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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB200800165 Staff Report Final Site Plan and Comps. 2008-12-01ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #: Name ARB- 2008 -165: Hollymead Town Center (Area Al) — Kohl's Review Type Preliminary Review of a Site Development Plan Parcel Identification Tax Map 32, Parcels 42A, 4, 45 and 46 Location Located on Seminole Trail [Route 29N] approximately 0.6 miles south of the intersection of Seminole Trail and Airport Road [Route 649]. Zoned Planned Development Mixed Commercial (PDMC), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner HM Acquisition Group LLC Applicant Dominion Development Resources, Janet Miller Magisterial District Rio Proposal To construct a shopping center with related site improvements. ARB Meeting Date December 15, 2008 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski SITE/PROJECT HISTORY The ARB completed a preliminary review of this proposal on October 20, 2008. The action letter from that review is included as Attachment A to this report. CONTEXT Area A is the southernmost section of the Hollymead Town Center development. Area B, located to the north of Area A, is the commercial area of the town center that has already been constructed. The Forest Lakes development and Holly Memorial Gardens are located across Route 29 to the east. VISIBILITY The shopping center is expected to be highly visible from the EC. In particular, Buildings A, B, C, D, E, J and K will have the most visual impact. The Kohl's store is expected to be visible, particularly to northbound traffic when viewed across the stormwater facility located south of the truck route. PROJECT CHANGES Changes to the proposal are largely in response to the ARB's comments from the October 20, 2008 meeting. Additional detail is provided in the Analysis section of this report. ANALYSIS (based on Kohl's architectural drawing A3 and building planting plan L1 dated 10/31/08; shopping center architectural drawings A502 -A507 dated 10/31/08; color perspective views (3), some dated 11/3/08; 2 photos of retaining wall block; easement exhibits (4) undated; site and visibility sections 1 and 2 ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 1 dated 10/31/08; site plan sheets C1 -8 and C17 -19 with revision date of 8 -18 -08 and C13 -C16 with revision date of 11/3/08) Issue: Kohl's architectural design and signs Comments: • Comments from the previous review indicated that the Kohl's design should be revised to establish balanced elevations with elements combined in a way that provides an overall coordinated appearance. Changes made to achieve this include: the addition of a brick water table, the deletion of the trellises, the replacement of the spandrel glass at the lower part of the tower elements with EIFS panels, and the removal of the large brick panels from the rear (south) elevation. The removal of elements has simplified the overall design, but the design remains that of a big box with walls that are primarily blank. Plants have been added along the north and east elevations of the building. These plantings consist primarily of rows of shrubs flanked by small trees. Additional trees would be appropriate along the expansive blank wall areas on the north and east elevations. Trees along the truck route would help offset the blankness of the south elevation. • Comments from the previous review stated that the size of the Kohl's signs should be reduced to eliminate the billboard appearance. The sign and the brick panel have been removed from the rear (south) elevation; the removal of this sign is an improvement. The signs on the front (north) and left (east) elevations have not been reduced in size, but the lower half of the brick panels has been revised to incorporate EIFS panels. The Kohl's signs still appear overscaled for the building. The Kohl's signs are illustrated as white channel letters, but details on the sign have not been submitted. • The location of the brick panel that contains the "Kohl's" sign on the front elevation is different than the location shown on the plan drawings. • A light pink shade of brick is proposed for parts of the Kohl's building. A darker shade of red brick would be more appropriate. The brick sample provided is very small. • The standard mechanical equipment note does not appear on the architectural elevation drawings. Recommendations: • Reduce the size of the "Kohl's" letters, not the brick panels that form the background for the letters, to reduce the visual emphasis on signage. • Coordinate the elevation and plan drawings regarding the location of the brick panel that contains the "Kohl's" sign on the front elevation. • Revise the pink brick to a darker red color and provide a larger sample for review. • Add more trees next to the Kohl's building to further relieve the blankness of the long, blank wall areas on the north and east elevations. • Provide a consistent row of trees along the south side of the truck route. Issue: Shopping center signs Comments: • A freestanding monument sign has been proposed. It is approximately 12' tall, has a brick base and piers, 4 tenant panels, an arched top, and precast bands and detail. The drawing does not indicate the exact height, that the brick will match the shopping center building brick, the material or color of the tenant panels, the type of illumination proposed, or the color of the text. The monument sign is proposed for the south side of the Town Center Drive entrance into the site. • Wall sign criteria are outlined for the shopping center buildings on sheet A502. The criteria specify internally illuminated channel letter signs with red, white or green faces and letter height not exceeding 2'. Specific shades of red and green have not been identified. Signs are illustrated on the brick wall surfaces ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 2 below the arched pediments and in the EIFS bands. This sign proposal is similar to proposals previously