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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201300139 Review Comments Miscellaneous Submittal 2013-10-25ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2013 -139: Brown Subaru Amendment Review Type Amendment to an Approved Certificate of Appropriateness Parcel Identification 045000000068D4 Location At the northwest corner of the intersection of Rt. 29 North and Hilton Heights Road Zoned Highway Commercial (HC), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner /Applicant S &B Realty Venture LLC/Daggett & Grigg (Clark Gathright) Magisterial District Rio Proposal To remove the existing fieldstone portal, to construct a slate veneer icon tower, and to install an ACM panel fascia to meet national branding standards. Context The Subaru building is located just south of the Brown Auto Park building, and is the second phase of that overall development. The Doubletree hotel is located to the north. Sam's Club is located to the west. Walmart is located to the southwest. The Jim Price auto dealership is located a short distance to the south. A variety of commercial buildings stand on the opposite side of Rt. 29. Visibility The north, south and east elevations of the Subaru building are visible from the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor. ARB Meeting Date November 4, 2013 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski PROJECT HISTORY DATE APPLICATION /REVIEW TYPE RESULT 12/18/2003 ARB- 2003 -116: Brown Auto Park Phase 1 Certificate of Appropriateness issued for the Phase 1 building. 12/20/2005 ARB- 2005 -71: Brown Auto Park Phase 2 Certificate of Appropriateness issued for the Subaru building. 2007 -2013 Sign applications Several sign applications have been reviewed and approved for the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Brown auto buildings at this site. PROJECT DETAILS The proposed renovation includes: Remove the stone portal on the south elevation and infill the storefront windows to match existing. Construct a slate icon tower on the south elevation. Replace the stucco fascia on the south elevation and at the south end of the east elevation with an aluminum composite material (ACM) panel system in bright silver metallic. ANALYSIS REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of The proposal would add a slate tower to the south Eliminate the slate icon development within the designated Entrance elevation of the building and replace some stucco with tower and ACM panels Corridors is to insure that new development ACM panels. Slate used to cover vertical surfaces and from the proposal. within the corridors reflects the traditional ACM panels are not consistent with historic materials in Maintain the stone entry architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the the area. ACM panels have been used in some auto portal. purpose of ARB review and of these dealership renovations (like the nearby Jim Price Guidelines, that proposed development building), but those examples are typically renovations within the designated Entrance Corridors of buildings that predate the establishment of the ECs. reflect elements of design characteristic of The introduction of ACM panels on the Subaru building the significant historical landmarks, would decrease compatibility with the historic buildings, and structures of the architecture of the area. Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to promote orderly and attractive development The form of the slate tower has no particular within these corridors. Applicants should relationship to the architecture of the existing building. note that replication of historic structures is Its proportions resemble a chimney, which is out of neither required nor desired. place in this commercial building. Changing the 3 New structures and substantial additions to building to add the standard slate icon would not existing structures should respect the traditions of the architecture of historically enhance compatibility with Albemarle's significant significant buildings in the Charlottesville historic sites. and Albemarle area. Photographs of historic buildings in the area, as well as drawings of The introduction of these new forms and materials does architectural features, which provide not reflect traditional architecture. The existing Subaru important examples of this tradition are building was approved by the ARB and it meets the EC contained in Appendix A. Guidelines as is. 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, doors, materials, colors and textures should be compatible with the forms and features of the significant historic buildings in the area, exemplified by (but not limited to) the buildings described in Appendix A [of the design guidelines]. The standard of compatibility can be met through scale, materials, and forms which may be embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well as traditional. The replication of important historic sites in Albemarle County is not the objective of these guidelines. 5 It is also an important objective of the The proposed renovation introduces a new form into the Eliminate the slate icon Guidelines to establish a pattern of building design. The height and width of the icon tower and ACM panels compatible architectural characteristics element are sized to be proportional to existing building from the proposal. throughout the Entrance Corridor in order to elements, but the icon looks like a simplified chimney - Maintain the stone entry achieve unity and coherence. Building an element that isn't appropriate for this type of portal. designs should demonstrate sensitivity to commercial building. The proposed icon is much less other nearby structures within the Entrance integrated with the architecture of the building than the Maintain the architecture Corridor. Where a designated corridor is existing stone portal. The portal has a function; it marks of the building as substantially developed, these Guidelines entrance. The slate icon appears tacked on to the originally approved by require striking a careful balance between existing structure. As such, it appears to be simply a the ARB. harmonizing new development with the trademark feature meant to promote corporate identity. existing character of the corridor and achieving compatibility with the significant The Subaru portal relates to the portals on the Auto Park historic sites in the area. building to the north. The portals are visual connecting devices that help create cohesion. Eliminating the stone 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding context of buildings. portal would diminish compatibility and cohesion on site. 12 Architecture proposed within the Entrance Corridor should use forms, shapes, scale, and materials to create a cohesive whole. The loss of stucco fascia on the Subaru building would diminish the compatibility of the Subaru building parts 14 Arcades, colonnades, or other architectural connecting devices should be used to unify to the Subaru building whole, and it would diminish the groups of buildings within a development. relationship of the Subaru building to the Auto Park building, which also incorporates a stucco fascia. The existing building is sufficiently harmonized and SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Removing the stone entry portal and creating a slate icon tower. 2. Replacing stucco at the south end of the building with ACM panels. Staff offers the following comments on the preliminary design: 1. Eliminate the slate icon tower and ACM panels. Maintain the stone entry portal, the stucco band, and the architecture of the building as originally approved by the ARB. TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name compatible with the surroundings as originally designed A -1 Floor plan and elevations 9 -12 -13 and approved. The proposed materials and forms would Cover sheet, description, compatibility 9 -23 -13 2 -4 diminish the cohesiveness of the design of the overall 9 -23 -13 5 -7 Proposed elevations, color renderings development and sensitivity to nearby buildings would 8 -9 Proposed elevations, line drawings 9 -23 -13 be reduced. New floor plan 15 Trademark buildings and related features This proposal is prompted by Subaru's goal to have all Eliminate the slate icon 12 should be modified to meet the locations display the company's national branding tower and ACM panels Material samples: Slate: Camara Shadow Gray; ACM: Alcoa Reynobond, bright silver metallic requirements of the Guidelines. scheme. As such, the design is about corporate identity from the proposal. and advertisement, not compatibility in the Entrance Maintain the stone entry Corridor. portal. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Removing the stone entry portal and creating a slate icon tower. 2. Replacing stucco at the south end of the building with ACM panels. Staff offers the following comments on the preliminary design: 1. Eliminate the slate icon tower and ACM panels. Maintain the stone entry portal, the stucco band, and the architecture of the building as originally approved by the ARB. TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing Date A -1 Floor plan and elevations 9 -12 -13 1 Cover sheet, description, compatibility 9 -23 -13 2 -4 Photos of existing building and surrounding conditions 9 -23 -13 5 -7 Proposed elevations, color renderings 9 -23 -13 8 -9 Proposed elevations, line drawings 9 -23 -13 10 New floor plan 9 -23 -13 11 Details 9 -23 -13 12 Materials list 9 -23 -13 Material samples: Slate: Camara Shadow Gray; ACM: Alcoa Reynobond, bright silver metallic 9 -23 -13