Title
Case 14-0015 4th Avenue Mixed Use Building (Former Case # 08-0117)
Concept Design Review
Report
Site Address:
123 Fourth Avenue West
Applicant:
Columbia Heights Partners, LLC
66 S. Hanford Street, Suite 300
Seattle, Washington 98134
Representative:
Kent Smutny, Veer Architecture,
600 108th Ave., NE
Suite 503, Bellevue, Washington 98004
Project Description:
Construct new seven-story mixed use building containing 138-market rate residential apartments, approximately 7,600-square foot ground floor commercial space along all street frontages, and structured parking for 121-vehicles
Zoning District:
Downtown Business (DB); including Pedestrian Street Overlay District; Downtown Historic District and Design Review District
Comprehensive Plan:
Downtown Business (DB)
Scenic Vista:
None.
Critical Areas:
None.
SEPA Determination:
A Mitigated-Determination of Non-significance was issued for the former project on September 18, 2008. There was an appeal and the Hearing Examiner up-held the staff decision. That decision became final. The applicant has submitted a new checklist with associated updated transportation analysis. The environmental review of this proposal has not yet been completed. Therefore, as typical with the timing of Concept Design Review, the SEPA determination has not been issued.
NOTIFICATION:
Notice was mailed to the adjacent property owners within 300 feet of the project, to the recognized neighborhood associations in the area, and to former parties of record on February 18, 2014. Notice was re-issued (with corrections) on March 10, 2014. City staff hosted a March 6th neighborhood informational meeting and a second informational meeting is scheduled for March 26, 2014.
The Design Review Board previously recommended approval subject to conditions and the Site Plan Review Committee previously approved the former project on September 18, 2008 (File # 08-0117). The SPRC is reviewing the project for compliance with the zoning code (no code changes since the prior approval) and Engineering Development Design Standards (EDDS - which have some changes).
The applicant has proposed changes to the project that include:
• Adding 15-residential apartment units (from 123 to 138 units) by reducing the size and unit type count mix;
• Raising the building height by 5-feet (from 78-feet to approximately 82-foot 6-inches at the corner parapet and 87-foot 10-inches at the roof-top elevator & stair tower);
• Replacing previously approved Columbia Street level structured parking with street front retail.
One additional change in the site frontage made by the City and not the applicant, is to reduce west bound 5th Avenue from two-lanes to one. As a result, the sidewalk width will be increased from the existing 10-foot to up to 18-foot.
The SPRC decision will combine land use review, environmental review, concept design review and EDDS. Attached to this staff report summary is the full staff report containing analysis of the:
• Application & Adjacent Development & Project Context
• Existing Site Conditions;
• Design Issues including:
Historic District
* Surrounding Historic Resources
* Chapter 18.105.020 Structures within an Historic District
Design Review
o Chapter 18.110 Basic Commercial
o Chapter 18.120 Commercial Downtown; and
o (OMC 18.16 Pedestrian Streets is attached for information)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Columbia Heights’s 4th Avenue Mixed Use Building Concept Design proposal with the following conditions:
A. Context Plan: Approve as proposed. No change from prior approval.
B. Preliminary Site & Landscape Design: Approve as proposed. Provide details of any changes to landscape and building wall treatments along the Columbia Street building frontage that ties all three sides of the building together at the time of Detail Design Review.
C. Preliminary Building Design: Conceptually approved as proposed. Provide details of building colors and materials, windows, lighting, and other details as noted below for Detail Design Review.