Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01_Gramercy Commons_CZC Owner Narrative V1CUEIDR IAy APPROVED DATE 04/11/22 FILE NUMBER' A-2021 0- munity Development; Planning Department Broadway Avenue, Meridian, Idaho 83642 ATTENTION: Planning Staff PROJECT: Gramercy Commons REGARDING: CZC Application Narrative for Gramercy Commons PAST APPROVALS: Conditional Use Permit, June 17, 2021 DA Modification, May 25, 2021 NARRATIVE: Intermountain Pacific is proposing to construct an apartment building at 1925 S Wells Ave in the mixed -use Gramercy District. The proposed building will be four stories tall, with three levels of structured parking surrounded by 3-4 stories of wood framed residential apartments. It will sit approximately 270 feet East of S Wells Ave along E Blue Horizon Drive, 54 feet North of E Goldstone St, and approximately 659 feet south of E Gala Street. The proposed building has a footprint of approximately 80,000 square feet and gross square footage of 286,656. In crafting the architecture, great care has been taken to respect the surrounding urban fabric while still being honest to this project's scale and presence. Situated between commercial and residential zones, Gramercy Commons strives to infuse a vibrant living community at the core of the Gramercy District. At 45 feet in height, the building sits well below the 65ft height limit and meets the commercial zone to the northeast. Toward the south and the neighboring residential zones, the building steps down to 35 feet matching the scale and context of the surroundings. Around the building, large outdoor courtyards help break down the building into smaller components. Along the east side, an entry plaza greets visitors and offers a public face to the project. To the West, the generous sunset lounge offers residential privacy. Adjacent to the north facade, a pollinator garden and pickle ball courts provide activities for residents. At the south edge of the project, a large pool amenity is carved out to create a grand courtyard that acts as the building's center of activity. Together these courtyards break the building into smaller -scale components with a series of articulated volumes reinforced by their context. The Treasure Valley's climate provides year-round opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. A key factor in this, however, is shelter and shade from the hot summer sun. The architecture of Gramercy Commons creates shade and shadow, providing respite and protection from the high summer temperatures. The large courtyards and north -south alignment provide such environments. The majority of residences face east, west, or north, and those that do face south have deep balconies, canopies, and shades to protect from the hot sun. The articulation of the building facades further enhances this notion of protection on the west faces, where units are in danger of overheating. An alternating rhythm of bays and recessed balconies create a stepped shape that help shade from the sun while still offering views from inside units. As a new multifamily project knit into the Gramercy District, the details and warmth of materials should provide a sense of "coming home," particularly for the 55 and older resident demographic. Brick is a key component of Gramercy architecture and in our project, it accentuates and anchors the east facades of the building. Brick is durable, but it also has a textural and human scale. The project proposes using Norman brick, which is longer than the more prolific Modular brick. The brick is complemented by a neutral toned CUEIDR IAN APPROVED 11so iding that defines the more residential portions of the building. The material tones are warm oaf„/22 n from the existing surrounding context. Between these materials, dark board & batten siding DATE rast and variations in color that serve to break down the scale of the buildings, but the FIIF NUMBER:^-2021-0- create a sense of relief. At 286,656 gross square feet, the four-story building comprises three parking levels, with three to four levels of apartments around it. The building consists of two separated primary occupancies: an S-2 "Parking Garage" wrapped by an R-2 ("Residential Apartments"). Both components are Type V construction, and the residential floors completely conceal the garage within. The garage contains 176 parking spaces, which is more than the required one stall per unit in a garage or covered area. An additional 103 parking spaces are found outside the garage at grade providing a total parking count of 279 stalls. Additionally, there will be two bicycle storage rooms. One is outside the building along the South pool courtyard that securely stores 37 bikes. The other room is located near the garage on the first floor and securely stores 26 bikes for a combined total of 63 bike stalls. The residential floors of the building contain 169 apartments of Type V construction. The apartment mix is composed of 3 Studios, 53 1-Bedroom units, 66 1-Bedroom + Den units, and 47 2-Bedroom units. At the ground floor, a grand two-story lobby welcomes visitors from the east courtyard plaza and connects directly to the pool courtyard on the south. Residential amenities include a community room (Occupancy Group A), fitness room, game room, theater room, and coworking space. On the third floor there is a craft room with an exterior terrace overlooking the plaza with easterly views to the distant foothills. Additional uses include recreational spaces, ground floor trash, mechanical spaces, leasing and management areas, and unit storage. The site offers two vehicular access ways from Wells Avenue. The primary entrance is positioned due west of E Blue Horizon Ave, about halfway down the easterly property line. A supportive plaza with inviting seating elements and planting serves as the front porch and public face of the building. From the plaza, a streetscape with surface parking rings the north and east sides of the site, providing vehicle circulation and access to the garage. Along the south and west sides of the site an emergency access fire lane buffers the building from the property line. Together, the streetscape, landscape, and outdoor spaces for the project create a connected network of amenities that beautify and activate the area while enhancing resident livability. Immersed in planting typologies of the region (High Desert, Foothills, and the Boise River), the landscape connects people to place and the natural beauty of the Treasure Valley. Riparian planting with groves of River Birch, cultivars of Willows and Dogwoods in small thickets provide year-round interest and culminate in gathering spaces that front and connect to the neighboring Gordon Harris Park and the Diane and Winston Moore multi -use pathway. The main trash and recycling storage will be in the southeast corner of the garage. Trash and recycling will be taken by building staff to the screened pickup area located on the northwest corner of the site where it will be picked up by Republic Storage. Overall, the project integrates the spirit and intent of the City of Meridian Architectural Standards Manual while maintaining modern forms. To our knowledge, this design is in full compliance with the requirements. Should there be any questions or need anything further to consider this application, please feel free to contact the Owner's representative, Mike Chidester, at 208.871.6844.