Title
HPC10-34, 1144 Canton St., Miller Lowry Development
Body
Item Summary:
This applicant is asking for a Certificate of Appropriateness
Staff Report:
Background
This project was initially approved at the meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on September 14, 2005 as HPC 05-45 and HPC 05-48. The applicants proposal included the demolition of the building which existed on the site that was constructed in 1978. The proposal for new construction included two buildings, totaling approximately 20,180 square feet. The buildings were to contain a mix of uses including seven residential units, five retail spaces, and one restaurant.
Following the construction of both building shells, the original developer sold the smaller building on the site to another party who built out the second building as office space. The smaller building was initially planned for three of the residential units. An off-site parking agreement was recorded which allowed the additional spaces required by the additional office square footage to be located on an adjacent site. The smaller of the buildings on the site has been occupied as office space for a couple years while the larger building was foreclosed upon.
The applicant, Miller Lowry, purchased the property on September 29, 2010.
Proposal
The applicants proposal includes a revised landscape plan and elevation changes including a new awning and the addition of fireplaces for the porches on the north elevation of the building.
The applicant has requested permission to remove the silver maple located near the southeast corner of the property. Two landscaping plans are proposed in this application. One shows the existing silver maple and one shows the tree removed. The applicant has submitted an assessment of the tree by Gunnison Tree Specialists.
Elevation Revision
The façade most impacted by the revised elevations will be the north façade. The awnings over the two single doors would be removed and a single awning is proposed to run the entire length of the ground floor above the existing garage doors. The awning would be of standing seam metal. Fireplaces are proposed for the porches on this façade. The fireplaces on the interior units appear to have limited visual impact but the fireplaces on the end units will be visible on the east and west elevation.
Landscape Revision
Two landscape proposals were submitted by the applicant. Landscape Plan A assumes that the silver maple is removed and Landscape Plan B shows the silver maple. Both plans show the addition of a brick paver strip along the north side of the building against the garage doors. They both show a pea gravel area with brick seat wall. The gravel area on Plan A is larger with a fire pit while Plan B shows a smaller gravel area with a fireplace. The introduction of fire pits/places is a somewhat contemporary element for Canton Street. Staff would recommend an object that was not vertical in nature but hidden by the slope and sidewalk landscaping.
The applicant has submitted an assessment of the tree by Gunnison Tree Specialists which estimates the life expectancy of the silver maple from 6 months to 2 years. The plans were also reviewed by Andy Pittner, Landscape Architect and Arborist for the City. His comments were as follows:
1. Applicant may be approved to remove 20" silver maple but must submit a tree removal permit application prior to removal.
2. Plan A is approved but take due care planting groundcover and shrubs within root zones of existing trees to remain.
Staff Recommendation
The staff recommends approval with the following conditions:
1. The awning should be interrupted and not a single span.
2. If the silver maple is removed a larger shade tree should be added to the landscaping at the front of the project. The loss of the silver maple will result in the total loss of two canopy trees since the building was constructed.
3. The fire pit or fire place feature should be designed to be of minimal vertical impact.
Materials
Letter of Request
Landscape Plan A
Landscape Plan B
Proposed Elevations
Awning Detail
Presented by:
Cherith Marshall, Planner II