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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201500113 Staff Report 2015-10-14ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB -2015-113: Timberwood Commons Review Type Amendment to a Site Development Plan: Revisions to an approved architectural design Parcel Identification 032000000041D1 Location On the north side of Timberwood Blvd., just west of the CVS Zoned Planned Development Shopping Center (Cl)/Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Contact PEQUA LLC/Mike Stoneking Magisterial District Rio Proposal To revise the architectural design of an approved building. Context The site is located adjacent to the Hollymead Town Center. Vacant sites are located immediately to the west. To the north, east and south is the developed commercial area at the intersection of Rt. 29 and Airport Road. Visibility The proposed buildings will be visible from the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor. Northbound traffic will have a view of the buildings beginning less than 1000' from the Timberwood Boulevard intersection. Southbound traffic may not be able to view the buildings until reaching the intersection due to intervening development and trees along the frontage of the Seminole Commons buildings. ARB Meeting Date October 19, 2015 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski PROJECT HISTORY DATE APPLICATION/REVIEW TYPE RESULT 8/17/2015 Other Business The ARB directed staff to bring the Timberwood Commons amendment to the Board for a full review, stating that the design did not sufficiently respond to the EC Guidelines. 9/18/2012 ARB -2007-42 minor amendment Revisions approved. 9/23/2008 ARB -2007-42 Certificate of Appropriateness issued. The buildings approved in 2008 used forms, materials, details and ornament resulting in a design with easily recognizable visual connections to traditional architecture of the area. However, the historic architecture. ANALYSIS REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION Purpose 1 The goal of the regulation of the design of development The proposed buildings lack ornament, so they See comments below. within the designated Entrance Corridors is to insure that do not immediately appear to reflect the new development within the corridors reflects the traditional architecture of the area. However, the traditional architecture of the area. Therefore, it is the scale, proportions, and the division of the purpose of ARB review and of these Guidelines, that buildings into bays do reflect elements of local proposed development within the designated Entrance historic buildings. The position of the buildings Corridors reflect elements of design characteristic of the relative to each other and the incorporation of the significant historical landmarks, buildings, and structures slope of the site into the design results in a close of the Charlottesville and Albemarle area, and to promote integration of buildings and land. 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 The proposed buildings are clearly contemporary See comments below. structures should respect the traditions of the architecture designs, marked by a distinct lack of of historically significant buildings in the Charlottesville ornamentation. The scale, materials and forms of and Albemarle area. Photographs of historic buildings in the proposed buildings, however, appear to be the area, as well as drawings of architectural features, compatible with some of the historic buildings of which provide important examples of this tradition are the area. contained in Appendix A. 4 The examples contained in Appendix A should be used as a guide for building design: the standard of compatibility with the area's historic structures is not intended to impose a rigid design solution for new development. 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 EC 5 It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to The proposed development is not located See comments below. establish a pattern of compatible architectural adjacent to the EC. The buildings are setback characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order more than 300' from the right-of-way. This to achieve unity and coherence. Building designs should distance, and a degree of reduced visibility along demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within the corridor resulting from existing construction, the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is landscaping and topography, may allow for a substantially developed, these Guidelines require striking degree of flexibility in design in this location. a careful balance between harmonizing new development The proposed design looks very different than with the existing character of the corridor and achieving the adjacent CVS, which is a part of the view of compatibility with the significant historic sites in the the proposed buildings from the EC. area. Structure design 9 Building forms and features, including roofs, windows, The proposed buildings are clearly contemporary Trade the gray stucco for doors, materials, colors and textures should be in design. A primary distinction between these the proposed brick in the compatible with the forms and features of the significant buildings and many historic buildings of the area parts of the buildings that historic buildings in the area, exemplified by (but not is the lack of ornamentation. An additional level are visible from the Rt. limited to) the buildings described in Appendix A [of the of detailing in these buildings would strengthen 29/Timberwood design guidelines]. The