Design Review Board
Level 3: Construction of new building/structure
12-C-24-DT
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 12-C-24-DT, subject to the following conditions: 1) final elevation drawings and site plan to meet relevant standards of City Engineering and Zoning code; 2) signage to return to the DRB as a separate application.
Location 301 E. Jackson Ave.
OwnerNick Patel Turkey Creek Hospitality
Applicant Request
SUMMARY: Proposed new, five-story, mixed-use building (four stories of residential apartments above one story of retail and residential along Morgan Street). The mixed-use building fronts Morgan Street on an irregularly-shaped site, measuring approximately 112'-5" along Morgan Street and 73'-2.25" along the rear (northwest) property line, fronting the rail line.
SITE LAYOUT AND ACCESS: One pedestrian entry of storefront systems provides access on the Morgan Street elevation, with two pedestrian entries accessing the retail space on the south elevation. The south elevation fronts a patio which extends towards Jackson Avenue.
DESIGN ELEMENTS: The flat-roof building is clad in brick of multiple colors on all elevations, featuring a bays of ribbed-pattern brick cladding between window bays. Black fiber cement panels also adjoin some windows on the upper levels.
The Morgan Street elevation, moving north to south, features one bay of brick solider-course with a building logo and cantilever light fixtures above the signage. A storefront entry system provides access to the residential portion of the building, followed by three bays of full-light storefront windows. On the south elevation, another bay of full-light storefront systems provides access to the retail space. Windows are evenly arranged single- and double-light panes for the upper stories.
Staff Comments
1. SITE: The building is proposed for a triangular-shaped parcel adjacent to James White Parkway on the east, the railroad on the north, and Morgan Street on the west. The site has served as surface parking since an industrial building on the site was demolished in approximately 2005. The property is zoned DK-W (Warehouse district, "characterized by a mix of retail and warehouse/industrial uses in historically significant structures," with "standards intended to reinforce the existing built character of the subdistrict"). The adjacent block is characterized by 2- to 3-story brick masonry buildings which belong to the Southern Terminal and Warehouse Historic District. The parcel is outside of, but close to, the National Register Historic District. On the other side of James White Parkway is the contemporary mixed-use stadium development.
2. PARKING: the building does not contain additional parking. The project is proposed by the same architects and property owners as the associated seven-story structured parking garage with retail/residential on the parcel adjacent to the southwest.
3. MASSING AND SCALE: the guidelines recommend maintaining a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block, along with dividing buildings into "modules" similar in scale to traditional downtown buildings with a recognizable base, middle, and top. The five-story building features a clear lower level oriented towards pedestrian access and the patio that fronts Jackson Avenue, with a top defined by a bay of brick veneer and a parapet.
4. PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE: guidelines encourage incorporating first-floor uses that are open to pedestrians and draw walk-in traffic. The project includes public spaces along Morgan Street, with retail accessing a patio that covers the south corner of the property. The patio features landscape planting along the Jackson Ave elevation that enhances the overall streetscape and draws pedestrian interest.
5. MATERIALS: guidelines recommend the use of building materials that "relate to the scale, durability, color, and texture of the predominate building materials in the area." The surrounding area is characterized largely by brick masonry structures, and the building incorporates brick cladding in multiple patterns and shades on all elevations of the building. The brick masonry-clad building compliments the existing character of the area.
6. MECHANICAL: Guidelines recommend minimizing the visual impact of mechanical equipment through screens and recessed equipment, placing rooftop areas within parapet walls and screens, and recessing mechanical functions to the rear of buildings. As depicted, the proposed designs meet the design guidelines. Mechanical equipment will need to meet the standards of Article 10.3.T.2.
7. SIGNS: the signs depicted on the elevation drawings do not contain sufficient information for Board review at this time; a separate signage application should be submitted to the DRB for further review.
8. Drawings note that "all graphics are preliminary and the design is subject to change." Major modifications would require further design review by the DRB.
9. All relevant variances from the DK zoning standards, driven by the irregular shape of the site and the nature of the project, have been secured from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
