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Home My WebLink About01-26-2015 CHC Item 2 - 1128 Morro StreetMeeting Date: January 26, 2015 Item Number: 2 CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: Review of a 9,800 square foot hotel addition (24 new guest rooms) located within the Downtown Historic District. PROJECT ADDRESS: 1128 Morro Street BY: Erik Berg-Johansen, Assistant Planner FILE NUMBER: ARCH-0549-2014 FROM: Brian Leveille, Senior Planner SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION Forward the recommended conceptual review directional items to the Architectural Review Commission for incorporation into the formal project submittal. SITE DATA Applicant Lunacy Club, LLC Representative Jeff Bague, Puglisi Architecture Historic Status None Zoning C-D-H General Plan General Retail Site Area ~12,000 square feet Environmental Status Exempt from CEQA under Section 15332, In-fill Development Projects. SUMMARY The City has received an application for Conceptual Architectural Review of an addition to the Granada Hotel & Bistro located in Downtown San Luis Obispo. The existing two-story, 10,877 square foot hotel supports 15 guest rooms and a restaurant/bar. The proposed 9,871 square foot addition includes 24 new guest rooms and is four stories tall. If approved, the expanded hotel would incorporate a total of 39 guest rooms. Following CHC review the project will be forwarded to the Architectural Review Commission (ARC). CHC2 - 1 1128 Morro Street Granada Hotel and Bistro addition (ARCH-0549-2014) Page 2 PROJECT INFORMATION Site Information/Setting The site is currently developed with a hotel, restaurant/bar, and ground-level parking. The property is bounded by Heritage Oaks Bank to the south, a parking lot to the east, Morro Street to the west, and a mix of restaurant and retail uses to the north. The subject property and all adjacent properties are within the Commercial Downtown (C-D-H) zoning district. Other nearby development includes a mixture of common Downtown Core uses (e.g. retail and restaurants), parking lots, and office buildings. The project site is also highly visible from the Court Street Promenade, a popular pedestrian corridor with outdoor dining and extensive retail uses that exists between Monterey and Higuera Streets. The closest historic resource to the site is the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Marsh and Morro Streets (951 Marsh), which was built in 1905. The church is on the Master List of Historic Resources, and its architectural style is described as “Richardsonian Romanesque with Gothic Revival and Colonial influences.” Project Description The existing two-story, 10,877 square foot hotel supports 15 guest rooms and a restaurant/bar. The project proposes to construct a 9,871 square foot addition to the existing Granada Hotel & Bistro. The addition is proposed at the back (eastern) section of the parcel that currently supports outdoor surface parking. The proposed four-story addition includes 24 new guest rooms - the expanded hotel would incorporate a total of 39 guest rooms. Because the property is located within the Commercial Downtown (C-D) zone, the net loss of onsite parking spaces can be offset with payment of in-lieu fees and the additional parking requirement for the proposed bed and breakfast rooms can also be met through payment of in-lieu fees. EVALUATION The CHC will be the first advisory body to review and weigh in on the conceptual review of the current project design. Following the CHC’s review, the project will be scheduled before the ARC for conceptual review. The purpose of conceptual review is to provide the applicant with early feedback which can be incorporated into the project prior to formal application and final design review process. The final application submittal will be reviewed again by the CHC and then considered for final approval by the ARC. The Historical Preservation Program Guidelines should guide the CHC’s deliberations and action. The CHC’s review of the project should focus on how well the project design fits within the Downtown Historic District and its compatibility with nearby structures. The Historical Preservation Program Guidelines include the following guidance for the review of new buildings in historical preservation districts: CHC2 - 2 1128 Morro Street Granada Hotel and Bistro addition (ARCH-0549-2014) Page 3 Historic Preservation Guidelines Chapter 3.2 of the Historic Preservation Program provides guidelines for ensuring architecturally compatible development within historic districts, and adjacent to historically designated structures. As mentioned, the subject site is within the Downtown Historic District and is within the vicinity of important Master List historic resources. The following is adopted criteria and evaluation with relevance to the property: 3.2.1 Architecturally compatible development within Historic Districts. New structures in historic districts shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the district’s prevailing historic character as measured by their consistency with the scale, massing, rhythm, signature architectural elements, exterior materials, siting and street yard setbacks of the district's historic structures, as described in Figures 2 and 3. New structures are not required to copy or imitate historic structures, or seek to create the illusion that a new building is historic. 