Title
Approve Final Design Review Details for Block 9 Site A at Alameda Point
Body
Date: April 9, 2018
Re: Approve Final Design Review Details for Block 9 Site A at Alameda Point
BACKGROUND
On December 11, 2017, the Planning Board approved the Design Review application for Site A Block 9 at Alameda Point. Although the Planning Board approved the design review application, the Planning Board’s resolution of approval required that the applicant continue to develop and refine the final design details for: 1) the front elevation facing West Atlantic, 2) the interior courtyard, 3) the roof deck and common room, and 4) the landscape plan. Since the December meeting, the project design team has had an opportunity to further refine its designs for the four areas, as described below and illustrated in Exhibit 1.
DISCUSSION
Front Elevation
The Planning Board asked that the design team continue to refine the elevation for the West Atlantic frontage.
The design team has continued to improve the West Atlantic Elevation to create more visual interest and cohesion in the design. As shown in Exhibit 1, the elevation has been improved by strengthening the horizontal lines across the elevation with the use of darker colored fiber cement panel spandrels, and an additional corner window that emphasizes the high point of the sloping parapet wall, which is further emphasized by a new coping to create a shadow line along the parapet.
As shown in the perspective view, the elevation will include a variety of recesses, balconies and sun shades, which will provide deep shadow lines and visual interest to the elevation. All windows on the West Atlantic façade are grouped vertically with accent ‘spandrel’ material, getting away from the ‘punched opening’ look in the earlier design. The fenestration at the level 4 resident lounge, adjacent to the roof deck, is now enhanced with transom windows and sun shading, which take better advantage of the additional ceiling height and cut down on the visual heaviness of the taller parapet above. Furthermore, the transom helps express the upper level lounge as something special along this frontage by breaking the horizontal line created by other upper level residential windows and sunshades.
Courtyard Design
The Planning Board asked for additional drawings illustrating the plan for the interior courtyard.
Exhibit 1 includes a perspective view of the inner courtyard and parking garage design. Along the interior façade of the garage, a perforated metal screen allows for natural ventilation of the garage and provides visual interest from the courtyard. The plan includes columnar trees and bamboo landscape screening to further soften the interface of the garage with the internal courtyard. The bamboo would be installed in a continuous screen wall with bamboo ranging from 15’ - 30’ in height on day one. With several years of growth, a considerable portion of the garage would be screened. To prevent any damage from spreading rhizomes, use of a 60 mil HDPE root barrier would be installed to 30” deep to form a continuous barrier.
Landscape Plan
The Planning Board asked for additional landscape details and further examination of the street tree plan.
As shown in Exhibit 1, the public sidewalk will have the benefit of a row of larger shade trees between the sidewalk and the street and a row of smaller trees between the sidewalk and the building face. In combination, the two rows of trees should support a very pleasant pedestrian experience.
Per the Alameda Point Master Infrastructure Plan (dated 10/31/2016), the large street trees will be located between parallel parking spaces in tree wells to provide scale, screening, and assist in reducing the urban heat island effect. On West Atlantic, the Master Plan allows for: Watergum (Tristaniopsis laurina), Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus), or New Zealand Christmas Tree (Metrosideros excelsa).
On Orion Street, the plan allows for Black Locust (Robinia ‘Purple Robe’), Native Frangipani (Hymensporum flavum), Maidenhair Tree (Ginko biloba), or Australian Willow (Geijera parviflora). On Coronado Street, the plan allows for Black Locust (Robinia ‘Purple Robe’), Native Frangipani (Hymensporum flavum), Maidenhair Tree (Ginko biloba), or Australian Willow (Geijera parviflora). On Ardent Way, the plan calls for Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Lemon-scented Gum (Corymbia citriodora), and Red-flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia).
Between the back of sidewalk and the building, the planters are roughly 10’ wide, some of which support the project’s storm water treatment requirements. These Stormwater Flow-Through Planters require unique plants approved for these conditions. These smaller trees aim to provide character, color, and a sense of place along the street frontages to further enhance the pedestrian environment. Along the building, the plan replaced the original proposed Chinese Pistache with Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple).
Roof top Open Space
The Planning Board requested that the applicant explore increasing the size of the roof deck. Exhibit 1 includes more detail about the roof deck and adjacent resident lounge.
The net total floor area of the roof deck and resident lounge, without plantings and fixed furniture, is approximately 1,400 SF, which can accommodate up to 95 occupants at one time. The plan also includes a large door between the lounge and roof deck to allow occupants to comfortably spill out from the lounge onto the roof deck.
In combination with the other common recreational facilities in the building, the major public open spaces and parks immediately adjacent to the building and within two blocks of the building on the waterfront, and the planned 5+ miles of shoreline bike and pedestrian trails at Alameda Point, provide the residents of this building with ample active and passive recreational opportunities within close proximity.
Taken together, all of these design modifications add up to an improved project that staff is recommending for Planning Board approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed changes to the design would not change the environmental impacts of the proposal or the environmental findings in the December 11, 2017 resolution as disclosed by the approved Environmental Impact Report for Alameda Point. No further review is required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve by motion, the final design details as shown in Exhibit 1.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Assistant Community Development Director
Exhibit:
1. Refined Plans for Block 9