05. 405 Colorado Approval Packet Part 1 — original pdf

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DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM (DDBP) SUBMITTAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS A property owner (Owner) or his/her representative (Applicant) acting on behalf of the Owner can initiate an administrative request to the Director of Planning (Director) seeking additional Floor-to-Area (FAR) entitlements as outlined in 25-2-586 Downtown Density Bonus Program. In order for the Director to conduct an administrative review, the requirements listed below must be submitted. Once an application is deemed complete, the Director will inform the Applicant of review commencement. The following submittals are required in a complete PDF package of no more than 10 Mb in size with sheets no larger than 11x17 inches: 1. Completed DDBP Application; 2. Vicinity plan/aerial locating the project in its context, and showing a minimum 9 block area around the project; 3. Location and nature of nearby transit facilities; 4. Drawings (submitted drawings should demonstrate compliance with Subchapter E Design Standards, as applicable): o Site plan; o Floor plans; o Exterior elevations (all sides); o Three-dimensional views; 5. As part of the gatekeeper requirements, submit copy of the projects signed Austin Energy Green Building Letter of Intent; and 6. Other items that may be submitted but not required: Narrative / graphics / photos to further describe the project. 7. Coordination memo acknowledgment from the City of Austin’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department (NHCD) detailing affordable housing community benefits. Please contact Ms. Jessi Koch at NHCD for more information. DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM (DDBP) SUBMITTAL APPLICATION 1. Project Name: 2. Property Owner Name: Address: Phone: E-mail: 3. Applicant/Authorized Agent Name: Address: Phone: E-mail: 4. Anticipated Project Address: Page 1 of 7 5. Site Information a. Lot area: b. Existing zoning (include any zoning suffixes such as “H,” “CO,” etc. If the property has a conditional overlay (CO), provide explanation of conditions (attach additional pages as necessary) : c. Existing entitlements: i) Current floor to area (FAR) limitation: ii) Current height limitation (in feet): iii) Affected by Capitol View Corridors (CVCs) Yes/No? Yes No If yes, please list specific CVC and allowable maximum height. 6. Existing Deed Restrictions If any, detail existing deed restrictions on the property that impact height and/or density: Page 2 of 2 7. Proposed Project Information a. Total square footage - Only include the square footage that counts towards FAR; see LDC 25-1-21(40), (44), and (45): b. Gross floor area devoted to the different land use categories included in the project (e.g., retail/restaurant, office, apartment, condominium, hotel): c. Number or units (if project includes residential development): d. Number of rooms (if hotel or similar use): e. Number of floors: f. Height: g. Maximum FAR requested: 8. Gatekeeper Requirements Provide an explanation of how this project meets the Gatekeeper requirements of the DDBP as described in 25-2-586. Attach additional page(s) as necessary: Page 3 of 7 9. Community Benefits Detail which community benefits will be used and how they will be applied (affordable housing on site, fee in lieu of, affordable housing + community benefit, etc.). Attach additional page(s) as necessary: 10. Density Bonus Calculation Provide a calculation method of how the additional FAR is sought including site area and amount per square foot. Calculation should include all Gatekeeper items plus all community benefits: 11. Relate Project to the Urban Design Guidelines for Austin Provide detailed explanation of how the project substantially complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for Austin (UDG) with reference to specific guidelines by completing the attached UDG spreadsheet. Attach additional page(s) as necessary. Page 4 of 7 12. Acknowledgements a. Applicant has reviewed 25-2-586 Downtown Density Bonus Program: Yes No b. Applicant understands that a standard restrictive covenant template will be drafted by the City of Austin to address Gatekeeper requirements in accordance with 25-2-586: Yes No c. Applicant understands that submittal of the project’s signed Austin Energy Green Building Letter of Intent and accompanying scorecard is mandatory: Yes No d. Applicant has received and reviewed a copy of the Urban Design Guidelines for Austin: Yes No e. Applicant has scheduled presentation to the Design Commission Working Group and follow-up Design Commission Meeting by coordinating dates with Design Commission Liaison (Jorge.rousselin@austintexas.gov): Yes No f. If considering in lieu fee or provision of on-site affordable housing as a public benefit, Applicant has scheduled a coordination meeting with the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department to detail program requirements and obtained letter of affordability from NHCD: Yes No Page 5 of 7 DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM (DDBP) APPLICANT’S SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST Submitted: Completed DDBP Application; Vicinity plan/aerial locating the project in its context, and showing a minimum 9 block area around the project; Location of nearby transit facilities; Drawings:  Site plan;  Floor plans;  Exterior elevations (all sides) with