Title
PLN15-0198 - 1926 Park Street - Applicant: Bridgett Shank on behalf of Park Esquire, LLC. The applicant requests approval of Design Review and a Use Permit to construct an approximately 3,600-square-foot, five-building mixed use complex using repurposed shipping containers. Four (4) buildings will be single tenant office buildings, and one (1) building will be retail/café on the ground floor and a residential unit on the second floor. A Use Permit is required for ground floor office space and outdoor seating in the NP-G (North Park Street, Gateway) zoning district. This project is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15332 - Infill Development Projects.
Body
BACKGROUND
In 2013, after an extensive community planning process, the City Council approved the Zoning Ordinance and City Design Review Manual amendments for the new North Park Street District. This new zoning district is intended to facilitate new development to revitalize the area along Park Street between the Estuary and Lincoln Avenue/Tilden Way, which was impacted by the closure of the auto dealerships during the last economic recession. In particular, the North Park Street District and associated design guidelines place a strong emphasis on establishing a pedestrian-friendly, commercial retail corridor along Park Street as part of the NP-G, North Park Street Gateway sub-district.
The applicant proposes using shipping containers to construct a compact, mixed-use project with approximately 3,600 square feet of gross floor area in five two-story buildings (Exhibit 1). The primary uses include a 400-square-foot cafe space, a retail kiosk, one 400-square-foot residential efficiency studio, and 2,800 square feet of flexible, micro office space. The offices are intended to attract sole-proprietors and small startups in the tech sector.
The use of repurposed shipping containers in new construction is becoming a new-age trend. Also known as “pop-up malls” and “container shops,” these structures are becoming popular destinations in cities from San Francisco to Las Vegas to London (Exhibit 2). Container construction is also a common solution for recycling of old containers and development on small, constrained sites. Each shipping container acts as an individual building block of a larger structure. The buildings are created by placing storage containers adjacent to one another and vertically stacking them to add additional floors.
ANALYSIS
Existing Conditions:
The project site is a small infill opportunity at the southeasterly corner of Park Street and Blanding Avenue that has historically been used as an auto dealership lot. The site is highly visible since it is located across the foot of the Park Street Bridge. The rectangular parcel is approximately 6,650 square feet and 50 feet wide along Park Street and 133 feet long along Blanding Avenue. The property is entirely paved with asphalt and has a 120-square-foot structure that is being proposed to be removed as part of the project. The site is bordered on two sides by the walls of adjacent buildings that have zero lot line setbacks. The property abuts the Salvation Army on the south side along Park Street and Alameda Electrical Distributors on the east side along Blanding Avenue.
Site Plan:
The project consists of five separate buildings. A primary building anchors the corner of Park Street and Blanding Avenue with zero setbacks from either right of way. Two buildings will be located with zero setback along Blanding Avenue and the remaining two office buildings will be placed in the interior of the site to create interior courtyard space. The corner building contains one 400-square-foot retail space, one retail kiosk, and a 400-square-foot efficiency residential studio. The remaining buildings contain office uses.
The proposed buildings are configured along the property edge as required in the NP-G district to establish a building wall along the street, with open space and outdoor eating areas interspersed on the interior of the site. This layout provides a balance of creating a project that focuses on the pedestrian street experience, creating usable open space on site, and maximizing natural lighting for the interior spaces. Given the size constraint of the site, staff believes the site plan and project scale is appropriate.
Compliance with North Park Street Form Based Standards:
The project complies with the North Park Street form-based code and basic site design elements set forth in Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 30-4.25.d.ii by incorporating the following components:
a. A site plan that encourages and supports pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access by including bicycle racks, pedestrian pathways through the site, and pedestrian lighting.
b. The buildings are oriented toward the street and the entrances for each building face the public right of way.
c. The buildings feature windows along the public right of way that provide an unobstructed view into the building for a distance of at least five (5) feet, as required by the zoning standards.