reviewed and approved for other locations in the Entrance Corridors, including Northtown Center on Route 29 North. Recommendations: Identify specific shades of red and green for the wall signs. Revise the freestanding monument sign drawing to indicate: the maximum height shall not exceed 12', that the brick will match the shopping center building brick, the material and color of the tenant panels, the type of illumination proposed, and the color of the text. Provide color samples. Issue: Shopping center buildings Comments: • The tower elements of the shopping center buildings measure 33' tall from the first floor level. From ground level they reach up to 38' 5" tall. At the previous review, the ARB indicated that a 30' height was preferred, but 33' tall may be acceptable. Those towers closest to the EC range from 33' to 34' 6" tall, measured from ground level. Below the arched pediments, the towers are treated with signs or brick detailing, and each tower contains windows or an entrance. There is no apparent hierarchy established among the towers. • The footprint of Building J shown on the site plan does not seem to correspond to the south elevation of Building J as shown on the architectural drawings. Recommendations: Coordinate the footprint and architectural elevations for Building J. Issue: Planting Comments: • Planting at Stormwater Facility: • The applicant has included the stormwater facility on the plans as requested, but has indicated that the facility may be revised to a wet pond. This means that the planting plan would change, with fewer plants proposed and plants only provided at the perimeter of the facility. An updated plan will be needed for review. Sufficient planting to integrate the pond into the site and the corridor will still be required. • The applicant has indicated that the pond will remain a sediment basin until Area Al is built out, then it will be converted to a permanent biofilter when the proposed plants will be added. The interim appearance of the pond has not been addressed. A phasing plan providing for interim planting to reduce the negative visual impact of the sediment basin on the EC while the shopping center is under construction would be appropriate. • Planting at Retaining Walls: The previous review resulted in a comment requiring the revision of the landscape plan to provide a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs along the tops of both retaining walls on the south side of the truck route, with sufficient planting area to accommodate the proposed plants. Trees have been proposed at the base of the wall, not at the top or between the walls; six of the trees are proposed with their planting size increased from 21 /z" to 4 ". Ground cover is proposed at the top of the wall; shrubs are proposed between the walls. Trees at the top of the wall would meet the travelway tree requirement; trees at the base of the wall would rise above the travelway, but would not have the same relationship to the travelway and would not appear as travelway trees. The planting along the travelway and along the retaining walls should be coordinated with the planting at the pond. Reduced planting at the pond would further support the need for travelway trees planted at the top of the walls along the truck route. • Planting and Easements: The following note was supposed to be added to the plan: "All large tree species shall be located 20' on center minimum from the closest overhead power line and outside the stormwater drainage easement." Trees are proposed no closer than 20' to the overhead power lines. Plants do appear ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 3 within the stormwater easement, but the property owner has indicated that planting within the stormwater easement is acceptable. No other documentation has been received regarding approval for planting within easements. • Parking lot planter size: Previous reviews resulted in a request for parking lot planters to have a minimum of 100 sf of planting area. The applicant has maintained the size at 57 sf, which matches the islands in the Target parking lot. Larger planting area would be better, but no issues with the Target trees have been identified. • Standard planting note: The standard planting note is missing from the plan. Recommendations: Update the plans with a workable planting plan that mitigates the negative impact of the stormwater facility on the EC and provides sufficient planting to coordinate the facility with the surrounding landscape and development. Provide a phased planting plan for the stormwater facility, including interim plants to mitigate the appearance of the facility while it is operating as a sediment basin. Provide all documentation that easement holders do not object to the plants proposed within their easements. Provide a revised planting plan that addresses the ARB requirement for travelway trees and shrubs along the truck route. Issue: Retaining walls Comments: • Comments from the previous review required that the drawings identify the size and proposed color of the Reddi -Rock block for the retaining walls. The color has been identified as "cobblestone Reddi -Rock orange base with Mediterranean top coat ". This is the same color that was approved for the Rivanna Plaza project on Route 29 North. The size of the block is not identified on the plans, but the applicant's memo indicates that the size is 12" x 4 ", which would be appropriate. For enforcement purposes, the block size must appear on the drawings. • Sheet C19 includes a retaining wall safety rail detail. The detail shows an 8' length of picket railing between block piers. A note on the drawing indicates that the detail is for conceptual purposes only and that the dimensions and style may vary. Because the railing is expected to be visible from the Entrance Corridor, the detail must be reliable. Recommendations: Include on the site plan the proposed block size for the retaining wall. Revise the retaining wall safety rail detail to eliminate the reference to conceptual and varying design. Issue: Rooftop Equipment Comments: The architectural elevations suggest that rooftop equipment on the Kohl's building will not be visible from the EC. For enforcement purposes, the standard equipment note should be added to the Kohl's elevation drawing and to the site plan. The note already appears on the shopping center building elevations. Recommendations: Add the following note to the Kohl's architectural drawings and the site plan: "Equipment shall not be visible from the Entrance Corridor." Issue: Lighting Comments: It appears that the number of "A" light fixtures is not coordinated between the plan and the luminaire schedule. Recommendations: Double -check that the number of "A" light fixtures shown on the plan matches the number in the luminaire schedule. ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 4 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Kohl's building design 2. Shopping center buildings: tower heights 3. Stormwater facility: design and planting 4. Retaining walls: appropriate planting 5. Travelway trees along the truck route Staff offers the following comments on the site plan and building design: Regarding the Kohl's design 1. Reduce the size of the "Kohl's" letters, not the brick panels that form the background for the letters, to reduce the visual emphasis on signage. 2. Coordinate the elevation and plan drawings regarding the location of the brick panel that contains the "Kohl's" sign on the front elevation. 3. Revise the pink brick to a darker red color and provide a larger sample for review. 4. Add trees next to the Kohl's building along the long, blank wall areas on the north and east elevations. 5. Provide a consistent row of trees along the south side of the truck route. 6. Add the following note to the Kohl's architectural drawings: "Equipment shall not be visible from the Entrance Corridor." Re arding the Shopping Center buildina design 7. Identify specific shades of red and green proposed for the wall signs. Revise the freestanding monument sign drawing to indicate: the maximum height shall not exceed 12', that the brick will match the shopping center building brick, the material and color of the tenant panels, the type of illumination proposed, and the color of the text. Provide color samples. 8. Coordinate the footprint and architectural elevations for Building J. Regarding the site plan and planting 9. Update the plans with a workable planting plan that mitigates the negative impact of the stormwater facility on the EC and provides sufficient planting to coordinate the facility with the surrounding landscape and development. 10. Provide a phased planting plan for the stormwater facility, including interim plants to mitigate the appearance of the facility while it is operating as a sediment basin. 11. Provide all documentation that easement holders do not object to the plants proposed within their easements. 12. Provide a revised planting plan that addresses the ARB requirement for travelway trees and shrubs along the truck route. 13. Include on the site plan the proposed block size for the retaining wall. Revise the retaining wall safety rail detail to eliminate the reference to conceptual and varying design. 14. Double -check that the number of "A" light fixtures shown on the plan matches the number in the luminaire schedule. 15. Add the following note to the site plan: "Equipment shall not be visible from the Entrance Corridor." ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 5 ATTACHMENT A aL ti � �IRGINZ�FJ COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE Department of Community Development 401 McIntire Road, North Wing Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 -4596 Phone (434) 296 -5832 Fax (434) 972 -4126 October 24, 2008 Dominion Development Resources c/o Janet Miller 172 South Pantops Charlottesville, Va 22911 RE: ARB- 2008 -129: Hollymead Town Center (Area Al) Tax Map 32 Parcels 44 Dear Ms. Miller: The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board, at its meeting on October 20, 2008, completed a preliminary review of the above -noted request to construct a shopping center with related site improvements. The Board offered the following comments for the benefit of the applicant's next submittal. Please note that the following comments are those that have been identified at this time. Additional comments may be added or eliminated based on further review and changes to the plan. Regarding the Kohl's design: 1. Provide legible, to- scale, black and white line drawings of the Kohl's building. 2. Revise the Kohl's design to establish balanced elevations with elements combined in a way that provides for an overall coordinated appearance. Consider incorporating horizontal elements, like a water table in brick, to help tie the elements together. 3. Reduce the size of the Kohl's signs to eliminate the billboard appearance. Eliminate the sign from the truck route elevation. 4. Coordinate the plan with the elevations regarding footprint, building projections, trellises, etc. 5. Provide details on the design, scale, construction and treatment of the trellises, or provide a different solution and appropriate details. 6. Provide brick samples for the Kohl's building. Indicate the material of the coating system for the tilt -up panels. Clarify its texture and finish. Provide samples. 7. Clarify on the elevations that all proposed windows use clear glass and that they are true windows — not display windows or sign areas. If the windows do not provide views into the active space of the building, provide details on their design, construction and treatment. 8. Applicant has indicated the windows in the towers were not true windows. Alternate treatment of those areas and the tower accent utility brick should be considered. ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 6 Regarding the Shopping Center building design: 9. Include directions (north, south, east, west) in the labels on the architectural elevations. 