height and FAR calculations;  Three-dimensional views; Copy of the project's signed Austin Energy Green Building Letter of Intent and scorecard; Other items that may be submitted but not required: Narrative / graphics / photos to further describe the project; and Letter of affordability and acknowledgment from NHCD for affordable housing community benefit. Page 7 of 7 Urban Design Guidelines Area-Wide Guidelines AW.1- Create Dense Development Guideline Recommendations • Density should be expressed in terms of a floor to area ratio for commercial developments and • units per acre for residential developments. Standards should be consistent with LEED Neighborhood Design Standards. It is recommended that all current limits on FAR be maintained, and that developments which adopt and abide by the Urban Design Guidelines along with Density Bonus and other specified requirements should be eligible for additional density on a case-by-case basis. Project Response Density for this project is calculated using Floor Area Ratio (FAR), as recommended. The project is pursuing approval for increased density in the Central Business District. The current FAR for the project exceeds the administrative review threshold of 8:1, but is below the City Council review threshold of 25:1. AW.2 - Create Mixed Use Development Guideline Recommendations • At least two different uses per half block are required. Low occupancy uses such as warehouses, storage, and parking will not be counted in the evaluation of mixed use functions. • Secondary uses should occur at street level and be adequate in size to create a sense of variety at street level. As the size of the project increases, the number of street-level secondary uses should increase proportionally. Project Response The project occupies roughly a quarter block between Colorado and Congress in the east-west direction, and between 4th Street and 5th Street in the north-south direction. The building serves three uses, including office (primary use) on the upper floors, retail at the ground level, and commercial off-street parking. In the half block between 4th and 5th, Colorado and the public alley, this project is currently joined by five additional restaurants serving at least 4 different cuisines. AW.3 - Limit Development Which Closes Downtown Streets Guideline Recommendations • Multi-block developments which close existing streets should not be permitted within the original Waller grid. • New Developments should be designed with networks of connected, circulation routes, focusing on multi modal transportation, pedestrian walkability, and open space. Project Response This project exists within the original Waller grid. No street closures are planned for this project. AW.4 - Buffer Neighborhood Edges Guideline Recommendations • Projects should be planned to minimize increased use of adjacent neighborhood streets. • Projects with frontage on a neighborhood street should limit public access from that street and limit business associated parking on that street so as to avoid significantly altering the residential character and scale of the existing street. • Communication with neighborhoods is vital to creating successful urban infill projects. Project Response Located in the Central Business District, this project does not require access from neighborhood streets. The project site is located on a major thoroughfare through downtown, and provides retail space at street level to support and enhance the existing character of its Warehouse District neighbors. AW.5 - Incorporate Civic Art in Both Public and Private Development Guideline Recommendations • Encourage civic art that highlights nature's processes. • Encourage developers of new projects to incorporate artists into the design team from the inception of planning in order to integrate works of art into their projects. • Civic art should : Be incorporated into public plazas and infrastructure projects such as bridges, transit systems, highways, roadways or water tunnels. • Explore opportunities to express local history and identity through functional and ornamental design elements and works of civic art. • Mark gateways and significant intersections of Austin. • Create a system of Historical/Cultural/Information points which could: • Establish a set of strategic points within the city that would both unify as well as mark unique places in the urban context. • Take the form of plaques mounted on buildings, information on transit shelters, murals, commemorative sculpture, elements in the sidewalk, walking tour brochures. • Provide elements, programs or brochures that tell what happened in a place. • Be commissioned for stand-alone public art that provides community identity and that is not necessarily tied to a building project. Project Response The project's main lobby at street level provides ample space to house artwork for interaction with the general public passing through the lobby space. Street-level glazing provides un-encumbered visual access for passersby using the public sidewalk. The lobby is intended to be finished with natural materials appropriate to the region and the city of Austin. AW.6 - Protect Important Public Views Guideline Recommendations • Development should not obscure existing views through the public right-of-way. • Pedestrian bridges and building fly overs should not be permitted anywhere downtown. Project Response The project does not obscure views through the public right-of-way. No pedestrian bridges are