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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201200083 Review Comments Miscellaneous Submittal 2012-07-31ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2012 -83: MicroAire Office Addition Review Type Preliminary Review of a Building Permit Parcel Identification Tax Map 32, Parcel 41D2 Location 3590 Grand Forks Blvd., at the southeast corner of the intersection of Airport Road and Grand Forks Blvd. Zoned Light Industry (LI), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner /Applicant 1641 Edlich Drive Realty LLC /Baskerville Architects (Ed Breeden) Magisterial District Rio Proposal To construct a 2- story, approximately 80' x 150', 25,000 sf office addition. Context The existing building is set back approximately 350' from the Airport Road Entrance Corridor. The Laurel Hill Baptist Church is located across Grand Forks Blvd. to the west. Residences and an entrance to the UVA Research Park are located across Airport Road to the north. The Hollymead Town Center is located to the south. Residential and commercial properties are located to the east. Visibility The existing building on site is visible from the Airport Road Entrance Corridor. It is most visible traveling east on the corridor, when the north and west elevations are visible. Traveling westbound, only the north elevation is visible, as the topography screens the view of the east elevation. The existing north elevation has little architectural detail and appears mostly blank from the road. The proposed addition will have greater visibility than the existing front elevation due to its location 80' closer to the road and its height of I F taller than the existing building. ARB Meeting Date August 6, 2012 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski Project History The existing building at this site was constructed in 1998 to house the US Postal Service. As a federal property, it was not subject to County site plan regulations. Airport Road was designated an Entrance Corridor in 2000. MicroAire occupied the facility in 2011. ANALYSIS REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of development The proposed addition is compatible None. within the designated Entrance Corridors is to insure with the historic architecture of the that new development within the corridors reflects the County and with the architecture of the traditional architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the existing building. purpose of ARB review and of these Guidelines, that proposed development within the designated Entrance Corridors reflect elements of design characteristic of the significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures 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. 3 New structures and substantial additions to existing structures should respect the traditions of the architecture of historically significant buildings in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area. 5 It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to establish a pattern of compatible architectural characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order to achieve unity and coherence. Building designs should demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is substantially developed, these Guidelines require striking a careful balance between harmonizing new development with the existing character of the corridor and achieving compatibility with the significant historic sites in the area. 7 The requirements of the Guidelines regarding Visual order along the corridor could See comments below. landscaping are intended to reflect the landscaping be enhanced by adding trees and shrubs characteristic of many of the area's significant historic to meet the EC guidelines along sites which is characterized by large shade trees and Airport Road and at the west side of the lawns. Landscaping should promote visual order within parking lot. the Entrance Corridor and help to integrate buildings into the existing environment of the corridor. 8 Continuity within the Entrance Corridor should be Tree species and sizes are not identified Provide for review a obtained by planting different types of plant materials on the plan. complete plant schedule that share similar characteristics. Such common with all standard elements allow for more flexibility in the design of information. structures because common landscape features will help to harmonize the appearance of development as seen from the street upon which the Corridor is centered. 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, Brick, split face CMU, and cast stone None. doors, materials, colors and textures should be in shades of red and off -white are the compatible with the forms and features of the primary materials proposed for the significant historic buildings in the area, exemplified by addition. All of these materials are (but not limited to) the buildings described in Appendix compatible with the significant historic A [of the design guidelines]. The standard of buildings of the area and are expected compatibility can be met through scale, materials, and to coordinate well with the existing forms which may be embodied in architecture which is building on site. A composite metal contemporary as well as traditional. The replication of panel is proposed for the upper part of important historic sites in Albemarle County is not the the entrance pavilion. The metal has an objective of these guidelines. anodic clear finish which looks bright 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding silver. Although the metal will have a context of buildings. modern appearance, the amount of metal used is small in comparison to the more traditional masonry materials, and it is used in the entrance pavilion (approximately 260' from the road), which draws on traditional forms. 16 Window glass in the Entrance Corridors should not be The reflectance of the window glass Provide specs on the highly tinted or highly reflective. Reflectance off the has not been specified. proposed window glass. outside pane of glass should be kept below 7 %. Specifications on the proposed window glass and samples of tinted window glass should be submitted with the application for final review. 18 The following should be located to eliminate visibility Although the standard wording isn't None. from the Entrance Corridor street. If, after appropriate used, the plans include a note siting, these features will still have a negative visual indicating that equipment will be impact on the Entrance Corridor street, screening located on top of the building and should be provided to eliminate visibility. a. Loading hidden from the view from the EC. areas, b. Service areas, c. Refuse areas, d. Storage areas, Mechanical equipment could be dashed e. Mechanical equipment, f. Above - ground utilities, and in on the plan and elevations to further g. Chain link fence, barbed wire, razor wire, and similar clarify the lack of visibility. security fencing devices. 21 The following note should be added to the site plan and the architectural plan: "Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." LANDSCAPING: This proposal does not require a site plan or site plan amendment, so only the landscape guidelines that pertain to the proposed architecture apply. Because some additional landscaping is proposed, some additional recommendations are provided. 