HomeMy WebLinkAbout5_PN _Project Narrative_Site_Plan_v1Date: September 27th, 2023
TO: Andrew Van Gordon
City of Renton, Department of Community & Economic development
RE: PROJECT NARRATIVE: Dreamliner – 30-unit Multifamily Mixed-Use Apartment Building
SITE INFORMATION:
Parcel Number: 722930-058002
Site Address: 511 Airport Way, Renton, WA
Lot Size: 16,000 square feet (0.37 acres)
Zoning: Commercial Arterial (CA) and Commercial Downtown (CD)
Comprehensive Plan: Commercial Mixed Use
A 6-story mixed-use multifamily residential apartment building, featuring 30 rentable units and 38
parking stalls, is proposed for the site at 511 Airport Way in Renton. These units will be available for rent
and not for owner occupancy.
The current site is a vacant lot, covered in grass, with an asphalt paved parking lot on its eastern edge.
The site spans approximately 16,010 square feet, bordered to the North by Airport Way, to the East by a
commercial development in the CD zone, to the South by Tillicum Street with CD and Residential zoned
properties, and to the West by a Commercial development. The site itself is primarily zoned as CA
(Commercial Arterial), encompassing 10,621 square feet, and CD (Center Downtown), totaling 3,542
square feet.
The proposed building will stand at 6 stories tall, reaching a height of 75’ above grade plane elevation.
It will be constructed as Type VA over Type 1A construction, equipped with an automatically sprinklered
NFPA 13 system. The gross area of the building is estimated at 56,035 square feet, which includes
parking facilities, 4 residential levels within the CD zone, and 3 residential levels within the CA zone.
Additionally, there will be 3,218 square feet of commercial space at the ground level.
While the topography of the site is relatively flat, the soil composition is loose, sandy, and susceptible to
liquefaction, as indicated in the Geotech report and letter provided with the application.
All required parking spaces for the development will be provided within a secure parking garage within
the building. Retail parking spaces will be available at ground level, while residential parking stalls will be
situated directly above the retail space and accessed via a 15% driveway ramp. We have provided a
narrative in support of the justification for the 15% slope to meet parking count and zoning code
requirements, which is included in the application.
Due to the high-water table at the site and the poor soil prone to liquefaction, excavation below grade
to provide parking was deemed infeasible, as recommended in the letter provided by the Geotechnical
engineer.
The site boasts four significant trees along Airport Way, all of which will be preserved.
Fire access will be facilitated from Airport Way per the city's Fire department since Tillicum Street is only
16 feet wide. The vehicular access curb cut from Airport Way has been thoughtfully planned between 2
trees providing sufficient distance to accommodate the required width of 20’ required for fire access.
The owner will be responsible for ensuring the proper maintenance and trimming of these trees as
needed to always ensure access is not blocked.
A second vehicular entry is provided from Tillicum Way, which is expected to be the preferred access
point for most motorists due to the busy nature of Airport Way, a Principal Arterial Street, and the
presence of a 3-way intersection nearby.
Pedestrian access to the residential and retail portions will be directly from the sidewalk on Airport Way.
Proposed offsite improvements include frontage enhancements along Airport Way, featuring a wider
sidewalk and landscaping. The 15-foot building setback creates an opportunity to offer pedestrian-
oriented amenities along the main facade. Additionally, fire hydrants and sewer and water lines, as
noted in the civil plans, will be installed.
The total construction cost, including Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FFE), is estimated to be
approximately 9 million dollars.
Sincerely,
Lavina Wadhwani, Principal
Veer Architecture, PLLC