included in this project. AW.7 - Avoid Historical Misrepresentations Guideline Recommendations • Buildings date the historical development of the city. It is important that any mimicry of past architectural styles not be exercised in such a way that the historical record becomes confused. • New downtown buildings should be designed in such a way that they don't appear to have been built significant ly earlier than they were. • This guideline does not preclude consideration of the use of materials, scale or massing found on older buildings (See guideline Building 6, Create Quality Construction). Project Response This building is designed to be built using modern means and methods, and without historical stylization or ornamentation. AW.8 - Respect Adjacent Historical Buildings Guideline Recommendations • Dense development should respond to adjacent historically zoned buildings and avoid creating awkward or incompatible design solutions. • Compatible designs should not be created through historic replication, but should reflect a consideration of the scale, material and massing of the adjacent historic buildings. • These may include small setbacks of upper stories so that at street level new buildings are consistent with the adjacent older building. • Utilize transfer of development rights (tdrs) or other mechanisms to preserve the historic fabric. Project Response The properties adjacent to the project are not historically zoned buildings. The building acknowledges the surrounding Warehouse District by utilizing terracotta in the public-facing facades, recalling the warm, earthen qualities of nearby brick structures. AW.9 - Acknowledge That Rooftops Are Seen From Other Buildings and the Street Guideline Recommendations • Roofs should be designed and constructed in such a way that they acknowledge their visibility from other buildings and from the street. Mechanical equipment should be screened when visible from the street or from potential or existing buildings nearby. • Unused equipment should be removed from view. • Utilize green roofs to provide for aesthetic as well as functional considerations. * See also guideline Streetscape 11, Screen Mechanical Equipment Project Response A sky lobby level is incorporated into the design, served by elevators in a glazed hoistway, serving as a visual cue and intentionally inviting the public to join in the building's terrace activities above street level. At the building's upper roof, mechanical equipment is screened from view by an extension of the building's curtainwall enclosure. AW.10 - Avoid the Development of Theme Environments Guideline Recommendations • Mock representations or caricatures of past of imaginary places, popularly referred to as "theme environments" or "theme parks" should not be created. Project Response No thematic environments are planned for this project. AW.11- Recycle Existing Building Stock Guideline Recommendations • The recycling of Austin’s building stock is highly encouraged. Project Response The project site is currently occupied by a gravel parking lot. No building stock exists on this property. Guidelines for the Public Streetscape PS.1 - Protect the Pedestrian Where the Building Meets the Street Guideline Recommendations • Overhead cover, offering adequate pedestrian protection from the sun and rain should be provided along the right-of-way where downtown buildings meet the street. This should occur between nine and fourteen feet above the level of the sidewalk, and should provide a minimum of eight feet of cover in width. Cover should not project closer to the curb than three feet. • Overhead cover at the sidewalk may provide continuous protection without being continuous itself. • Cover may take the form of either a projection from the building, an arcade, or a combination of the two. Arcades shall be open to the street. • Projections may take the form of fabric awnings which are retractable, fabric awnings which are not retractable, or fixed non-fabric projected covers. • Projected covers may be occupied by the building user, but should be accessed only from the building and not from the sidewalk. Where projected covers are occupied, they may also be supported by columns which fall in the right-of-way. Columns in the right-of-way should not interfere with pedestrians or emergency functions of the sidewalk. Maintain clear sidewalk width not interrupted by columns. Provide sufficient space between curb and columns to accommodate the potential of vehicles jumping the curb. • Where buildings have been permitted to pull significantly away from the property line, a free standing cover should be provided along the right-of-way. Owners are encouraged in this condition to provide pedestrian cover additionally at the edge of the building where it does not touch the property line. • Existing buildings which experience significant renovation should provide pedestrian protection as well. Landmark buildings may comply by installing a detached cover in front of the building. Project Response The project incorporates a projected canopy at the pedestrian right-of-way that is designed to be demounted and remounted at the City's request. For instances of inclement weather, additional space is provided at the lobby face, which is pulled back from the property line and covered by the building above. PS.2 - Minimize Curb Cuts Guideline Recommendations • Curb cuts should be minimized, and concentrated at mid-block. • Development downtown should place