HSB Edmonds_design guide_check_20170906.pdfMG2 Corporation
1101 Second Ave, Ste 100
Seattle, WA 98101
MEMO
To Mike Clugston
City of Edmonds
Planning Division
121 51h Ave N
Edmonds, WA 98020
From Brad Barbee, Applicant
Date
Project
Project Number
206 962 6500
MG2.com
September 61h, 2017
HomeStreet Bank
Edmonds, WA
15-5117-01A
Cc File
RE Summary of Design Conformance for Zone BD3 (ADB Review Phase 2)
HomeStreet Bank - 614-616 SIh Avenue South
Permit #: PLN #20170024
Dear Mr. Clugston,
The attached drawing package is being submitted for Architectural Design Board Phase 2 Review
of the HomeStreet Bank in Edmonds, WA at 614-616 51h Avenue South. The proposed project
includes the demolition of two existing commercial buildings and parking lot as well as a new two-
story building with a HomeStreet Bank branch and drive -through on the 1SI floor and leasable
office space on the 2nd floor. The proposed site will be developed with surface parking and a
concrete retaining wall with new landscaping and site utilities.
The site is located within the BD3 (Downtown Convenience Commercial) which allows for
office/retail as well as drive-in/through businesses. The project meets zoning requirements as
follows:
Setback - a 15' setback is being provided along the western edge adjacent to the residential area
Height - 30' max, building is currently designed for 30'
Building massing - see comments below under massing and articulation
Open space - a 860 SF open space is being provided:
• Lot area: 17,187 SF x .05 = 859.35
On the following page is our response to the Design Guidelines Checklist based on the feedback
from the board members during our Phase 01 review.
him
Design Guidelines Checklist
A. Site Planning
1. Reinforce existing site characteristics: LOW PRIORITY
• The existing site will be cleared and rebuilt as a new development. However some existing
characteristics such as street trees, public seating and open space will be provided in the
new proposed design.
2. Reinforce existing streetscape characteristics: HIGH PRIORITY
• The existing site has two buildings located at the northeast and southeast corners of the
property with a paved parking lot for approximately 14 cars at the center of the site. This
leaves a large gap along the street front since both structures address the parking area more
so than the street elevation. The proposed design would move the parking area to the west
side of the site allowing the building to better address the street on the east elevation along
5' Avenue.
3. Entry clearly identifiable from the street: HIGH PRIORITY
• The new building will be situated and designed to address the public street front with the main
entry located on 5' Avenue and accessed directly from the sidewalk and clearly visible at the
center of the proposed east building elevation.
4. Encourage human activity on street: HIGH PRIORITY
• The proposed building will have canopies that extend over the sidewalk 5'-0" to provide
weather protection for pedestrians as well as customers using the ATM. The proposed project
will also have a plaza that is designed to be an inviting open space accessed directly off the
public sidewalk along 5' Avenue to encourage community interaction.
5. Minimize intrusion into privacy on adjacent sites: HIGH PRIORITY
• The proposed site design provides the required 15' setback along the west edge of the
property where it is adjacent to residential buildings. This area will be landscaped and
secured with an 8' 0" chain link fence. The proposed site lighting will utilize directional shields
to prevent overflow of light spilling onto the adjacent residential properties.
6. Use space between building and sidewalk to provide security, privacy and interaction (residential):
LOW PRIORITY
• The proposed site design will have a small area of landscaping between the building entry
and sidewalk as well as an open and inviting plaza space for public interaction.
7. Maximize open space opportunity on site (residential projects). N/A
• N/A.
8. Minimize parking and auto impacts on pedestrians and adjoining property: HIGH PRIORITY
• The site has been designed to locate the parking area behind the building on the west side of
the property. This will provide safer access to the building from the public sidewalk and hides
the parking area from view along 5' Avenue.
9. Discourage parking in street front: N/A
• It was discussed during Phase 01 that all of the parking for the proposed project would be
located behind the building.
10. Orientate building to corner and parking away from corner on public streets (corner lots): HIGH
PRIORITY
• The proposed design orientates the building towards the public street front instead of towards
a parking area. The parking area would be located to the west away from 5' Avenue street
front.
B. Bulk and Scale
1. Reinforce existing site characteristics: HIGH PRIORITY
• The following elements are being proposed on the current design to help reduce the bulk and
scale of the project:
a) 3 different parapet heights are being proposed to help break down the scale and overall
building height
b) Vertical setbacks of the building facades will help breakdown the overall scale of the
building
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c) Large areas of glazing are also being proposed on the ground floor on the north, east and
south facades to provide transparency and light.
d) Multiple building materials including stone, plaster, siding and steel are being proposed on
all facades which help break down the scale of the building and alleviate blank walls.
e) Landscaping including elevated planting beds and vines are being proposed around the
concrete retaining wall to help soften the height of the wall at the alley and adjacent to
residential properties to the west.
f) The concrete retaining wall will also be finished with a stone texture finish to help soften
the overall size of the wall.
C. Architectural Elements and Materials
1. Complement positive existing character and/or respond to nearby historic structures: N/A
• N/A.
