05. 708 E. 12th Street, Working Group Memo — original pdf

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Date: To: From: Subject: June 12, 2023 City of Austin Design Commission Planning & Urban Design Working Group Density Bonus Working Group review of 708 E 12th Street substantial compliance with the Urban Design Guidelines June 7, 2023; 12:00 pm; Virtual Microsoft Teams Meeting Leah M. Bojo Meeting date: Applicant: The proposed project, 708 E 12th Street, is located on 12th Street between S I-35 Frontage Rd on the east and Sabine Street on the west, it is separated from it’s northern neighbor by an existing alley. The project includes a hotel (565,001 gsf / 527 rooms) and retail (10,965 gsf) on a 49,114 square foot lot. The applicant is seeking a Density Bonus to raise the FAR from 8:1 to 12:1. Current height limitation is 400 feet and proposed heigh is 404 feet. The current allowable area is gross building area is 392,912sf. With the density bonus, the applicant will receive an additional 172,089sf of gross building area. Per the Density Bonus Program ordinance, the applicant is required to meet the three gatekeeper requirements: • Substantially comply with the City’s Urban Design Guidelines • Provide streetscape improvements along all public street frontages consistent with the Great Streets Program Standards • Applicant must commit to a minimum of 2-star green building rating (3-star proposed). WORKING GROUP REVIEW OF PROJECT FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AREA WIDE GUIDELINES 1. Create dense development – Project complies with this Section. 2. Create mixed-use development – Project complies with this Section. 3. Limit development which closes downtown streets – Project complies with this Section. 4. Buffer neighborhood edges- 5. N/A Incorporate civic art in both public and private development – Project is not currently incorporating any public art. Project does not comply with this Section. Working Group Thoughts: • • utilizing art on the north & east elevations to shield parking structures Incorporate Red River Cultural District tie-ins with opportunities for live music performance, pre-wired staging areas, etc Project is outside of Capitol View Corridor and adjacent to S I-35, This section is N/A. 9. Acknowledge that rooftops are not seen from other buildings and the street – 6. Protect important public views – 7. Avoid historical misrepresentations – Project complies with this Section. 8. Respect adjacent historic buildings- N / A Project complies with this Section. 10. Avoid the development of theme environments- Project complies with this Section. 11. Recycle existing building stock – Project does not comply with this section. Working Group Thoughts: 1 • Building is not historically significant so we do not feel strongly that this should be incorporated. Project receives 6 points for full compliance. 3 items are not applicable. 2 item are not in compliance. GUIDELINES FOR THE PUBLIC STREETSCAPE 1. Protect the pedestrian where the building meets the street- • Would recommend a site diagram showing how pedestrians, vehicles and deliveries enter and exit the Project partially complies with this section. Working group thoughts: site. 2. Minimize curb cuts- Project complies with this section. 3. Create a potential for two-way streets- N/A N/A 4. Reinforce pedestrian activity- Project partially complies with this section Working Group Thoughts: • Enliven streetscape by activating second story. 5. Enhance key transit stops- 6. Enhance the streetscape- Project complies with this Section. 7. Avoid conflicts between pedestrians and utility equipment- 8. Project complies with this section. Install street trees- Project complies with this Section. 9. Provide pedestrian-scaled lighting- Project complies with this Section. 10. Provide protection from cars/promote curbside parking- Project complies with this Section. 11. Screen mechanical and utility equipment- project does not comply with this section. Working Group Thoughts: • Mechanical and utility equipment are visible from I-35. 12. Provide generous street-level windows- Project complies with this Section. 13. Install pedestrian-friendly materials at street level- Project partially complies with this section. Working Group Thoughts: • East and North sides of building need further refinement as it relates to views from S I-35 and Frontage rd. S I-35 Frontage does have a sidewalk and East façade should provide more friendly façade to potential pedestrians. Project receives 7 points for full compliance. 3 items are in partial compliance. 2 items were not applicable, 1 item does not comply. PLAZAS AND OPEN SPACE GUIDELINES 1. Treat the Four Squares with special consideration- 2. Contribute to an open space network- Project complies with this Section. 