curb cuts at original alley locations where possible. • Specialty pedestrian paving, such as pavers, should continue at a level walking surface across mid-block curb cuts. • Overhead cover should continue across curb cuts where possible. Project Response The project utilizes a single curb cut for parking access, utilizing the existing public alley for loading functions. The curb cut is located as far from the intersection along Colorado as the property boundary allows. Pedestrian accommodations are provided continuously across the curb cut, including a pedestrian refuge between the inbound and swing lanes of the parking ramp. PS.3 - Create A Potential for Two-Way Streets Guideline Recommendations • Driveways should be designed to function in both one-way and two-way street system. Project Response The lane arrangement at the parking ramp is functional for the current one-way system on Colorado Street, and is optimized for a two-way lane system. PS.4 - Reinforce Pedestrian Activity Guideline Recommendations • Appropriately wide sidewalks should be provided from corner to corner along all property lines. • Sidewalks should about the street curb. Sidewalks extending on and of private property will meet at grade. • Blocks without pedestrian connections should be identified and prioritized for sidewalk construction. • Develop a Way Finding Master Plan which incorporates such tools as specialty pavements, signs and graphics to facilitate pedestrian movement. • A new street sign system which unites downtown and other urban centers should be developed. • Encourage street vendors, sidewalk cafes, etc. - food attracts pedestrian activity. • Buildings should address the streetscape and reinforce pedestrian activity Project Response The project intends to comply with or exceed the recommendations and guidelines of the Austin Great Streets Master Plan. The presence of street-level retail space also provides the opportunity for a food- service tenant to utilize wider-than-required sidewalk space along 4th Street for city-permitted outdoor dining. PS.5 - Enhance Key Transit Stops No transit stops exist on or abutting this property. PS.6 PS.6 - Enhance the Streetscape Guideline Recommendations • Dense development is encouraged to provide street furniture in the public right-of-way for pedestrian use. High priority should be given to streets identified in the Great Streets Program. • Coordinate street furniture with the Great Streets program where applicable. • Street furniture may be fixed to the sidewalk if adequate clear passage for pedestrians and emergency access is provided. Avoid intrusions into the accessible route. • Cafe tables and kiosks may occupy a portion of the public right-of-way if adequate clear passage for pedestrians and emergency access is provided. • The design of street furnishings should unify areas with distinct character. Participation from private property owners is encouraged. • Appropriate planting may be provided as well. • The use of Austin artisans and artists in the creation of street furniture is encouraged. Project Response The project will provide street furniture as recommended by Great Streets. Streetscape amenities and furnishings will be located to avoid impeding pedestrian traffic or emergency functions. The project will include a sidewalk café along 4th Street to expand the retail use and engage and activate the street. PS.7 - Avoid Conflicts between Pedestrians and Utility Equipment Guideline Recommendations • Utility connections and support should be located in the furnishings zone to avoid conflict with pedestrian movement in the right-of-way and maintain accessible routes. • Placement of utilities should be considered as a design element and be clearly dimensioned on site plans - where the information is available. • Above ground utilities should be visually compatible with other streetscape elements. • Utility lines (wires) should be placed underground in the public right-of-way. Project Response The intended location for utility connections on this project is in a buried vault, located within the furnishings zone along 4th Street. A site plan will be provided locating this vault. PS.8 - Install Street Trees Guideline Recommendations • Trees should be provided along major pedestrian corridors. • Consider that the life span of street trees in dense urban areas is frequently limited by soil volume. Provide as much soil volume as possible to support sustained tree growth in existing or new sidewalks. • Consider the use of structural soil or continuous street tree trenches to provide maximum soil area for roots to spread, and water and air to penetrate. • Locate trees in expanded sidewalk areas in the parking zone to provide more area for root systems. • Allow sufficient room for tree canopies to grow and develop without conflict with other building • elements. Install irrigation systems to provide adequate water to establish and maintain trees. Provide drainage to storm sewer or install dry wells. In high pedestrian use areas, install tree guards to protect the trunks from damage • • Consider the design of street tree layout in relation to the buildings and other streetscape elements. • Select trees which are adapted to the harsh conditions of a dense urban environment. Project Response Street trees are planned for both the 4th Street and Colorado Street faces of the project. In accordance with the City of Austin’s Great Streets requirements, the trees will be spaced twenty-two feet