2. Unified architectural concept: HIGH PRIORITY
• The building has been designed with a distinct base and top which is emphasized by the steel
belt course and steel canopies that separate the I" and 2"d floors of the building. The 1" floor
elevations of the building will also have larger sections of glazing and exterior stone cladding
that forms the base of the building. The 2"d level of the building is also defined by siding as
well as window sizes and spacing that will create a more residential appearance to the design
and help break down the scale of the fa ade.
3. Use human scale and human activity: HIGH PRIORITY
• The following elements are being proposed on the current design to help break down the
scale of the building:
a) An open public plaza is proposed next to the 30'-0" high corner `tower'
b) The 2nd floor will incorporate smaller windows with multiple panes of glazing and mimic the
scale and proportion of a more traditional residential window.
c) 5'-0" canopies are proposed around the north and east elevations for pedestrian
protection
d) The design also incorporates multiple exterior finishes such as stone, siding and cement
plaster to help give a more human scale to the elevations.
4. Use durable, attractive and well detailed finish materials: HIGH PRIORITY
• The building is being proposed with a durable stone veneer system that will form the base of
the majority of the structure except at glazed storefront areas. A cement plaster wall system
with two color finishes is also being proposed for the fagade. A siding material is also being
proposed at the 2"d floor of the building which will have a stained wood appearance. Some
exposed steel which will be part of the structural frame of the building will also be exposed
and painted to match the storefront system.
5. Minimize garage entrances: HIGH PRIORITY
• There are no proposed garage entrances for this project.
D. Pedestrian Environment
1. Provide convenient, attractive and protected pedestrian entry: HIGH PRIORITY
• Both the main entry located on 5' Avenue and the North Entry located off the open plaza are
protected by 10'-0" high and 5'-0" deep canopies. Both public entries will be accessible and
well illuminated. Both public entries will be part of the glazed storefront system providing clear
views into the entry lobbies on the interior.
2. Avoid blank walls: HIGH PRIORITY
• The proposed building design incorporates faux window elements along the West Elevation
that will mimic the spacing and proportions of the windows provided at the 2"d floor.
3. Minimize height of retaining walls: HIGH PRIORITY
• Due to the existing grading of the site a retaining wall will need to be built in order to provide
an efficiently designed parking area that can be located behind the building and out of view
from 5' Avenue. The following items have been implemented in the proposed design to help
minimize the height of the retaining walls:
a) Parking lot grading drops to the west in order to keep retaining wall as low as possible.
b) A 3'-0" high retaining wall will also be provided within the 15' setback area along the west
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elevation in order to soften the height of the wall.
c) Landscaping including Boston Ivy will be included around perimeter of retaining wall.
d) A natural stone or stone block finish will be applied to the face of the concrete retaining
wall in order to break down the height of the wall and provide a textured finish.
4. Minimize visual and physical intrusion of parking lots on pedestrian areas: HIGH PRIORITY
• Surface parking is being proposed on the west side of the property behind the proposed
building and screened from view along 5' Avenue.
5. Minimize visual impact of parking structures: N/A
• N/A
6. Screen dumpsters, utility and service areas: HIGH PRIORITY
• The refuse area will be located away from 5' Avenue in the southwest corner of the site and
fully screened and gated from view. The electrical transformer will be located at the same
corner of the site behind the refuse area and screened from view by the retaining wall and
refuse area enclosure.
7. Consider personal safety: HIGH PRIORITY
• The following items have been implemented into the proposed design and will help contribute
to a safe environment for customers, employees and citizens:
a) Lighting at the ATM and Night Drop will meet the requirements of RC W 19.174.050 which
require 2fc at 50'-0" and 10fc at 5'-0". Parking lot lighting will also be provided at an
average level of 2fc
b) Guardrails will be provided per code at the required height of 42" around the perimeter
retaining wall around the parking area.
c) Interior site lines will be kept open to allow employees of the bank to have unobstructed
views of the main entry doors and the public sidewalk, open plaza and street.
d) The lower 15'-0" setback area will be kept secure by an 8'-0" chain link fence to keep out
trespassers on the property.
e) The open plaza area will be separated from the drive -way entry by a landscaped area with
trees to protect pedestrians from cars in the plaza area.
E. Landscaping
1. Reinforce existing landscape character of neighborhood: LOW PRIORITY
• All existing landscaping on the property will be removed and replaced with new.
2. Landscape to enhance the building or site: HIGH PRIORITY
• Landscaping including trees and boulders are proposed along the north edge of the open
plaza to help buffer the plaza from the adjacent drive entry off of 5' Avenue. Stone benches
and a textured/colored concrete plaza is also being proposed to provide an inviting entry to
the building and a visual connection to the historic downtown Edmonds fountain and public
plaza.
3. Landscape to take advantage of special site conditions: HIGH PRIORITY
• Due to the existing grading of the site and the need for a retaining wall, landscaping will be
provided around the perimeter of the retaining wall to help soften the height. A 3'-0" tall raised
landscape area is also proposed along the west elevation of the retaining wall to help visually
lower the height of the wall against the adjacent residential properties. Landscaping including
trees and boulders are proposed along the north edge of the open plaza to help buffer the
plaza from the adjacent drive entry off of 5' Avenue. Stone benches and a textured/colored
concrete plaza is also being proposed to provide an inviting entry to the building.
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We feel that the City of Edmonds will find this project to be beneficial to the community as well as
complementary to the existing neighborhood. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Brad Barbee
Associate, MG2
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