standard of compatibility can be the connection to the historic architecture of the intersection (and move met through scale, materials, and forms which may be area. Focusing the additional detail on the south the gray stucco to parts of embodied in architecture which is contemporary as well corners of the buildings would have the most the building that are less as traditional. The replication of important historic sites impact on the view from the EC. visible from the EC). in Albemarle County is not the objective of these guidelines. The proportions, divisions into bays, and Revise the brick distribution of windows in the proposed designations at the buildings are compatible with the historic northeast corner of the buildings of the area. The proportions of the south building to match building bays resemble the proportions of some colors at the building of the smaller commercial storefronts in the area. corner. The use of brick as a primary building material Enhance the southeast connects the proposed buildings to local historic corner of the south architecture. Stucco painted gray is also used for building and the south wall surfaces of the proposed buildings. The corner of the north stucco is used at the corners of the buildings that building with additional are most visible from the Rt. 29/Timberwood brick detailing or other intersection. Since brick in shades of red is a architectural elements to more recognizable local material than the strengthen the relatively smooth gray surface of the proposed compatibility with stucco, trading the gray stucco for brick at those historic architecture of corners (and moving the gray stucco to parts of the area. the building that are less visible from the EC) could strengthen the compatibility with historic resources and surrounding buildings. (The elevations for the south building appear to mismatch brick colors at the northeast corner.) 10 Buildings should relate to their site and the surrounding The proposed buildings would be built into the Enhance the southeast context of buildings. sloping topography, thus relating well to the corner of the south existing site. building and the south corner of the north The use of brick helps relate the proposed building with additional buildings to the surrounding context, but the brick detailing or other buildings don't share a style with any of the architectural elements to nearby buildings. They look very different than strengthen the the adjacent CVS and have significantly less relationship to the detailing than the approved design for the site to surrounding context. the west. Enhancing the two corners of the buildings that are most visible from the Rt. 29/Timberwood intersection could strengthen the relationship of the buildings to the surrounding context (the CVS has an "enhanced corner treatment") and could help establish an appropriate rhythm along Timberwood Blvd. 11 The overall design of buildings should have human scale. The use of brick, the material and color changes, None. Scale should be integral to the building and site design. the scored stucco, the divided windows, the awnings, and the building projections all help establish human scale in the buildings. The division into two buildings, and building into the slope also support the human scale. 12 Architecture proposed within the Entrance Corridor The relatively small size of the buildings and the None. should use forms, shapes, scale, and materials to create a use of brick as a primary building material help cohesive whole. fit these buildings visually into the surroundings. 13 Any appearance of "blankness" resulting from building The buildings are without ornament and have a Further enhance the design should be relieved using design detail or simple, blocky appearance, but the elevations are building design with vegetation, or both. not blank in the sense that they lack windows or additional brick detailing doors. Aside from the color changes, the or other architectural elevations are very uniform, and the uniformity elements to reduce the can seam bare. This could be reduced with the uniformity of the design. addition of some brick detailing or other architectural treatments. 14 Arcades, colonnades, or other architectural connecting In addition to the forms, colors and materials that None. devices should be used to unify groups of buildings visually connect the two buildings, the position within a development. of the two buildings around the stair and patio unifies the development. 15 Trademark buildings and related features should be The proposed buildings are not trademark None. modified to meet the requirements of the Guidelines. designs. 16 Window glass in the Entrance Corridors should not be Window glass has not yet been addressed. Ensure that window glass highly tinted or highly reflective. Window glass in the meets the following Entrance Corridors should meet the following criteria: criteria: Visible light Visible light transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below transmittance (VLT) shall 40%. Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed not drop below 4001o. 30%. Specifications on the proposed window glass Visible light reflectance should be submitted with the application for final review. (VLR) shall not exceed 30%. Add the window glass note to the architectural drawings. Accessory structures and equipment 17 Accessory structures and equipment should be integrated Some parts of the proposed buildings have taller Show the location and into the overall plan of development and shall, to the parapets that could screen rooftop equipment. height of mechanical extent possible, be compatible with the building designs The finished floor elevation of the buildings, equipment, both on the used on the site. which is above the elevation of the Entrance Corridor, should also help minimize visibility of ground and on the building. Show how the 18 The following should be located to eliminate visibility from the Entrance Corridor street. If, after appropriate siting, rooftop equipment. However, more information visibility of the these features will still have a negative visual impact on the is needed to confirm this. equipment from the EC Entrance Corridor street, screening should be provided to will be eliminated. eliminate visibility. a. Loading areas, b. Service areas, c. Refuse areas, d. Storage areas, e. Mechanical equipment, f. Above -ground utilities, and g. Chain link fence, barbed wire, razor wire, and similar security fencing devices. 19 Screening devices should be compatible with the design of the buildings and surrounding natural vegetation and may consist of: a. Walls, b. Plantings, and c. Fencing. 21 The following note should be added to the site plan and the The note does not appear on the drawings. Add the standard architectural plan: "Visibility of all mechanical equipment mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." note to both the architectural and site drawings. Lighting No changes have been proposed. None at this time. Landscaping No changes have been proposed. None at this time. Development pattern No changes to the site have been proposed. It is recommended that However, there are changes proposed to the the applicant submit an building footprints, so a site plan amendment overlay of the proposed may be required. Submitting an overlay of the revised development on proposed development on the approved plan the approved plan to would assist staff in determining the need for an assist staff in determining amendment and the type of amendment required. the need for an amendment and the type of amendment required. Site Grading No changes have been proposed. None at this time. Signs Signs composed of individual letters are shown Review and approval of a in two locations on the upper walls of the Comprehensive Sign Plan buildings. The individual letter style appears is required prior to appropriate, but no details on the signs have been approval of the provided, so the appropriateness of the signs amendment. Provide cannot be fully determined. It is anticipated that details on the proposed the buildings will contain multiple tenants, so a signage for the buildings. comprehensive sign plan is required. The (Actual business names architectural design appears to provide sufficient are not required.) Indicate space for wall signs in various locations. possible sign locations, - sign type, sign colors, - illumination type, etc. TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing Date/Revision Date Al North Building Plans Sep. 4, 2015 A2 North Building Elevations Sep. 4, 2015 A3 I South Building Plans Sep. 4, 2015 A4 South Building Elevations Sep. 4, 2015 - Model snapshots (Views A -F) Sep. 4, 2015 - Existing conditions photos (6) Aug. 4 and Sep. 3, 2015 - Aerial views (4) Aug. 31, 2015 - Photos of buildings along the County and City Entrance Corridors - Material samples: Brick (General Shale) and mortar: 1) Northern Rose Flashed, WR A2031; 2) Red Centennial Modular, WR A2324; 3) Dutch Chocolate, WR A2492; Stucco: BM 2124030 Deep Silver; Metal coping: BM 2134-20 Midsummer Night; Window frame: Kynar 500/Hylar 5000 aluminum, dark bronze; EIFS: STO 6050 White Linen; Canopy soffit: wood. Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. The degree to which the proposal reflects the traditional architecture of the area. 2. The lack of ornamentation in the design. 3. The proposed materials and colors. 4. The need for a Comprehensive Sign Plan. Staff offers the following comments on the proposal: 1. Trade the gray stucco for the proposed brick in the parts of the buildings that are visible from the Rt. 29/Timberwood intersection (and move the gray stucco to parts of the building that are less visible from the EC). 2. Revise the brick designations at the northeast corner of the south building to match colors at the building corner. 3. Enhance the southeast corner of the south building and the south corner of the north building with additional brick detailing or other architectural elements to strengthen the relationship to the surrounding context and the compatibility with historic architecture of the area, and to reduce the uniformity of the design. 4. Ensure that window glass meets the following criteria: Visible light transmittance (VLT) shall not drop below 40% Visible light reflectance (VLR) shall not exceed 30%. Add the window glass note to the architectural drawings. 5. Show the location and height of mechanical equipment, both on the ground and on the building. Show how the visibility of the equipment from the EC will be eliminated. 6. Add the standard mechanical equipment note to both the architectural and site drawings. "Visibility of all mechanical equipment from the Entrance Corridor shall be eliminated." 7. It is recommended that the applicant submit an overlay of the proposed revised development on the approved plan to assist staff in determining the need for an amendment and the type of amendment required. 8. Review and approval of a Comprehensive Sign Plan is required prior to approval of the amendment. Provide details on the proposed signage for the buildings. (Actual business names are not required.) Indicate possible sign locations, sign type, sign colors, illumination type, etc.