on center and will be planted in tree grates. Trees have been coordinated with building awnings to allow sufficient growing space for the tree canopies. Trees will also be installed with a permanent irrigation and drainage system. PS.9 - Provide Pedestrian-Scaled Lighting Guideline Recommendations • Urban Streets should be lit by pedestrian-scaled fixtures emitting warm light. • A minimum of 1foot candle of warm light should be provided in all space between the building face and the curb along all streets. • Lighting may be provided through the use of pedestrian-scaled pole fixtures, or fixtures may be attached to the face of the building. The type and size of pole fixtures should be as consistent as possible along a single block. • The City of Austin is encouraged to create a set of recommendations for street lighting, outlining areas where a consistent character should be maintained, and describing that character. Project Response The project will provide appropriate site lighting in keeping with Austin Great Streets streetscape standards. PS.10 - Provide Protection from Cars/Promote Curbside Parking Guideline Recommendations • Buffers from cars should be provided along the sidewalk edge. • This protection may take the form of cars parked in metered parking spaces, trees, planters, or bollards. • Curbside parking is encouraged along all busy downtown streets. • Where right-of-way is 80' or less, parallel parking is encouraged. Project Response Pedestrians are protected from the curb by a tree/fixture zone in keeping with Great Streets standards. PS.11- Screen Mechanical and Utility Equipment Guideline Recommendations • Mechanical equipment should be screened from view and located away from the street edge. • Particular attention should be given to mechanical equipment at street level. This should be screened in a way appropriate to the streetscape. Project Response The primary Mechanical and Electrical equipment on this project is located internal to the building on the ground floor, out of sight from pedestrians. Equipment not located on the ground floor is located on the roof of the building, screened from view. PS.12 - Provide Generous Street-Level Windows Guideline Recommendations • The lower two levels of buildings, where they face the street, should be made highly transparent, through the use of windows or fixed glass panels. • A minimum area of glass, meeting the most restrictive percentage described in the Design Standards, Subchapter E, is required. • The use of reflective or highly tinted glass is discouraged. Project Response The ground floor spaces on this project are designed to use clear storefront glazing to provide maximum transparency between the streetscape and the lobby and retail functions. PS.13 - Install Pedestrian-Friendly Materials at Street Level Guideline Recommendations • Building materials at street level should be pedestrian friendly and durable. Project Response The materials and building systems used at ground level will provide a level of detail and quality which is physically and emotionally comfortable for the pedestrian. Guidelines for Plazas and Open Spaces This project's primary open space occurs at the building entry in the style of space identified in the Urban Design Guidelines as a 'Corporate Foyer’. The amount of outdoor space on this project is limited by the small footprint of the property for this project's intended use. However, the sheltered outdoor space provided by setting the building entry back from the property line is intended to contribute to the city's growing network of open spaces. PZ.1 - Treat the Four Squares with Special Consideration This project is not adjacent to any of the Four Squares from the Waller Plan. PZ.2 - Contribute to an Open Space Network Guideline Recommendations Identify major open spaces in the vicinity of proposed development. • • Consider pedestrian movement through and to open spaces when locating building entrances and pedestrian-oriented uses. • Provide enhanced sidewalk connections to nearby open space. • Use design elements such as building configuration and streetscape design, including lighting, to support visual and pedestrian connections to open space. • Provide ancillary support services such as food service and recreational equipment for use in nearby open space. Project Response The closest major open space is Republic Square; two blocks west of the project site. Street-level retail could be occupied by a food-service tenant, contributing to the bustling dining contributions in the blocks adjacent to the square. PZ.3 - Emphasize Connections to Parks and Greenways Guideline Recommendations • Incorporate views and prevailing breezes into the site planning and design of proposed developments. • Limit building heights to avoid undesirable shadows on parks and public squares. • Provide clear, well-lit connecting pathways to parks and greenways. • Provide pedestrian scaled light fixtures which create a warm light on urban greenways such as Waller Creek and downtown portions of Town Lake. • Provide bicycle racks where appropriate. Project Response The building is sufficiently distant from public parks and plazas to avoid casting shadows on desirable open spaces. The location of occupiable tenant floors above parking levels, and the inclusion of a sky lobby are intentional decisions aimed at maximizing views to the river and other points of interest within the city. Though the project is not adjacent to any greenways, it