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ATTACHMENT 1 PHASE 2 PLN2022-0085_Letter_7.31.2023_8.42.20_AM_3696993Planning & Development Received 07/31 /2023 rchitecture PO Box 141 Edmonds, Washington 98020 (206) 920.3554 phone PWFArchitecture.com July 31, 2023 Michael Clugston, Senior Planner City of Edmonds Planning Division 121 5t" Avenue North Edmonds, Washington 98020 RE: Corrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) Dear Mr. Clugston, Below is my response to the comments from our ADB meeting on June 15, 2023. The items below are numbered according to the Design Guidelines summary in your minutes, and correlate to the revised drawings, dated July 31, 2023. Site Planning 1. Reinforce site characteristics. Although the consensus was that this is a low priority, the volume of the building is slightly reduced, allowing for a slight reduction in shadows cast on adjacent structures. 2. Reinforce existing streetscape characteristics. The existing streetscape characteristics include large multi -story residential and commercial buildings close to the adjacent sidewalks. Our project maintains that tradition while also providing the pedestrian amenity of a canopy over a portion of the sidewalk, subject to approval by the City. Landscaping between the building and the sidewalk is provided, in keeping with such features found on other buildings in the immediate vicinity. 3. Entry clearly identifiable from the street. The entrance to the commercial space is immediately adjacent to the sidewalk and features a covered entry porch along with the canopy over the adjacent sidewalk. Like other buildings in the downtown area, this communicates not only a place of shelter but also an entrance to the building. The entrance to the apartments is from a large plaza accessed from the sidewalk, with signage and another canopy communicating the point of entry to the residential space. 4. Encourage human activity on the street. The plaza leading to the entrance of the residential units is of sufficient size to accommodate people gathering there, and is just far enough removed from the sidewalk so as to provide a slightly more secluded environment. The canopy at the entrance to the commercial space also promotes gathering by providing shelter from inclement weather. Planning & Development Received 07/31 /2Okrrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) July 31, 2023 Page 2 of 4 5. Minimize intrusion into privacy on adjacent sites. This is accommodated by minimizing windows on the north side of the building and maintaining a fifteen -foot building setback from the property to the east. The plaza will also have landscaping at the east side to provide privacy for those on the plaza as well as those on the adjacent property. 6. Use space between building and sidewalk to provide security, privacy, and interaction. The space between the building and the sidewalk will be landscaped to provide privacy to those in the commercial space. The potential for interaction is provided under the canopy at the entrance to the commercial space, as well as at the porch immediately outside the commercial space entrance. There is no residential use adjacent to the space between the sidewalk and the building at ground level. 7. Maximize open space opportunity on site. Even though there isn't a requirement to provide open space for the residential portion of the building, a large plaza is nonetheless provided at the residential entrance, to facilitate gathering and interaction of residents. 8. Minimize parking and auto impacts on pedestrians and adjoining property. Vehicle access is off the alley, so no significant impact by vehicle traffic on pedestrians is anticipated. Parking is underneath the building and likewise is not seen to have any adverse impact on the pedestrian environment. 9. Discourage parking on the street front. This is noted as not applicable. 10.Orient building to corner and parking away from corner on public fronts. This is noted as not applicable. Bulk and Scale 1. Provide sensitive transition to nearby, less intensive zones. The transition to the less -intensive zoning to the east is accomplished by the fifteen -foot setback mandated by the City, as well as providing landscape screening along the east property line. Residentially -scaled treatments are also integrated in the building design, including exterior finishes, windows sizes, and roof overhangs. Architectural Elements 1. Complement positive existing character and/or response to nearby historic structures. Although noted as a low priority, the project seeks to improve the existing character of the immediate vicinity by providing a large canopy over a portion of the sidewalk, transparency of the ground -floor commercial space, and access to an adjacent plaza. 2. Unified architectural concept An architectural rhythm is expressed with the inclusion of brick pilasters dividing equal -width bays of glazing at the ground -floor commercial space, along with a more symmetrical fagade above featuring a pair of cantilevered gables and matching window configurations and supplemental decorative medallions. This provides an overall perceptible architectural concept. 3. Use human scale and human activity. Human -scaled elements include brick pilasters, brick veneer, residentially -scaled siding, windows, and trim. The canopies at both the commercial and residential entrances are about nine feet above the walking surface, commensurate with the pedestrian scale of those elements of the building. Planning & Development Received 07/31 /20krrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) July 31, 2023 Page 3 of 4 4. Use durable, attractive, and well -detailed finish materials. Brick veneer is featured on the south elevation and includes brick pilasters and pre -cast trim. Other human -scaled materials include lap siding, panel siding with metal reveals, wood trim, and decorative medallions surrounding two window groupings. The window trim for the residential units throughout the building is 2x2 cedar. This is the appropriate size, given the close spacing of pairs of small windows in most units. If larger trim was used, the resulting architectural proportions of window trim and window size would not fit with the small scale and close spacing of those windows. And in general window trim should be consistent throughout a building, to avoid a haphazard, inconsistent aesthetic. 5. Minimize garage entrances. This is a low priority given that the alley is the only way to access parking. A twenty -foot -wide driveway will minimize the impact. Pedestrian Environment 1. Provide convenient, attractive, and protected pedestrian entry. Entry to the commercial space is directly off the sidewalk under a projecting canopy, with a covered porch underneath the floor above it. The residential entrance is off a generous plaza accessed directly from the sidewalk via stairs and a ramp, with a canopy providing protection at the entrance door. 2. Avoid blank walls. There are no blank walls on the building. Windows on the north elevation are reduced to a minimum to provide privacy to the neighbors to the north. It also features increased masonry veneer and a variety of siding types and colors. Modulation of the north wall is introduced to further reduce the apparent bulk of the building. 