Design CommissionOct. 26, 2020

Urban Design Matrix — original pdf

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River Street Market & Homes – Downtown Austin Design Guidelines Density Bonus Application Area-Wide Guidelines Urban Design Guideline Achieved? AW.1 Create dense development YES Applicant's Comments This project will deliver a 522,017 square foot residential tower in Downtown Austin with a proposed FAR of up to 23:1. The development will contain 376,901 net square feet of residential space, equaling 392 dwelling units, 7,206 square feet for a ground floor market and 6,034 square feet of restaurant space on the second level. No streets will be permanently closed with this project; however, development will be designed such that the project will not have an impact if the City elects to turn Rainey Street into a festival street. The existing alley will be vacated, but will continue to function as an alley with the building constructed above. This project is located at the center of the Rainey neighborhood and will not have an impact on neighborhood edges. Public art is proposed on the northwest corner of the building, on the façade facing Rainey Street. This is envisioned to enliven the street and help celebrate the culture of the Rainey Street District. The project is not located in a Capitol View Corridor and has been designed as a point tower and to be stepped back from the street to minimize impacts. This project is not designed to replicate any historical styles. The project is situated to respect the historic nature of the Rainey District by utilizing native plantings to serve as green walls throughout the exterior of the building, including the north elevation adjacent to historic bungalows, with textural masonry, concrete, and metal with vegetation to soften the appearance of this modern tower. All mechanical equipment on the rooftop will be screened and incorporated into the project. Additionally, an elevated pool deck on the western portion of the 12th level of the tower will be designed as an outdoor amenity space, with ample native plantings and vegetation. This will not be a themed development. AW.2 Create mixed-use development YES AW.3 Limit development which closes Downtown streets YES AW.4 Buffer neighborhood edges YES AW.5 Incorporate civic art in both public and private development YES AW.6 AW.7 Protect important public views Avoid historical misinterpretations YES YES AW.8 Respect adjacent historic buildings Acknowledge that rooftops are seen from other buildings and the street Avoid the development of theme environments AW.9 AW.10 YES YES YES River Street Market & Homes – Downtown Austin Design Guidelines Density Bonus Application No portion of the existing structures currently on-site are proposed to be recycled as part of this project. AW.11 Recycle existing building stock NO Public Streetscape Guidelines Urban Design Guideline Achieved? Protect the pedestrian where the building meets the street PS.1 YES Applicant's Comments This project embodies Austin’s Great Streets program providing protection for the pedestrian with the utilization of the street tree and furniture zone to separate the pedestrian zone from adjacent vehicular traffic. The project will not contain any curb cuts on Rainey street and the existing alley will remain; the alley will be vacated, but will continue to function as an alley with the building constructed above. Additionally, one curb cut is proposed on East Avenue that will provide ingress/egress to the residential parking garage. The site will have one full curb cut and a drop- off area along River Street. Rainey Street and River Street are two-way streets, while East Avenue fronting the project is currently one-way; the project will be designed to accommodate traffic from both directions. The ground floor will include a market and a beer garden space to invigorate the project at street-level, and bring the inside out and connect the pedestrians to the building and continue the vibrant street life of the Rainey district. In addition, restaurant space on the second level will incorporate an outdoor dining porch fronting River Street. There are no existing transit stops on the abutting roadways; however, the project is within easy access of the Butler and Waller Creek trail networks. The project will construct Great Streets on Rainey Street and River Street creating an enhanced streetscape on Rainey Street and River Street. East Avenue is maintained by TxDOT and will also be Great Streets-compliant. The City Manager is currently investigating a the Great Streets fee-in-lieu option for PS.2 Minimize curb cuts YES Create a potential for two-way streets PS.3 YES PS.4 Reinforce pedestrian activity YES PS.5 Enhance key transit stops N/A PS.6 Enhance the streetscape YES River Street Market & Homes – Downtown Austin Design Guidelines Density Bonus Application Avoid conflicts between pedestrian and utility equipment YES PS.7 PS.8 Install street trees YES PS.9 Provide pedestrian-scaled lighting YES Provide protection from cars/promote curbside parking Screen mechanical and utility equipment PS.10 PS.11 Provide generous street-level windows PS.12 YES YES YES Install pedestrian-friendly materials at street level YES PS.13 Plazas and Open Space Guidelines