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00 - Cover Sheet (2)~e~~~ l ,~.~COr~I's Public Notice Meeting of the Downtown Design Advisory Board (DDAB) Wednesday, November 10, 2004 1777 Broadway, Municipal Building Lobby 4 p.m. The followine item will be discussed: 1. Review and discussion of plans for a remodeling of the Mustard's Last Stand restaurant at 1719 Broadway. 2. Review and discussion the draft Twenty Ninth Street Design Guidelines. 3. Review and discussion of a progress set of the Twenty Ninth Street Tenant Design Manual. 4. Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan 2005 Update: Urban Design Policy Focus Area Discussion For further information on these projects, please contact: Elizabeth Hanson at (303) 441-3287, or hansonl@ci.boulder.co.us Brian Holmes at (303) 441-1880, or holmesbna,ci.boulder.co.us For administrative assistance, please contact: Heidi Straszewski at (303) 441-3274, or straszewskih(a~ci.boulder.co.us CITY OF BOULDER ,/~~~~ Planning and Development Services ~~ ~ ~ 1739 Broadway, Third Floor • P.O. Box 791, Boulder, Colorado 80306-0791 ~ phone 303-441-1880 • fax 303-4413241 • email plandevelop@ci.boulder.co.us www. ci. bou Ider.co, us/pwplan/ MEMORANDUM November 5, 2004 TO: Downtown Design Advisory Board FROM: Elizabeth Hanson, Acting Land Use Review Manager SUB7ECT: November 10, 2004 DDAB Meeting NOVEMBER 10 MEETING The packet for the November 10 DDAB meeting includes the following: 1. Plans for a remodeling of the Mustard's Last Stand restaurant at 1719 Broadway Due to budget considerations, FAM is scaling back the original proposal to remodel Mustards (initially reviewed by DDAB 10/8/03). Since the new proposal reflects some changes to the original design and specific materials reviewed by DDAB, staff has scheduled the plans for additional DDAB review and comment. Because this will be a familiar project for most of the Board, it should be a brief item. 2. The draft Twenty Ninth Street Design Guidelines This draft, for DDAB review and comment, reflects previous DDAB - Westcor discussions. DDAB would consider a recommendation on the final design guidelines at a later date. (Please note that specific colors shown in this design guidelines dra~t may appear more saturated than intended. A more accurate color palette will be av.ailable at the meeting.) 3. A progress set of the Twenty Ninth Street Tenant Design Manual For DDAB's review and comment and to determine which portions, if any, of the manual should become a part of the design guidelines. 4. A memo from the Planning and Development Services Long Range Planning Division regarding the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan 2005 Update: Urban Design Policy Focus Area Discussion November 10 is expected to be the first of three meetings for DDAB to provide expertise and recommendations in the area of urban design. DDAB is asked to: • Review the charge, Planning Board's direction, and the desired outcome • Review the applicable current Comp Plan policies • Identify key issues and challenges that need to be addressed If you have any questions, please call me at 303-441-3287 or e-mail hansonl@ci. boulder.co. us. ATTACHMENTS A October 27, 2004 DDAB Review Comments for Twenty Ninth Street Site Review Plans and Desi.gn Guidelines B Materials for review and discussion Attachment A October 27, 2004 DDAB (Downtown Design Advisory Board) Review Comments for Twenty Ninth Street: - Foley's Remodel - Preliminary Architecture - Home Depot - Preliminary Architecture - Century Theatres - Preliminary Architecture - Draft Design Guidelines FOLEY'S 1. Elevations presented are generally in keeping with site plan review approval and are generally liked by DDAB. 2. The expression of a simple box with greater detail at the entry is a sYraightforward and good example of an appropriate way to address an otherwise plain box. DDAB feels that the articulation of the wall surface is good. 3. The entry itself is articulated as an asymmetric glazed enclosure and is in keeping with the guidelines' emphasis upon contemporary styling, literal transparency and non-traditional forms. 4. There was concern that the eastern portion of the south wall, facing Building 1-A North, should conform to the guideline requiring articulation with human scaled elements.The two- story wall is a blank surface that is very large and makes the entryway between buildings more austere than is desirable. Coordination with site furnishings in this area can help alleviate the starkness of this stark wail. 5. The re-built portion of the facade should be of materials and colors compfementary to those used in the rest of the project, with particular attentfon given to the adjacent buiidings across the south facing plaza. 6. DDAB is available for architectural review, but perhaps only after the applicant gets a little closer to a final design. For now, Ehe generel design direction is acceptable. HOME DEPOT 1. The expression of a simple box, in this case constructed of painted tilt-up concrete panels with cast-in chamfer strips, is understood as a straightforward solution. 2. However, the design as presented has too many arbitrery elements and lacks appropriate treatment of the simple box to make it interesting. It does not follow the design guidelines regarding overall architectural language, nor does it meet the level of articulation shown in the Site Review documents. However, it could be made acceptable using the same materials and methods with a different use of color, modulation, and articulation. DDAB supports many of the techniques for design of this building shown in those documents, particularly use of color and regular modulation of the east, north, and west sides similar to what was shown in the original concept elevations. Rather than using a dozen different elements to dress up the exterior, fewer, more special elements would be preferable. Also, DDAB does not support the use of false parapets that do not relate to massing and are only as thick as the wall they are made of. DDAB feels the project looks better without them, and feels they should be discouraged in the design guidelines. 3. As foreground elements, the main entry and contractors' entry are seen as opportunities for the store to express a bolder and more dynamic architecturel presentation, again with emphasis upon contemporary styling, literal transparency and non-traditional forms. The automotive scale of the south elevation as seen from Arepahoe Avenue should be considered. 4. The trellis pieces, marking the outdoor merchandising areas, should be considered in relation to the canopies and arcades located throughout the rest of the district. These are carefully detailed and articulated metal and masonry fabrications with a finer grain of detail that would be set off from the plain box background. 