10. Reduce the tower elements in the shopping center to 30' tall maximum. Adjust other elements accordingly to maintain proportions, ensuring that rooftop equipment won't be visible. However the drawings shown at the meeting showing 33' may be acceptable. 11. Coordinate the plans and the elevations for Building J, particularly regarding the location of the entrance. 12. Revise the design of the EC elevation of Building J, by incorporating projections or other architectural treatments, to reduce the mass and increase coordination with the other buildings located along the EC. 13. Revise Building J to use the architecture of the building to screen the loading area, then supplement with planting. Provide an additional section illustrating the necessary screen wall and landscaping. Show that trucks won't be visible from the EC. 14. Revise the plans to include information on the windows of the shopping center buildings, indicating that all windows visible from the EC utilize clear glass and are true windows providing views into the buildings. 15. Variations in tower elements reflecting some hierarchy of the structure is recommended. 16. Elevations should be revised to show true grades at EC buildings. Regarding the site plan and planting: 17. Clarify why the electric line is shown outside the electric easement. Revise the planting plan to include a dimension clarifying that all tree plantings shall be located 20 feet on center minimum from the closest overhead power line. Add a note to the planting plan indicating: "All large tree species shall be located 20 feet on center minimum from the closest overhead power line and outside the stormwater drainage easement." 18. Provide documentation that easement holders do not object to the plants proposed within their easements. 19. For clarity, revise the plant list to provide different key letters for plants of the same species proposed at more than one size. 20. Include CBC in the plant list or delete it from the plan. 21. Revise the plan to include a detail indicating that the parking lot planters have a minimum of 100 sf of planting area and a minimum of 3' depth of planting medium. 22. Revise the plans to include the stormwater pond located west of the truck route. 23. Revise the landscape plan to provide plants throughout the entire surface area of the stormwater pond. Integrate them with the proposed landscaping elsewhere on the site. The pond plantings shall relate directly to the pedestrian trail. Provide a phased landscape plan showing how the pond will be appropriately treated over time. 24. Revise the landscape plan to provide a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs along the tops of both retaining walls on the west side of the truck route. Coordinate this planting with the street tree planting. White Pines or Leyland Cypress shall not be used. Ensure that there is sufficient planting area between the walls to accommodate the proposed plants. 25. Add plants at the base of retaining wall located on the north side of the truck route sufficient in size and number to mitigate its appearance from the EC. Provide an elevation of the east side of the truck route, including the retaining walls, Buildings A and B, and the proposed plants, to clarify the relationship among the retaining walls, buildings, planting, and EC. 26. Indicate on the drawings the size of the Reddi -Rock block and the proposed color. Provide a color sample for review. Indicate the color of the safety railing on the railing detail. The EC portions of the retaining walls should be faced with EC- appropriate materials complimentary of other materials in the shopping center. 27. Make the note regarding the retaining wall located on the west side of the travelway west of Phase 2 legible. 28. Provide for review a site plan that clearly identifies all proposed loading spaces. Ensure that loading spaces are located so that they are not visible from the EC. ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 7 Regarding other issues: 29. Provide information on the plans showing that equipment for the shopping center buildings will not be visible from the EC. Include the following note on the architectural and site plans: "All rooftop, ground and wall mounted equipment shall not be visible from the Entrance Corridor." 30. Provide for review a comprehensive proposal for sign design throughout Area A. Although actual sign text is not expected, all design details are, including: wall sign placement, sign size, type, materials, colors, etc. Ensure that wall signs will not appear over - scaled for the buildings on which they will be located. 31. Revise the lighting plan to include cut sheets that are legible. Provide the lighting plan at the same scale as the landscape plan. Eliminate all light pole /drainage conflicts, as well as any other lighting /utility or landscape conflicts. 32. Provide 3 -D models and a section from the southeast corner of the site through the retention pond up through the proposed Kohl's location. You may submit your application for continued ARB review at your earliest convenience. Application forms, checklists and schedules are available on -line at www.albemarle.org /planning. Revised drawings addressing the comments listed above are required. Include updated ARB revision dates on each drawing and an ARB approval signature panel. Please provide a memo including detailed responses indicating how each comment has been addressed. If changes other than those requested have been made, identify those changes in the memo also. Highlighting the changes in the drawing with "clouding" or by other means will facilitate review and approval. If you have any questions concerning any of the above, please feel free to call me. Sincerely, Margaret Maliszewski Principal Planner CC: Octagon Partners P.O. Box 5548 Charlottesville, Va 22905 NBJ Architecture C/O Neil Bhatt 11537 -B Nuckols Road Glen Allen, Va 23059 HM Acquisition Group LLC P O Box 5548 Charlottesville Va 22905 ARB 12/15/2008 Hollymead Town Center Area Al - Page 8