3. Emphasize connections to parks and greenways- Project complies with this Section Incorporate open space into residential development (pool, deck, dog area)- N/A 2 N/A 4. 5. Develop green roofs- Project partially complies with this Section. Working Group Thoughts: • Provide more substantial green roof area throughout building roofs. 6. Provide plazas in high use areas- Project does partially complies with this Section. Working Group Thoughts: Explanation provided that Waterloo Greenway is exceedingly close to this development is acceptable. Project receives 3 points for full compliance. 2 items are in partial compliance. 10 items were not applicable. 7. Determine plaza function, size and activity- 8. Respond to microclimate in plaza design- 9. Consider views, circulation, boundaries and subspaces in plaza design- Project partially complies with this Section. Working Group Thoughts: • Allow for public access to vistas of Waterloo Park 10. Provide an appropriate amount of plaza seating- 11. Provide visual and spatial complexity in plaza design- 12. Use plants to enliven urban spaces – Project complies with this Section. 13. Provide interactive civic art and fountains in plaza- 14. Provide food service for plaza participants- N/A – food service is provided but no formal plaza. 15. Increase safety in plazas through wayfinding, lighting and visibility- 16. Consider plaza operations and maintenance- N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2. Provide multi-tenant, pedestrian-oriented development at the street level- GUIDELINES FOR BUILDINGS 1. Build to the street- Project complies with this Section. Project complies with this Section. 3. Accentuate primary entrances- Project complies with this Section. 4. Encourage the inclusion of local character- Project does not comply with this section. Working Group Thoughts: specific project with local character. 5. Control on-site parking- Project complies with this Section. 6. Create quality construction- Project complies with this Section. 7. Create buildings with human scale- Project partially complies with this Section. Working Group Thoughts: • Consider more deliberate connections to Waterloo Greenway and Red River Cultural District for a site- • Project more human scale facades on North and East sides of buildings. Even though they face the substation and S I-35 they will be viewed by many humans each day Project receives 5 points for full compliance. 1 items are in partial compliance and 1 item is not in compliance. 3  OVERALL RESULTS Areawide Public Streetscape Plazas and Open Space Buildings TOTAL 6 out of 11 comply 7 out of 13 comply 3 out of 16 comply 6 out of 7 comply 24 out of 47 comply 0 partially complies 3 partially comply 2 partially comply 2 partially comply 6 partially comply 3 not applicable 2 not applicable 10 not applicable 0 not applicable 15 not applicable The Density Bonus Working Group has determined that 708 E 12th Street is in substantial compliance with the Urban Design Guidelines. It should be noted that the findings of this Working Group Memo are not reflective of the Design Commission and should not be construed as a final determination. Not all categories have equal weight from a points determination perspective. Substantial Compliance is a judgement call based upon the overall contribution to the experience of the public. Bringing partial points to full compliance and any out of compliance items to full compliance increases the likelihood of support from the full Design Commission. WORKING GROUP COMMENTS • AW5 - utilizing art on the north & east elevations to shield parking structures. Incorporate Red River district tie-ins with opportunities for live music performance, pre-wired staging areas, etc • PS1 - Would recommend a site diagram showing how pedestrians, vehicles and deliveries enter and exit the site. • PS4 - Enliven streetscape by activating second story. • PS13 - East and North sides of building need further refinement as it relates to views from S I-35 and Frontage rd. S I-35 Frontage does have a sidewalk and East façade should provide more friendly façade to potential pedestrians. • PZ5 - Provide more substantial green roof area throughout building roofs. • PZ9 - Allow for public access to vistas of Waterloo Park • B4 – Be more deliberate and site-specific by including local character to the overlapping districts that come together at the site – Red River Cultural District, Innovation District, New Waterloo Greenway. • B7 - Project more human scale facades on North and East sides of buildings. Even though they face the substation and S I-35 they will be viewed by many humans each day The Working Group appreciates this opportunity to preliminarily review and comment on this project and we look forward to a continued collaborative process while moving this project forward. With thanks, Marissa McKinney City of Austin Design Commission Planning & Urban Design Working Group 4