is designed to prevent negative impacts to existing greenways through downtown. PZ.4 - Incorporate Open Space into Residential Development No residential functions are provided in this project. PZ.5 - Develop Green Roofs Guideline Recommendations • Provide a vegetative surface on a significant portion of the roof. • Provide the infrastructure and maintenance to support the green roof. • • Provide opportunities to grow gardens. Incorporate amenity space for building users and/or public. Project Responses The project will provide vegetated occupiable space on sky lobby spaces to the greatest extent feasible. PZ.6 - Provide Plazas in High Use Areas This project does not intend to provide recommendations or planning for additional public plazas as described in this guideline. However, the provision of publicly-accessible parking on this project frees up space at street level for the presence of additional pedestrian-centric (rather than auto-centric) space. PZ.7 - Determine Plaza Function, Size, and Activity Guideline Recommendations • Determine plaza function, which may include: a) visual l setback for building b) transition zone from street to interior foyer lunchtime relaxation and sidewalk cafes c) d) transit stop e) exhibits or performances • Determine plaza activities, and consider: a) if the plaza is to accommodate pedestrian traffic, eliminate barriers between the sidewalk and the street. b) if the plaza is to accommodate stopping and relaxing, provide dense furnishings, focal elements, and defined edges. if the plaza is to accommodate concerts or rallies, provide unimpeded open space. c) • Provide active areas which accommodate public interaction as well as areas which provide a more relaxed and secure experience. • Consider sight lines when designing plazas for public gathering or events. • Encourage heavy use across varied activities to minimize vandalism. Project Response This project does not accommodate a plaza space of the scale required to accommodate the functions mentioned in this credit. Many of these functions, though, are internal to the building or accommodated in the project's streetscape. PZ.8 - Respond to the Microclimate in Plaza Design This project does not intend to provide recommendations or planning for additional public plazas as described in this guideline. PZ.9 - Consider Views, Circulation, Boundaries, and Subspaces in Plaza Design This project is built up to the public right-of-way and does not provide a plaza space as described in this guideline. PZ.10 - Provide an Appropriate Amount of Plaza Seating This project does not include a plaza as defined in this guideline. Seating fixtures will be provided in the streetscape in keeping with Great Streets. PZ.11- Provide Visual and Spatial Complexity in Public Spaces This project does not include a plaza as defined in this guideline. Spatial complexity will be achieved on this project in the provision and arrangement of streetscape elements according to Great Streets. PZ.12 - Use Plants to Enliven Urban Spaces This project does not include an open space of the scale to apply this guideline. Street trees will be planted in keeping with guideline PS.8 and Great Streets. PZ.13 - Provide Interactive Civic Art and Fountains in Plazas This project does not include a plaza as defined in this guideline. PZ.14 - Provide Food Service for Plaza Participants This project does not include a plaza as defined in this guideline. The potential inclusion of a food service tenant at street level is intended to promote pedestrian activity in keeping with guidelines PS.4 and PS.6 in conjunction with guideline PZ.2. PZ.15 - Increase Safety in Plazas through Wayfinding, Lighting, & Visibility Guideline Recommendations • Highlight the main building entrance with lighting, signage, materials and detailing. • Provide directional signs linking the plaza to transit stops, taxi stands, nearby neighborhood streets, and orientation within the district. • At adjacent interior lobbies, provide signs directing visitors to reception, elevators rest rooms, telephones, restaurants, etc. • Provide lighting which promotes a feeling of safety at night. Be sure to light corners and out of the way locations. • Link plaza lighting to streetscape lighting. • Design for visibility from the street and the ability to see through from one part of the plaza to another. Project Response The primary entrance to the building is set back from the property line to emphasize its importance in part using the resulting outdoor space. Identifying signage will be provided at the building exterior, and interior signage in the lobby will help direct occupants to elevators, parking controls, and other building functions. The building entrance will be illuminated by a combination of fixtures within the lobby, in the soffit above, and incorporated in the streetscape. Clear glazing in storefronts at street level will provide maximum transparency between the lobby and retail functions and the adjacent streetscape. PZ.16 - Consider Plaza Operations and Maintenance This project does not include a plaza as defined in this guideline. Operations and materials will be appropriate to the streetscape in accordance with guideline PS.13 and Great Streets. Guidelines for Buildings B.1- Build to the Street Guideline Recommendations • Urban buildings should be built to the property line to the greatest extent possible when the property line is adjacent to the street - except where additional sidewalk width is