utilized on the west elevation would tie the two elevations together. 4. Provide additional architectural detailing or fenestration to mitigate the blankness of the walls flanking the entrance and the area above the entrance and below the front -gable roof profile. 5. Note that a separate sign application is required for the illustrated wall sign. 6. Revise the elevation drawing and color legend to show the approved brand and color for all standing seam metal proposed (MTL-1 and MTL-2). 7. Provide manufacturer's cut sheets and samples of the standing seam metal if the ARB approves alternative colors for the canopies. 8. Provide the standard window glass note on the architectural elevations: Visible light transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below 40% Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed 30% 9. Provide manufacturer specifications for the proposed storefront system. Ensure that the specifications are for the same window brand and color previously approved. 10. Provide a roof plan showing the locations and dimensions of any proposed rooftop mechanical equipment. Provide a site plan showing the locations of any proposed ground -mounted mechanical equipment. 11. Provide the standard mechanical equipment note on the architectural elevations: Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated. 12. Provide manufacturer cut sheets illustrating proposed lighting fixtures and information on illumination type, intensity, style, shielding, color, finish, and installation height. Provide either photometric diagrams or a photometric plan addressing all fixtures and indicating that lighting does meet the requirements of Section 4.17 of the Zoning Ordinance for all proposed wall -mounted light fixtures. 13. Provide the standard lighting note on the architectural elevations: Each outdoor luminaire equipped with a lamp that emits 3,000 or more initial lumens shall be a full cutoff luminaire and shall be arranged or shielded to reflect light away from adjoining residential districts and away from adjacent roads. The spillover of lighting from luminaires onto public roads and property in residential or rural areas zoning districts shall not exceed one half footcandle. 13 This report is based on the followin,2 submittal item: Sheet # Drawin Name DrawingDate/Revision Date A3.0 Preliminary Elevations 2/21/19 14