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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.hpc.20140212 ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 12, 2014 Jim DeFrancia called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. Commissioners in attendance were John Whipple and Patrick Sagal. Jay Maytin was seated at 5:33. Absent were Sallie Golden, Nora Berko and Willis Pember. Staff present: Jim True, City Attorney Amy Guthrie, Historic Preservation Officer Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy City Clerk Justin Barker, Planner Work Session — Mixed Use Zone District Code Amendment No — minutes MOTION: Jim moved to approve the minutes of January 22, 2014; second by Jay. All in favor, motion carried. Rubey Park— 450 E. Durant Jim True said the affidavit of posting is in order and the applicant can proceed. Exhibit I. Justin Barker said the property is on East Durant Street between Mill and Galena Street. It is a 27,000 square foot lot zoned public with a planned unit development over it. It is not a designated property but is located on the edge of the commercial core historic district. The applicant is proposing to renovate the existing structure and add two new smaller structures on the site with a glass canopy that connects all three of them. They will also do some redevelopment to the site. In looking at the commercial core historic guidelines most of them are intended for retail buildings and not really appropriate for this building type. There are also no historic buildings located directly to or adjacent to this building. HPC needs to determine which of the guidelines should apply to the review. The structural changes are the removal of a 250 square foot addition on the rear or north portion of the building. The clock tower will be remaining which was a response to public input. Most of the other changes are for materials and fenestration to the existing windows. There are two new buildings flanking on the east and west and a glass canopy connecting all three of the items. The applicant has submitted two options. The first option retains the existing gables as is that are facing on the east and west sides of the structure. Option #2 proposes 1 ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 12 2014 replacing those with flat roofs instead of the east west gables. The applicant has voiced a favor for option #2. Option #I provides for more variation to satisfy the design guideline and reduce the long expanse of the roof. The existing gables do provide a challenge for connecting the enclosed glass canopy all the way across from the new building and existing building. Overall staff is in support of this project and recommends approval with one condition that option #I be the approved option and that the connection between the canopy and gables are furthered studied to create a more amenable connection. Patrick said the applicant prefers option #2 due to snow sliding and cost factors. Have you looked at ways to keep the gables and mitigate the snow sliding. Jay said both options use the south side of Durant for bus storage, loading and unloading. Does staff have concerns about pedestrians crossing the road, noise, pollution etc. Justin said that has not been looked at for conceptual review. Gilbert Sanchez, Studio B architects Tyler Nealson, Blue Green Design Gilbert said they looked at existing conditions, prepared a needs analysis and we prepared a conceptual design incorporating all the needs. We had numerous sessions open to the public at Rubey Park. Public amenities also need up-graded and the waiting areas. We intend to do construction next spring and hopefully finish before ski seasons starts in November. Tyler said the design team hosted outreach efforts in which we invited stake holders; RFTA employees, neighbors and elected officials to take tours of the site and review the investigations that the design team had completed. We looked at the existing conditions, pedestrian circulation and how RFTA stages and operates its bus service from Rubey Park. We also discussed how RFTA stages and operates its bus service from Rubey Park. Gilbert said the project is 2,900 square feet. RFTA will decide where the buses are located. There are a variety of sizes of buses. We are being funded partly by a federal grant which includes using the existing footprint. We will gut the interior of the building and there will be a driver lounge 2 ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 12 2014 upstairs. We would then expand the waiting room and have more enhanced views around the site. The building will be very transparent. We will also expand the restrooms. We feel strongly about the revised scheme. The main gable runs north and south and the clock tower sits on the ridge of that. There are cross gables that sit over the east and west wings of the existing building. One of the main issues on the site is snow shedding. Our proposal is to extend the glass canopy all the way to the north south gable and eliminate the east and west gables. We are also exploring some green roofs. This scheme makes the mass lower in scale. We feel a horizontal language is very important for the building. The intent is to start construction in the fall. John asked how many parking spaces will be removed on Durant with the new plan. Tyler said two metered spaces on Durant will be removed and along Mill Street there will be five spaces removed that are metered. Patrick said he gets a sense from the public that they wanted something different than what is proposed. Gilbert said there is a strong support for the design direction we are showing. The existing building was built in the 80's. It is a building that represents the post-modern vernacular. Gilbert said one of the guidelines say flat roofs are appropriate in the commercial core district. Down the center of the V we will capture the water and snow melt and use it for landscaping. Justin said this application will go to the Planning & Zoning Commission for growth management review and then to council for growth management and then back to HPC for the rest of the review. Patrick said the only difference in the designs are the gables. Jim asked staff why they chose design #1. Justin said the variation of height in the roofs was not enough to meet the guidelines put forward. It is up to HPC to determine which design meets the guidelines. 3 ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 12, 2014 Chairperson, Jay Maytin opened the public hearing. There were no public comments. The public hearing portion of the agenda item was closed. Issues: Design guidelines Option #1 and #2. John said #2 shows ice stops and snow mitigation. It is a public place. If the water is being collected above ground before it hits the hard scape and not in the river #2 would be my selection. Keeping the water out of the right-of- way is important. Patrick said he agrees with staff that #I is a more appropriate design. Maybe the water/snow catch area could be extended to the center gable. Jim said he favors option #2. The applicants did a very convincing argument. The design looks like a modernized transit center. I also like the idea of a green roof. Jay said he is leaning toward option #2. This building is going to be here for a long time and it is going to be used by a lot of people. Option #I seems like you are retrofitting what we already have and option #2 reads as a new project. One concern are the buses on the south side of Durant Street. I don't support using public right-of-way for the buses. Maybe there could be a restudy of the south side of Durant. Justin said for this approval it is just the massing and scale. You can provide your comment to the applicant but it is not part of this approval. Gilbert said if we extended the canopy as Patrick has suggested it would be incredibly challenging and we would be doubling the amount of structure and doubling the amount of costs. MOTION: Jim made the motion to approve resolution #5 conceptual major development and commercial design for Rubey Park option #2. HPC has concerns over the bus parking as planned and recommends that it be restudied. Motion second by Jay. All in favor, motion carried. 4 ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 12 2014 232 E. Bleeker— Work Session — No-minutes Jim True, City Attorney Jim said this work session is an opportunity to make presentation to the commission. Any comments by the commission or individual commission members cannot be used and rely on by the applicant. This is just for guidance. We ask the applicant to acknowledge that they will not use the statements. Derek Skalko acknowledged the work session. MOTION: Jay moved to adjourn; second by Jim. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk 5