needed or desired to create 12 -18'wide sidewalks. • Building facades should be viewed as part of the public realm and designed accordingly. • Developments should meet the property lines at the lower four floors. Provisions will be made for exceptions such as arcades on the lower floor and for public plazas which follow the guidelines on outdoor spaces. Project Response The building is designed to the property line, with the exception of the building entry in conjunction with guidelines PS.4, PZ.2, and B.3. B.2- Provide Multi-Tenant, Pedestrian-Oriented Development at the Street Level Guideline Recommendations • Buildings should provide street-level, pedestrian-oriented uses on all street fronts. • A public plaza which follows the guidelines on outdoor spaces may be considered a pedestrian- oriented use. If a single building occupies an entire street front on a block, the public plaza may occupy no more than half the block. Pedestrian-oriented uses in the building should face the plaza. The plaza design should recognize the responsibility to define the street. • No more than 25% of net street frontage should be occupied by uses which have no need for or discourage walk-in traffic. Drive-through facilities are not allowed. • Building design should encourage multi-tenant occupancy at the lower two floors. Project Response The project faces Colorado Street and 4th Street, and provides the lobby with main entry and walk-up retail on these faces, respectively .The first floor plan is designed to maximize the amount of pedestrian- oriented frontage. No drive-through function is provided to tenant spaces. B.3- Accentuate Primary Entrances Guideline Recommendations • Large buildings which front multiple streets should provide multiple entrances. Building entrances which connect to a central lobby should be distributed on different street facing facades. • Primary building entrances should be accentuated. These entrances should be designed so that they are not easily confused with entrances into ground level businesses. • Primary entrances should be recessed off the sidewalk to limit conflicts between swinging doors and pedestrians. • Civic art and artistic crafting of building materials can help distinguish building entrances. Project Response The lobby entry and ground level retail entry are located on different street fronts to maximize pedestrian access to the building. The primary building entry to the lobby is provided a prominent canopy and signage, and is set back from the street to distinguish it from the ground level business entry. All entries (and emergency exits) are located to prevent doors impeding pedestrian and emergency traffic on the sidewalk. B.4- Encourage the inclusion of Local Character Guideline Recommendations • The use of quality local materials is encouraged I local character should be included in the design. • Care should be taken to avoid nostalgic reproductions, but to use the materials in a meaningful manner. • Encourage the participation of local artists and artisans in detailing and materials. • Building design should exhibit a response to the local climate. Project Response The concept for the 405 Colorado Tower is derived from the idea of treating the building as a sculpted art form. Austin has always prided itself as a city of arts and music. This design strives to make a statement in this unique context. Cladding materials used include glass that offer building occupants transparency to city views and reflect the city skyline and surrounding landscape. Warm, masonry cladding at the building base relates to the surround streetscape context and provides a scale appropriate to the pedestrian experience. A canopy extends from the lobby to provide shading and protection at the street level. The project aims to employ contemporary methods to the detailing and use these materials. B.5 - Control On-Site Parking Guideline Recommendations • Parking should be located below grade, or in interior courts above grade. I t should not occur at grade along property lines which are adjacent to a street. • Where above ground structured parking is located at the perimeter of a building, this should be screened in such a way that cars are not visible from adjacent buildings or the street. • Above ground parking should be designed in such a way that neighboring buildings are not adversely affected by headlights. • Structured parking should not be treated in such a way that it is indistinguishable from inhabited • areas of the building. Inhabitable space must occupy at least 50% of the cumulative length of the streetwall of the building. Where a building occupies an entire block, the inhabitable streetwall must be distributed so that it is not all located on one half of the block. • Certain streets may be so important that parking in the streetwall along them will not be allowed. • Shared Parking requirements can help alleviate parking requirements without building additional infrastructure. Project Response The project is located on one half block at the corner of 4th and Colorado Street. Above grade structured parking is provided starting one level above the street which allows for public facing lobby and retail spaces at grade along 4th street and Colorado. One garage entry and curb cut is placed along Colorado and all servicing of the building is located on the alleyway in order to maximize the inhabitable space along the street wall. The percentage of inhabitable space achieved along the street wall