5. The west elevation, particularly the fence enclosure surrounding the outdoor merchandise needs to address the spirit of Twenty Ninth Street. Previous comments regarding the continuation of the pedestrian scale of the street south of Canyon are reitereted here. Consideration of a more articulated fence frame with intermediate members, planting, a possible masonry knee wall, street furniture, and ligfiting can enhance the zone adjacent to the sidewalk. 6. As shown, the arched top of the fencing is of varying radii due to the differing widths of fence sections and appears awkward. DDAB supports a flat top to these eiements, as that is more consistent with the language of the rest of the project. More care should be taken to integrate the fence along 29th Street with the pedestrian zone through the use of planters, benches and possibly the articulation of the fence itself. 7. Continuing the knee wall below the fence as shown in the original proposal could reinforce the continuity around the southwest corner. 8. The east elevation does not agree with site grading plans. There is a planted berm along the 30th Street facade a~d couid be further articulated with a masonry knee wall along the sidewalk with possible pockets for seating. Future submittals must show accurate grade along the building in order for DDAB to provide accurate comment. 9. The clerestory windows on the east elevation as shown in the Site Review documents are in conflict with interior requirements according to the appiicant. DDAB supports including them with trenslucent glass to help break up the blandness of the elevation. However, as pedestrian interest along 30th Street remains an issue; perhaps more detail and articulation at a lower elevation could be substituted. The building indentations at the NE and SE corners of the facade gives some relief; and the security fences, if carefully integrated into the street elevation, could provide further visual relief. 10. The applicant should use richer, more saturated paint colors for the tilt-up panels and set off the metal framing and entry details as natural finish or simply painted in a contresting but compatible color. 11. The screen wall at the loading dock at the NW corner of the building can be relocated several feet to the south to allow more planting along Canyon. 12. Use of "Home DepoY' loqo on major architectural facades (south and east as shown) should be integreted into the design of the architecture. Currently, logos are uncoordinated with the overall building composition, breaks and forms. CENTURY THEATRES 1. Consideration should be given to the perception of the west facade of the theater from both the upper and lower plaza. The facade can act as either the fourth wall of the urban space or be transparent, allowing the lobby to be a continuation of the spatial progression. In either case, continuity of horizontal lintels, belts and/or cornice lines, can reinforce those readings. 2. 3-dimensional study of this building in the context of surrounding buildings and streets is essential. 3. DDAB would like to see the provisions for movie poster display integrated more successfully into the architectural expression of the building. 4. The urban space of the lower plaza is less open and legible than earlier plans. The current placement of the stairs differs from earlier representations. The stairs are now on the central axis of the plaza and occupy a position that breaks the plaza north/south into two lesser spaces and blocks the spatial continuity from the lower drop off area and the lobby. There are numerous precedents for gracious exterior urban stairs, with gentle rise, intermediate landings, meandering alignment, vistas from top and bottom, even places to sit aside the pedestrian flow. What is now shown has yet to achieve such characteristics. 5. There was discussion regarding the composition of the theater facade, though ultimately it needs to be considered in concert with the space before it. The upper plaza is nominally symmetric. In an attempt to open the lower plaza per above comment, consideration of the stair, escalator, and elevator locations might indicate a continuation of that symmetry to the theater facade OR an opportunity to create a dynamically balanced but asymmetric lower plaza and facade. 6. Again there are numerous precedents for urban spaces with four sides all in sedate conformity, and spaces with one side as the set piece, with more elaborate detail, richness of materiai, bolder scale etc. The applicant is encouraged to articulate the theater entrence strongly and inject the sort of exuberance that a"night at the movies" hopes to suggest. However, rather than import a language of detail, it is suggested that decoretion is not simply applied but is integral to the architecture, and, again, there should be an emphasis upon contemporary styling, literal trensparency and non-traditional forms. 7. The east elevation massing is reasonable and the interval accentuated by stepping and recessed vertical "joints" of slate begins to address concerns about what stfll is the back side facing the street. 8. Rather than the false entry perpendicular to the east facade, the major perception of this side of the building will be by moving along the facade either on foot or in vehicles. The extension of the trellis on the north side of the theater around the corner and down 30th could begin to give interest without creating a false front. 9. [New item] Signage, poster boxes, lighting need to address the scale of the street side. Large graphical elements, such as murals or use of artful text should be considered and may be termed "public art", not signage. Ciari~cation of the sign code that allowed quotations at 13th and Spruce might permit graphic representation as well. 10. Orientation and location(s) of the vertical "CENTURY" sign element should be reconsidered as part of addressing the pedestrian/vehicular views of the west fasade. Perhaps the Canyon and north side of the building should be emphasized, rather than the center, as that is where entries and access to the theater actually occur. DESIGN GUIDELINES 1. Progress is being made on the design guidelines. DDAB praises the use of drawings as presented for inclusion into the guidelines, especially the abstract diagrems that convey design intent. It is also suggested that, in addition to marking the regular horizontal bays, notation regarding uniform sill or kick plate height, head, transom, and lintel heights, sign bands and cornice heights be shown.