Table 1 below summarizes project compliance with development standards in the NP-G subdistrict:
|
Table 1: Project Complies with NP-G Development Standards. |
|
|
Requirement: |
Proposed: |
Compliance: |
|
Maximum Building Height |
60 ft. |
30 ft. |
Complies |
|
Front Yard Setback (Park St) |
No setback |
No setback |
Complies |
|
Maximum Street Side Yard Setback (Blanding Ave) |
0-15 ft. |
0-9 ft. |
Complies |
|
Minimum Side Yard Setback |
0 ft. |
9 ft. |
Complies |
|
Minimum Rear Yard Setback |
0 ft. |
9 ft. |
Complies |
Parking:
Per AMC Section 30-4.25.d.vi, the project is subject to the off-street parking requirements of the Community Commercial zoning district, so the project is required to provide a total of nine (9) off street parking spaces; seven (7) spaces for office, one (1) each for the retail space and residential unit.
The applicant proposes nine (9) off-site parking spaces at 2410 Clement Avenue, which is a vacant parking lot not associated with any other development and which is an approximately 500-foot-walk from the project site. AMC Section 30-7.7 allows off-site parking arrangements provided it meets the standard conditions pertaining to adequacy of accommodating peak parking demand, wayfinding signage, proximity to the project site, and a minimum seven-year parking agreement. The project will be conditioned to comply with these requirements, prior to issuance of building permits. In addition, the applicant also will be providing tenants with transit passes to encourage public transit use.
Bicycle Facilities:
The project proposes 16 on-site bicycle parking spaces as required by the AMC. The bike racks will be placed in groups of four at points around the site, including along the Blanding Avenue and Park Street right of ways. The project will be conditioned to provide at least two long-term bicycle parking spaces, one required from each the residential unit and the office use.
Open Space/Landscaping:
The building layout will create an interior open space area that cuts diagonally through the site and connects the Park Street sidewalk to the Blanding Avenue sidewalk. At the center of this open space is a patio intended for both use by tenants of the project site and the general public as well. The open space will be gated from public access after 10:00 p.m. for security purposes, as recommended by the Alameda Police Department. The gates will match the exterior corrugated texture of the shipping containers.
The site will be landscaped with a mix of bio-retention swales and Bay-Friendly-compliant, native plant species. The landscaped areas are interspersed on the site in the opens space areas.
Architectural Design:
The use of storage containers as building blocks provides an opportunity to create a unique project at one of the City’s main gateways. The shipping containers used in the project are all eight feet wide, nine feet and six inches tall, and they come in lengths of thirty (30), twenty (20), and ten (10) feet long. As such, the building forms are constrained by the existing dimensions of the shipping containers. This requires that building forms be created with strategy and forethought. Ultimately, the goal of container building design is not to mimic other building forms, but to find ways to utilize and express its modular appearance to create visual interest and uniqueness. Therefore, not all traditional design guidelines can be applied to this project if the concept of using shipping containers as modular building blocks is the desired result. An explanation of the project design and concept by the project Architect is included as Exhibit 3.
There are three total building configurations in this project: two types of two-story office buildings and a corner anchor building. The corner building features a vertically-stacked container to create a thirty-foot tall tower element. The four office buildings are all proposed to be painted grey and feature anodized aluminum storefront windows for fenestration. The corner anchor building will have half of the shipping containers painted grey and the other half painted an accent orange color, including the tower element. Along Park Street, the first floor will feature wooden planters on its roof to provide visual separation between floors. Overall, the corrugated metal appearance of the containers relate to the maritime industrial character of the neighborhood. The appearance of the project and its colors are also reminiscent of the industrial look of the Park Street Bridge.
With respect to the appearance of the individual buildings, staff believes the current building design, especially the corner building, can be further enhanced to establish a greater iconic presence to serve as a gateway feature and achieve objectives of the Design Review Manual, as follows:
Corner Treatment: Given the project’s location at the Park Street gateway, staff believes the corner design of this project is of utmost importance. The Design Review Manual guidelines for building articulation (p. 37, Section 4.2.3) suggests corner articulation including a prominent tower, wrap around windows, and façade treatment or massing that is distinctive from the rest of the project. Staff recommends revising the corner design to add window glazing at the corner and bringing the tower closer to the corner to establish a more prominent corner volume. The windows would also provide access to the planter boxes. The tower element design should feature architectural articulation and distinctive materials that accentuate its appearance and draw visual interest.