3. Minimize height of retaining walls The height of retaining walls is minimized but is largely dictated by the existing topography of adjacent properties 4. Minimize visual and physical intrusion of parking lots on pedestrian areas. This is noted as not applicable. 5. Minimize visual impact of parking structures. This is noted as not applicable. 6. Screen dumpsters, utility, and service areas. The dumpster enclosure is screened. The transformer must be accessible by PUD personnel and therefore cannot be obscured. 7. Consider personal safety. The entrance to the residential area will be through a secured door, accessed from a large open plaza. Access from the parking level to the building will also be through a secured door. The parking area will be partially open on two sides, enhancing visibility into and from that space. Landscaping 1. Reinforce existing landscape character of neighborhood. The existing streetscape features landscaping between the sidewalk and most buildings. This is maintained in the proposed project, along with the addition of street trees. Planters are at the entrance to the commercial space, as well as at the access to the plaza and along its east side. Additional landscaping is provided along the stairway from the sidewalk down to the parking level, along the west side of the building. Planning & Development Received 07/31 /20krrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) July 31, 2023 Page 4 of 4 2. Landscape to enhance the building or site. By maintaining and enhancing the existing landscape character of the neighborhood as described above, the proposed landscaping enhances the building and site to provide a more enjoyable pedestrian experience. 3. Landscape to take advantage of special site conditions. This was noted as a low priority, as there aren't any special site conditions that can be taken advantage of. Several comments by ADB members are addressed in the revised plans. The revisions are summarized below. The building now features a sloping roof with overhangs, reducing the apparent bulk of the structure and providing additional modulation and articulation of the parapets and overhangs. We are seeking approval for a portion of the architectural parapet at the south elevation to exceed the allowable building height by one foot. This architectural element visually ties the two projecting gabled elements together, for a more cohesive and resolved architectural composition. Juliet balconies are now provided for most of the units. A prefabricated metal railing will be installed at the sliding glass door in each unit, adding another layer of architectural detail and interest. A canopy is added to the commercial entrance, and some uniformity in modulation and articulation is introduced to the south elevation, with two cantilevered gable -roof elements, and a rhythm of brick pilasters modulating the increased area of glazing (now just over 75% of the required wall area). The area of brick veneer is increased, being added along the west side, adjacent the stairs to the parking level. The north elevation features a higher brick wainscoting, as well as the introduction of modulation and a variation in parapet height and configuration. Comments from other City Staff are addressed in other correspondence. Let me know if you have any questions about this. Thanks again for your help in getting our approvals. Sincerely, PWF Architecture, LLC Philip W. Frisk, AIA, Principal Washington State Architect Registration Number 7320 cc: Glenn Safadago, GBH Holdings Planning & Development Received 08/01 /2023 rchitecture PO Box 141 Edmonds, Washington 98020 (206) 920.3554 phone PWFArchitecture.com July31, 2023 Jeanie McConnell Engineering Program manager City of Edmonds 121 5th Avenue North Edmonds, Washington 98020 RE: Corrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) Dear Ms. McConnell, Below is my response to your correction letter for the above -referenced project, dated April 27, 2023. The items below are numbered according to your letter. 1. The utilities along the frontage will be undergrounded, as shown on the separate revised civil engineering drawings Items 2-6 we previously resolved. 6. The parking layout now shows a minimum of 8'-6" clearance between stall striping and structural columns. However, the structural design has not yet started, and we would like your approval to have any required columns intrude slightly on the 8'-6" wide parking space, as was done at the recently completed Post Office building parking garage, located at 130 2nd Avenue North. See attached pictures. I regularly use the parking garage and have no issues navigating the parking stalls. Presumably the encroachment of the concrete columns was allowed as it was recognized that it doesn't impact the usability of the parking spaces. 7. The dumpster enclosure adjacent the alley is now 3'-4" from the edge of the alley, to improve visibility for those exiting the driveway. We are also including a convex mirror at the end of the driveway, to provide full visibility down the alley for those exiting the driveway. While a mirror may not yet be an approved alternate, we request that it be considered as one. The parking garage at the Post Office building mentioned above includes a convex mirror, and it is very helpful in improving the visibility for drivers leaving the parking garage. See attached picture. The size of the dumpster enclosure is reduced to provide increased visibility. According to Greg Hale, President of Sound Disposal (the garbage service provider), the size of the dumpsters to be used are 50" deep, 78" wide, and 54" high. I have shown the actual size of the two dumpsters to be used, and they fit well within the smaller enclosure space. I believe the smaller enclosure will also serve as a deterrent to non-residents throwing trash into the dumpster enclosure, a potential problem given the alley location. Planning & Development Received 08/01 /20krrections for Design Review Application at 605/611 Main Street (PLN2022-0085) July 31, 2023 Page 2 of 2 Feel free to contact t me directly to discuss any questions you have about our response. Thanks for your help with getting our approvals from the City. Sincerely, PWF Architecture, LLC Philip W. Frisk, AIA, Principal Washington State Architect Registration Number 7320 Attachments cc: Glenn Safadago, GBH Holdings x" Q C USN ME 00 a,N CO0� U N j�0 0 r�, Planning &��� a Development-� y �'��'; i� r� ► , . Received �: 08/01/2023����r��/,�� _�,►� /l i r s, EN Edmonds Post Office Parking Garage Parking Stall Example Planning & Development Received 08/01 /2023 Edmonds Garage,--- Convex Mirror Example