is 57% along Colorado Street and 76% along 4th Street. Most office towers that sit on a parking structure try to blend the office building and garage into a singular form. This project takes a decidedly different approach. The parking podium clad in earth tone clay panels serves as the base for a Crystalline sculpted glass office tower. The warm colored base references the context of the warehouse district, it is contrasted by the cool tones of the glass form placed in the skyline of Austin. The base of the building and parking levels are clad in a rhythm of clay masonry elements that provide a screen from vehicles. These elements are spaced to achieve an open parking structure per Austin Building Code section 25 -2-593 D. The directly adjacent surrounding buildings are all two stories or less and a study has been conducted to identify any areas that might be effected directly by headlights. Where any masonry elements do not provide adequate headlight screening an additional layer of perforated metal panel will be provided behind the primary screen. The project anticipates a portion of parking to be provided for public use. B.6- Create Quality Construction Guideline Recommendations • • • • • • • Buildings should be built as high-quality, long-term components of the urban fabric. Buildings should be constructed as maintenance free as possible and should be designed to achieve a life span greater than seventy-five years. A building is at the end of its lifespan when factors including operating or maintenance costs repair or reconstruction costs, pressure for more flexible spaces, among others, outweigh the cost of building a new similar building. Buildings should have a built-in flexibility to their design and recognize that buildings frequently undergo alterations to conform to uses not considered in the original design. Consideration should be given to floor-to-floor heights and structural grids as they may impact possible future uses. Consideration should be given to the pedestrian's visual and tactile experience in the selection and configuration of building materials. Consideration should be given to the design of exterior walls and skins of buildings. These should not be considered sacrificial surfaces to be replaced several times in the life of the building. Project Response The 405 Colorado project is designed to use high quality materials and construction methods to provide a building of exceptional quality. The concept design of the building is directly related to the site and surrounding urban fabric. Flexible spaces are provided throughout the building. The public lobby is conceived of as a gallery like space that could be used as a formal lobby, or space for art or events. The street facing retail is design to accommodate a variety of retail uses and benefits from potential expansion to the outside due to the 24’ wide sidewalk area along 4th street. Parking is designed to accommodate tenant and public parking uses. A Sky lobby is provided to offer tenant, and public amenities including event spaces. Office spaces with large floor to floor heights are provided that maximize views of the city and offer a generous lease depth for flexible open space. The pedestrian experience will be heighted by warm masonry elements in articulated configurations, coupled with architecturally detailed and transparent glass walls. Custom lighting designs will offer light below a protective canopy that has an art glass element that highlights the street corner. The street facing lobby is designed to contrast cool and warm color and materials and is artfully designed to draw the eye of pedestrians. The building enclosure will be a high quality, custom fabricated glass wall and masonry wall system. B.7- Create Buildings with Human Scale Guideline Recommendations • Buildings should be designed with a variety of scales, creating a scale and level of detail at the street level appropriate to the pedestrian. • Clearly articulating different uses at lower building levels will aid in creating a sense of human scale in mid- and high-rise buildings. Addressing human scale may further be achieved through architectural detailing, and by variation in the three dimensional character of the building mass as it rises skyward. Monolithic, vertical extrusions of a maximum building footprint are strongly discouraged. • The lower floors should be differentiated architecturally. • Where existing adjacent buildings have a consistent massing, this should be continued. Project Response Multiples scales of materials are employed including refined masonry elements and large visually transparent glass elements that are all custom fabricated and architecturally detailed. Articulation of these materials along with a variety of building uses are clearly differentiated at the base of the building as well as at the office tower above. The office tower massing is a sculpted crystalline form composed of glass set apart from the warm colored masonry-clad base by an amenity rich sky lobby. At the base of the building an extended and protective canopy is designed to correspond to the heights of the lower scale surrounding building context. Lavaca St Guadalupe St W. 5th St W. 4th St W. 3rd St Colorado St Neces St San Antonio St W. Cesar Chavez St W. 2nd St. 401 Colorado Street Congress Ave Brazos St Trinity St E. 6th St San Jacinto St 1001 Congress Ave., Ste.250 Austin, TX 78701 512-212-4114 Neches St E. 8th St E. 7th St Red River St ighway 35 Interstate H