Accessory Architectural Features: The project complies with the form-based design requirements to establish a building wall with zero setbacks along the street to enhance the pedestrian street experience. However, this also has an effect of minimizing the modular appearance of the containers. Staff recommends the project incorporate other features common in container construction, such as exposed structural beams over open patios and second story decks with metal railings to further enhance the fabricated, industrial appearance of the project (see Hummingbird Coffee design, Exhibit 2). The exposed beams and metal railing also visually relate to the Park Street Bridge.
Color and Materials: Staff believes the predominantly grey color of the buildings, with select portions painted orange, does not fully highlight the features of the building. The Design Review Manual generally encourage separate color and material definition between the upper and lower stories of the building. In addition, the project could incorporate more soft materials as architectural accents applied consistently throughout the project, such as the natural stained wood used for the planters on the Park Street elevation. The overall project can also include greater contrast in the color and materials of the trim elements such as, but not limited to window, door, and awning frames, gutters and downspouts.
Staff Recommended Design Revisions:
Based on the evaluation above, staff recommends the follow revisions to the project design:
1. Revising the corner building to:
a. Add windows to the second story at the corner and along the Park Street facade.
b. Move the café entrance to the front elevation.
c. Bring the tower to the corner to establish prominent corner volume.
d. Add architectural articulation and distinctive materials that accentuate the appearance and draw visual interest to the tower.
2. Incorporate exposed structural beams and second story decks with metal railings to further enhance the fabricated, industrial appearance of the project (see Hummingbird Coffee design, Exhibit 2)
3. Revise color scheme to better highlight the modular appearance of the buildings.
4. Carry the natural-stained wood material on the planter boxes consistently throughout the buildings to serve as a soft architectural accent.
5. Apply a lighter color to window and door trim elements, such as the use of silver-colored clear anodized aluminum frame.
Use Permit:
Per AMC Section 30-4.25(e), ground floor office uses and outdoor seating require the approval of a conditional use permit. Ground floor office requires a conditional use permit in the NP-G zoning district because General Plan guiding policy 2.5.e discourages offices from occupying ground floor space suitable for retail within the C-C business districts. The ground floor office of this project will be located along the secondary frontage of Blanding Avenue and not the main Park Street frontage. Retail space is still provided along Park Street, and the office uses are reserved for Blanding Avenue which better accommodates such ground floor uses.
The location of the outdoor seating area to the interior of the site eliminates potential use conflicts with the public right of way traffic on Park Street and Blanding Avenue. The surrounding land uses are a mix of retail, office and light industrial uses that are not sensitive to noise generated by outdoor seating areas. Standard conditions are proposed to ensure safety and security of the interior spaces after business hours. Staff is able to make all the required findings to support the Use Permit approval.
Summary:
The project is unique and first of its kind within the City of Alameda. It is also the first new development under North Park Street Gateway requirements that target start-up businesses, which makes the project an important economic incubator for the City.
Due to the importance of this project, staff wants the Planning Board and the community to have multiple opportunities to provide input. As such, staff recommends the Planning Board provide comments and then continue the hearing to the September 28th meeting for a final decision.
PUBLIC NOTICE and Comments
Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project’s boundaries were notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal. As of the writing of this report, staff has received several comments from the public in support of the project and included as Exhibit 4.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project is determined to be Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines Section 15332, In-Fill Development Projects, based on the following findings:
(1) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations. The General Plan Land Use Designation is Community Commercial, which encourages retail, office and residential uses. The project is also consistent with the North Park Street - Gateway zoning goals to facilitate urban, pedestrian-oriented development.
(2) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses. The project site is approximately 6,650 square feet and is surrounded entirely by urban developed parcels.
(3) The project site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. The project site has been improved as a surface parking lot for several decades and currently not habitat for any endangered, rare or threatened species.
(4) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality. The project is a small 3,600-square-foot project that complies with all development standards. The project complies with parking requirements while facilitating the use of alternative modes of transportation such as bicycle and public transit.
(5) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. The site is located in an established urban neighborhood that is fully developed. All required utilities and public services already exist at a capacity to serve this project.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Hold a public hearing and provide comments to the applicant and staff on the proposed project.
2. Direct the applicant and staff to return with revised plans and resolutions for approval at the September 28, 2015 Planning Board meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
David Sablan
Planner I
Exhibits:
1. Project Plans
2. Examples of Container Construction
3. Letter from Applicant
4. Public Correspondence