Urban Design Guideline Achieved? Treat the four squares with special consideration PZ.1 N/A Contribute to an open space network PZ.2 YES install street lighting will be for roadways maintained by lighting will be provided. in accordance with requirement TxDOT. The electric vault for the project is situated on the southeast corner of the site and is recessed beyond the sidewalk clear zone and underneath a building overhang to prevent conflicts between pedestrians and the equipment. in The project will trees conjunction with the Great Streets program along all three street frontages to the greatest extent possible. Pedestrian-scaled Such applicable City regulations. With the installation of Great Streets along Rainey Street and River Street, pedestrians will be protected from cars by the clear and planting zones associated with the Great Streets standards thus providing a buffer between cars and pedestrians. In addition, the project will create a drop-off zone on River Street to avoid conflicts with the vehicular traffic in the area. Pavement types at the curb cuts and alley crossings will change in texture for pedestrian awareness and safety. Mechanical and utility equipment will be screened from view from adjacent right of way. The street level windows for the project will consist of floor-to-ceiling windows throughout most of the ground level of the project. The street level windows for the project will be floor-to-ceiling throughout most of the ground level of the project. All sidewalks are designed to comply with Great Streets. Pedestrian sidewalks will be finished with upgraded paving materials, including pavers and architectural concrete. Applicant's Comments The project is not adjacent to one of the four Downtown Austin squares. The project is designed to encourage the pedestrian and bicycle nature of Rainey Street and to provide improved pedestrian experience River Street Market & Homes – Downtown Austin Design Guidelines Density Bonus Application on sidewalks to enhance connections to nearby trail systems. The project is designed to encourage the pedestrian and bicycle nature of Rainey Street and to provide enhanced access to the Lady Bird Lake and Waller Creek trail systems. The 12th level of the project will include a rooftop deck for residents of the project, which will be landscaped with native plantings. It will also include a swimming pool and seating areas. The 12th level of the project will include a rooftop deck, which will be landscaped with native plantings. Additionally, the project will incorporate plantings along various portions of the exterior walls, creating green walls to combat urban heat islands and to improve air quality. The project will comply with Great Streets requirements along all frontages of the building. Additionally, the project will provide vegetation on the rooftop decks, and plantings on the exterior walls of the tower. These exterior wall plantings will also serve as visual screening of the above-grade parking structure. Emphasize connections to parks and greenways PZ.3 YES. Incorporate open space into residential development PZ.4 YES PZ.5 PZ.6 PZ.7 PZ.8 PZ.9 PZ.10 PZ.11 Develop green roofs Provide plazas in high use areas Determine plaza function, size, and activity Respond to the microclimate in plaza design Consider views, circulation, boundaries, and subspaces in plaza design Provide an appropriate amount of plaza seating Provide visual and spatial complexity in public spaces YES N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A PZ.12 Use plants to enliven urban spaces YES Provide interactive civic art and fountains in plazas Provide food service for plaza participants Increase safety in plazas through wayfinding, lighting, and visibility Consider plaza operations and maintenance PZ.13 PZ.14 PZ.15 PZ.16 N/A N/A N/A N/A River Street Market & Homes – Downtown Austin Design Guidelines Density Bonus Application Building Guidelines Urban Design Guideline Achieved? B.1 Build to the street YES Provide multi-tenant, pedestrian- oriented development at the street level YES B.2 B.3 Accentuate primary entrances YES Encourage the inclusion of local character B.4 YES B.5 Control on-site parking YES B.6 Create quality construction YES Applicant's Comments This project will be built up to the street on all frontages – Rainey Street, River Street and East Avenue. This project will provide pedestrian-oriented beer garden and market uses on the street level, a restaurant with outdoor seating on the second level, and a residential tower above. The primary entrance is located on River Street and will be set further back from the Great Streets sidewalks and accentuated with additional plantings and outdoor seating. The project is planning for local tenants from the Austin and Central Texas area. The landscape uses 100% native and adaptive, low-water use planting. All parking for the project will be provided onsite in a parking garage. Design of the parking structure provides minimal parking given market demand. Additionally, the parking floor plates are designed to be easily converted in the future to occupiable space when there is less demand for cars. The project will be constructed with high quality materials and enclosure systems typical to high- rise building construction.