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2019-40_Rock-Armor_DR-Narrative_08.20.2020Architecture Northwest P.A. 224 16th Avenue South Nampa, Idaho 83651 matt@arcnw.com Ph. 208-467-3377 Fax 208-467-4343 DATE: Monday August 20, 2020 TO: Community Development; Planning Department 33 E Broadway Avenue, Meridian, Idaho 83642 ATTENTION: Planning Staff PROJECT: Rock & Armor Fitness Center 1649 E Pine Street Meridian, Idaho 83642 REGARDING: Design Review – Narrative Letter NARRATIVE: The proposed ‘Rock & Armor’ fitness and training center is to be located on two adjacent lots (parcels: R6108100010 and R6108100020) at the southeast corner of the intersection of Locust Grove road and Pine Avenue, both of which are arterial roadways. There are no culturally significant buildings or site anywhere in the immediate vicinity the applicant is aware of. The proposed new building will sit entirely on the southwest corner of lot 1, block 1 of the Nola Sub with the main building entrance located near the center of the lot. A pedestrian walkway will run along the entire length of the northern building façade and outdoor training area to connect with the public way on the western boundary along Locust Grove road. An existing landscape buffer that is planted with trees and sod runs along both the northern and western boundaries of the site between the site parking and existing public sidewalk. Vehicular access to the site will be through a shared access driveway and a 20 ft shared access easement across the northern boundary of lot 2. The site can also be accessed from N Nola rd to the east through a secondary ingress / egress easement that runs along the southern boundary of lot 3 and connects to a drive aisle along the eastern boundary of lot 2 that is flanked by parking on both sides. The proposed new building will face arterial roadways on two facades, the West will face N Locust Grove Rd and the northern façade will face E Pine Ave. While all faces will have architectural detailing, particular attention has been paid to the west and north facades because of their high visibility. Being positioned on a corner lot the proposed shares property boundaries on the south with a trucking yard, and with a daycare on the east. The proposed new building will have stucco and masonry in common with the daycare on the east and pre-finished metal siding and roofing with the trucking company on the south. On the west façade there is symmetry and rhythm with materials, parapet articulation, and pop-out and recesses in the wall face. The far east façade is Architecture Northwest P.A. 224 16th Avenue South Nampa, Idaho 83651 matt@arcnw.com Ph. 208-467-3377 Fax 208-467-4343 all about symmetry with the bumped-out and raised stucco parapet walls wrapping around the corner from the north and south faces which mirror those on the western facade. Two large, glazed overhead doors are centrally located and balanced in the center of the wall. The façade in between the parapet walls are pre-finished metal siding with concealed fasteners. On the northern façade, like the western façade, rhythm is created using materials, articulation of the parapet height, and pop-out and recesses in the wall faces. The stucco parapet walls that repeat along the northern and southern facades in particular, each spaced 16 ft apart create rhythm. On the northern more visible façade the top of these walls rise above the eave height creating articulation at the roof line. Along with the pushing and pulling articulation of the building face there are (3) different colors of pre-finished metal siding and trim in (2) different siding profiles, (2) different colors of stucco, and the CMU block selection to provide ample variation in color and texture around the proposed building. The scale of the proposed building is comparable to other buildings in the immediate area. The proposed structure has two primary volumes, the PEMB and a traditional “stick built” single story volume. The approach and main entry into the building is at the intersect of the larger PEMB and this smaller volume at the nw corner. It is intended that this entrance through the smaller volume will be much more approachable and less overbearing. The proposed building has two sections of roof, the main PEMB roof, and the lower roof over the smaller building volume. The top of parapet height for the main PEMB roof is 25 ft. the top of parapet height for the lower roof is 16 ft. The lower roof is a flat roof surrounded by articulated parapets. The larger PEMB roof is a straight single ridge gable roof. This roof is approximately 150 ft long running east to west. On the west end the roof is completely covered by parapet walls. On the east end part of the gable is seen between the raised parapets that wrap the corners from the north and south. The PEMB roof from the south is mostly visible excepting where the raised parapets wrap around from the east and west facades. roof articulation however does occur on the southern façade where the roof slope extends at the eaves between the repeating stucco wall bump-outs creating approximately 30’’ deep dropped soffits over the high windows along the southern façade. The northern façade is treated much the same excepting that the bumped- out stucco walls are extended vertically creating parapet conditions. This provides that over 27% of the 150 ft PEMB roofline is broken by parapet walls. As on the southern façade the sloping roof extends between the parapet walls creating the dropped soffits. These dropped soffits provide a sense of dimensionality and depth by casting deep shadows. Facade modulations occur in multiple locations on each face of the building. These are primarily accomplished by projecting wall faces anywhere between 6 in. to 1 ft. 8 in. The repeating stucco walls that occur on the north and south facades and wrap the corners onto the east façade all bump out 6 in. On the single story volume at the proposed NW corner of the building there are walls that protrude 6 in. in one area and 12 in. in another with Architecture Northwest P.A. 224 16th Avenue South Nampa, Idaho 83651 matt@arcnw.com Ph. 208-467-3377 Fax 208-467-4343 varying materials in each. The west façade has the most modulation with protrusions between 6 in. out to 1 ft. 8 in. and 3-different materials and textures across the facade. At all but one entrance or exit from the building there is a canopy to not only provide shelter for clientele, but also serve as an identifier for the building’s entrances and exits and enhance the pedestrian scale. These canopies have the darkest color on the building in order to provide contrast and stand out. The proposed building fenestration does comply with the required 30% minimum by utilizing the applicable industrial district limit of 30 ft. around the building entrance. To increase the amount of building fenestration two of the secondary entrance/exit doors were changed to full-lite doors on the north façade. The applicant and owner would thus contest that a good faith effort has been made to comply with all of the requirements of the architectural standards manual for a commercial building even though it is to be located in an industrial district. During the Planning and Zoning public hearing for the CUP more than one of the commissioners commented on the appropriateness of the building’s design as a good combination of commercial and industrial. The applicant respectfully requests approval the proposed designs for the new Rock and Armor Fitness facility as presented. Should you have additional questions or need anything further in consideration of this application please feel free to contact the applicant at any time. Thank you. Kindest regards, Matt Garner Architectural Associate