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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRS_Urban_Center_Design_Overlay_District_Report_191018_v1 55 South Atlantic Street • Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • 206.682.7525 / Fax. 206.682.7529 Oct 18, 2019 City of Renton Dept. of Community and Economic Development 1050 S. Grady Way Renton, WA 98057 RE: Urban Center Design Overlay District Report Site: 1625 Duvall Ave NE KC Parcel #: 516970-0129 Permit #: PRE 17-000639 Project Name: 1625 DUVALL AVE NE OFFICE BUILDING The proposed project at 1625 Duvall Avenue NE, Renton, Washington and is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of NE 17th Street and Duvall Avenue NE is part of Urban Design District ‘D’. The following is a summary of compliance with the applicable design requirements from 4-3-100 Urban Design Regulations. The building’s primary facade faces busy Duvall Avenue NE with an entry and small landscaped courtyard area near the corner with the residential NE 17th Street. The building provides a pleasant transition zone between the commercial and automobile-oriented businesses to the south and east from the residential neighborhoods to the west and north. The building is configured with offices on a second floor over partially covered parking and is surrounded with extensive landscaping, attractive concrete masonry (CMU) screen walls capped with trellises. The building’s abundance of windows on all sides makes the building feel open as seen from outside and from within. Natural light is abundant but controlled by deep roof overhangs to the east. The low roof forms and pitched roofs don’t shade any of the neighbors. The vehicular entry is located off NE 17th Street and parking areas are screened by a combination of CMU screen walls, berms, and landscaping. The building entry is in a prominent location near the corner and well connected to the main sidewalks and includes a feature planting area. The distinctive entry area with a pedestrian scaled entry is well lit and is enhanced with decorative sconces. The roof above protects the entry area and features a large clear glass door with sidelights and a transom with ample views 55 South Atlantic Street • Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • 206.682.7525 / Fax. 206.682.7529 2 and out of the building lobby. A secondary entrance to the lobby is provided from the parking garage. The building uses a combination of smaller and modulated building forms, residential siding and roof forms & pitches, cmu screenwalls, trellises, landscaping and berms to melt commercial uses into the residential neighborhoods. From many perspectives, the building’s mass feels more like a single-story structure than a 2 story building because of these features. Service elements have been screened as much as possible to reduce potential negative impacts. Waste and recycling containers are stored in an attached enclosure with a roof and self-closing doors. The surrounding walls are CMU to match the building and are landscaped on 2 sides. Transformers and water utilities are either in grade or are located behind landscaping as permitted. Parking is located under the building and is served by a 2-way drive aisle. The location allows for an efficient parking layout with easy access to the lobby. The configuration also allows for a substantial 15-foot landscaped buffer between parking and the residential neighbor to the west. No parking is located between a building and the street on either frontage. A single 24-foot wide vehicular driveway is provided. It meets both the minimum driveway standards and has limited or no impact to the sidewalk. Pathways on site are organized to provide easy access to the building entry from the sidewalk. Low and colorful feature plantings, low seating walls, and a bench make the entry have a park- like feel, despite being on a busy street. The pathways connect directly to both the building lobby and to the parking area beyond. The pedestrian experience has been given the highest priority to comply with the design guidelines. The main entry has a small inviting courtyard surrounded by low seating walls scaled for small groups and enjoying the outdoors. The entry area seating walls are constructed with the same decorative CMU blocks as the building and work to visually extend the building into the landscape. Plantings on further enhance the pedestrian environment. The roof canopy at the entry extends to the maximum extent possible considering setbacks, corner sightlines and areas otherwise substantially landscaped and bermed. In addition to the entry area that provides an open space for informally meeting, the park-like landscaping on slopes in front of the building and its south and east sun exposure would be appealing to users. The building configuration over semi-covered parking naturally provides a visually interesting 55 South Atlantic Street • Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • 206.682.7525 / Fax. 206.682.7529 3 structure. The modulation of the façade exceeds district standards with no unmodulated façade more than 40’ and has deep modulations. Variation in window size and locations in combination with varying belly bands add visual interest. Near ground level, there are numerous finish details that add interest to the building. CMU walls, which are used for the lower building walls, retaining walls, and seating walls has a unique use of ground and natural gray block arranged in a random pattern. The result is CMU block with the feel of stone that blends into the landscape. Atop many of the retaining walls are trellises. CMU columns with sconce lighting flank the building entry. All windows are large and have clear glazing. The two story lobby and stair area is surrounded with substantial windows. The windows on the east side of the building, although well above ground level, appear close to grade because of the berms and add to the human scale of the building. Further up on the building, the pitched roofs and lap siding conceal office functions inside. The roof features standing seam roofing that with many 3:12 slopes and overhangs is residential in character. The roof uses a combination of gables and hipped forms to break down the scale of the building. The pitched roof also conceals a roof well with rooftop mechanical units, and an elevator shaft. In the recess on the east side of the building, the deep roof overhang provides substantial shading, important to the offices inside. The lap siding on the upper walls matches many of the neighborhood homes. For added interest, belly bands enhance the horizontality of the building and emphasize portions of the building in a way that tricks the eye into thinking you’re looking a multiple structures when it’s actually only just one. Lighting further enhances the character and safety of the building. The front entry is enhanced by both sconce lights and downlighting within the entry soffits. At the garage, there is general down lighting which generates a general glow from within the building during dark hours. The garage has a sconce over the entry that provides indirect downlighting and a small uplight component that washes the siding. The city’s decorative street lights further add interest and general lighting at the entry area. 55 South Atlantic Street • Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • 206.682.7525 / Fax. 206.682.7529 4 The following is a graphic summary of the project’s urban design features: project: 17.033 file: 15.002 Dental Office AC21.pln printed: 10/7/19 © Broderick Architects, PLLC Low walls that incorporate plants, near building entrance and adjacent to public entry court that facades the street. Distinctive entry with a pedestrian scaled roof faces the street corner. Wall mounted sconces make the entry inviting and provide walkway lighting. Downlights provided in entry soffit. Outdoor group seating on walls and durable bench. Site furniture doesn't impred or block pedestrian access to public spaces Trellises atop cmu screen walls conceal parking beyond and enhance the exteriors of the building Sidewalks around feature planting area enhance pedestrian usability. Waste/ recycling enclosure w/ roof and self-closing door. CMU block matches the rest of the building & screen walls CMU block is a random pattern of ground and natural faced gray cmu, results in a unique old stone look. 8' Planting Strip 8' Sidewalk 3' Planting Strip New ADA Curb RampFeature planting area Utilities screened by landscaping 5' Sidewalk 5' Planting Strip Pitched roof forms and slopes are similar to adjacent residences Lap siding and trim boards similar to adjacent residential structures Building form and massing is modulated. Modulations occur at intervals less than 40' Clear glazed windows throughout to enhance the building's transparency. Roof forms conceal roof well containing mechanical equipment Roof conceals elevator shaft. CMU block matching the rest of the building conceals elevator mechanical room Street Trees, typ. Extensive Landscaping Sconce provides driveway lighting. Garage has downlighting View from Duvall Ave NE, near Intersection