32 Landscaping along the frontage of Entrance Corridor Some cedar and ornamental trees exist Consider adding 31 /z" streets should include the following: along the EC frontage, but the site does caliper shade trees at 35' a. Large shade trees should be planted parallel to the not meet the 35' on center shade tree on center and Entrance Corridor Street. Such trees should be at least with interspersed ornamentals interspersed ornamental 31/2 inches caliper .... Such trees should be located at guideline. Adding some shade and trees to the existing cedar least every 35 feet on center. ornamental trees along the frontage and ornamental trees b. Flowering ornamental trees of a species common to would help bring the site up to EC along the Airport Road the area should be interspersed among the trees standards. frontage to bring the site required by the preceding paragraph. closer to EC standards. 33 Landscaping along interior roads: An interior drive already exists. A mix Consider continuing the a. Large trees should be planted parallel to all interior of large canopy shade trees and shade and ornamental roads. Such trees should be at least 21/2 inches caliper ornamentals is proposed along its west trees along the curve at .... Such trees should be located at least every 40 feet side. These trees will help mitigate the the north end of the on center. impacts of parked cars in the large drive, avoiding utility parking lot as viewed from the EC. conflicts. Provide for Continuing the trees around the curve review a plant schedule at the north end of the drive would with all standard further mitigate these impacts. Some information. utilities exist in this area, but adding a few trees may be possible. Sizes and species of proposed trees haven't been identified on the plan. 35 Landscaping of parking areas: A parking lot already exists between Consider adding shrubs, a. Large trees should align the perimeter of parking the building and the EC. The proposed minimum 24" high at areas, located 40 feet on center. Trees should be planted addition would be located at the planting, on the west side in the interior of parking areas at the rate of one tree for southern end of this parking lot. There of the parking lot or every 10 parking spaces provided and should be evenly are no existing perimeter or interior along the west side of the distributed throughout the interior of the parking area. parking lot trees. Adding perimeter interior drive. b. Trees required by the preceding paragraph should trees on the north and west sides of the measure 2'/2 inches caliper... parking lot would bring the site into c. Shrubs should be provided as necessary to minimize closer conformance with EC the parking area's impact on Entrance Corridor streets. guidelines. (The parking lot is not Shrubs should measure 24 inches in height. viewed from the east.) However, given the topography, the existing and proposed trees, and the available views, additional perimeter trees may not be necessary. Perimeter shrubs could significantly improve the view from the EC by screening the lower parts of the parked cars. Some utilities run along the west side of the parking lot that may present a planting conflict. An alternate solution may be adding shrubs along the west side of the interior drive. 36 Landscaping of buildings and other structures: A row of 5 ornamental trees is proposed None. a. Trees or other vegetation should be planted along the along the north side of the addition and a front of long buildings as necessary to soften the mix of shade and ornamental trees is appearance of exterior walls. The spacing, size, and proposed along the east elevation. It is type of such trees or vegetation should be determined anticipated that these trees will by the length, height, and blankness of such walls. sufficiently soften the appearance of the b. Shrubs should be used to integrate the site, buildings, building. Shrubs at the base of the and other structures; dumpsters, accessory buildings building would not have much impact on and structures; "drive thru" windows; service areas; and the EC given the distance from the signs. Shrubs should measure at least 24 inches in building to the road and the intervening height. topography. 37 Plant species: Plant species have not been identified. Provide for review a a. Plant species required should be as approved by the Staff based upon but not limited to the Generic Landscape Plan Recommended Species List and Native Plants for Virginia Landscapes (Appendix D). complete plant schedule with all standard information. 38 Plant health: The note does not appear on the plan. Add the following note to The following note should be added to the landscape the plan: "All site plan: "All site plantings of trees and shrubs shall be plantings of trees and allowed to reach, and be maintained at, mature height; the shrubs shall be allowed to topping of trees is prohibited. Shrubs and trees shall be reach, and be maintained at, pruned minimally and only to support the overall health of mature height; the topping the plant." of trees is prohibited. Shrubs and trees shall be pruned minimally and only to support the overall health of the lant." 39 The relationship of buildings and other structures to the The addition is oriented with the None. Entrance Corridor street and to other development existing building; both sit at a slight within the corridor should be as follows: angle to the EC, but the angle is not a. An organized pattern of roads, service lanes, bike pronounced when viewing the site from paths, and pedestrian walks should guide the layout of the road. The entrance pavilion is the site. angled toward the Grand Forks /Airport b. In general, buildings fronting the Entrance Corridor Road intersection and the main view street should be parallel to the street. Building from the road. groupings should be arranged to parallel the Entrance Corridor street. c. Provisions should be made for connections to adjacent pedestrian and vehicular circulation systems. f. The placement of structures on the site should respect existing views and vistas on and around the site. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. General building design and orientation 2. The design of the entrance pavilion 3. Proposed building materials, including the metal panel 4. The need for additional landscaping Staff recommends approval of the proposal with the following conditions: 1. Provide specs on the proposed window glass. 2. Provide for review a complete plant schedule with all standard information. 3. Add the following note to the plan: "All site plantings of trees and shrubs shall be allowed to reach, and be maintained at, mature height; the topping of trees is prohibited. Shrubs and trees shall be pruned minimally and only to support the overall health of the plant." The applicant may wish to consider these additional recommendations: 4. Consider adding 3'/2" caliper shade trees at 35' on center and interspersed ornamental trees to the existing cedar and ornamental trees along the Airport Road frontage to bring the site closer to EC standards. 5. Consider continuing the shade and ornamental trees along the curve at the north end of the drive, avoiding utility conflicts. Provide for review a plant schedule with all standard information. 6. Consider adding shrubs, minimum 24" high at planting, on the west side of the parking lot or along the west side of the interior drive. 7 SUBMITTAL ITEMS REVIEWED This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing Date /Revision Date 1 Cover 6/20/12 2 Existing Conditions 6/20/12 3 Site Sections 6/20/12 4 Site Plan 6/20/12 A1.1 1st Floor Plan 6/22/12 A1.2 2nd Floor Plan 6/22/12 A2.0 Elevations & Exterior Finish legend 6/22/12 - Proposed Addition — Northwest Corner 6 -22 -12 - Site photos - Material sample board 6/22//1/2