3.2.2 Architectural compatibility. The CHC reviews development in historic districts for architectural compatibility with nearby historic resources, and for consistency with applicable design and preservation policies, standards, and historic district descriptions in Section 5.2. New development should not sharply contrast with, significantly block public views of, or visually detract from, the historic architectural character of historically designated structures located adjacent to the property to be developed, or detract from the prevailing historic architectural character of the historic district. Staff Analysis (scale, massing, rhythm): The proposed addition is four stories with a roof terrace. Building heights range from 42.5 feet to the top of the fourth floor to 65 feet for an elevator tower and 52.5 feet to the top of a stair tower respectively. The proposed building height significantly exceeds the height of adjacent buildings and the existing two-story Granada Hotel and Bistro. Although the proposed addition has a significant setback from Morro Street, the structure will be visually prominent since the site is immediately adjacent to and surrounded by lower scale development and surface parking lots. The proposed addition appears to overwhelm the scale and rhythm of the existing Granada Hotel and surrounding development. The proposed hotel addition raises concerns from its characteristic proportions (relationship of height to width) since it has a relatively small footprint, which together with the prominent stair and elevator towers, adds to the vertical massing of the structure. In order to achieve consistency with the scale, massing, and rhythm of the district’s prevailing architectural character, Staff recommends inclusion of Directional Item #1. Directional Item #1: Explore design alternatives to reduce the massing and height of the project by reducing height at the edges of the building, and through more effective integration of the stair and elevator towers into the structure. Due to the small footprint of the structure, reduction in total floor height may be required in addition to architectural design modifications. Staff Analysis (architectural elements, exterior materials): The applicant’s conceptual review submittal is schematic in nature and does not include detailed elevations and a color and materials board was not submitted for staff review. Proposed materials shown in conceptual CHC2 - 3 1128 Morro Street Granada Hotel and Bistro addition (ARCH-0549-2014) Page 4 plans include cement fiber board, reglet reveals, glass blocks, dark metal window systems, and wood-trimmed guardrails with stainless steel cable rails. The southwestern façade is primarily composed of large windows and outdoor patios for the guest rooms. With the incorporation of industrial-type materials, the conceptual design is a departure from the existing portion of the Granada Hotel. The proposed architectural character of the building has a more modern appearance which does not appear compatible with the historic character of the district and does not include architectural elements or materials complementary to the Granada Hotel. Along with massing and scale modifications recommended in Directional Item #1, changes to the proposed architectural materials and building details are needed to achieve consistency with HPG 3.2.1. Directional Item #2: The revised project submitted for final review shall include modifications consistent with the architectural character of the Downtown Historic District. The revised project shall include the use of architectural finish materials, building forms, and architectural elements consistent with the prevailing architectural character of the district. The building does not need to imitate a historic structure, but should include materials and architectural details consistent and complementary with nearby buildings and the prevailing architecture of the downtown as called for in Community Design Guidelines for the Downtown. Some examples of suitable materials for the site may include exterior plaster (smooth troweled preferred), cut stone, pre-cast concrete, or new or used face brick. Directional Item #3: Plans submitted for final review shall include all details, cut sheets, dimensions, and specifications as determined by staff to be necessary for CHC review and final ARC review to ensure all materials, windows, and finishes are authentic and of a high quality suitable for development in the downtown area. RECOMMENDATION Continue the item to a date uncertain with direction to incorporate the following items into the project: Directional Item #1: Explore design alternatives to reduce the massing and height of the project by reducing height at the edges of the building, and through more effective integration of the stair and elevator towers into the structure. Due to the small footprint of the structure, reduction in total floor height may be required in addition to architectural design modifications. Directional Item #2: The revised project submitted for final review shall include modifications consistent with the architectural character of the Downtown Historic District. The revised project shall include the use of architectural finish materials, building forms, and architectural elements consistent with the prevailing architectural character of the district. The building does not need to imitate a historic structure, but should include materials and architectural details consistent and complementary with nearby buildings and the prevailing architecture of the downtown as called for in Community Design Guidelines for the Downtown. Some examples of suitable materials for the site may include exterior plaster (smooth troweled preferred), cut stone, pre-cast concrete, or new or used face brick. CHC2 - 4 1128 Morro Street Granada Hotel and Bistro addition (ARCH-0549-2014) Page 5 Directional Item #3: Plans submitted for final review shall include all details, cut sheets, dimensions, and specifications as determined by staff to be necessary for CHC review and final ARC review to ensure all materials, windows, and finishes are authentic and of a high quality suitable for development in the downtown area. ALTERNATIVES 1. Continue the item with direction to the applicant and staff on pertinent issues. ATTACHMENTS 1. Vicinity Map 2. Reduced scale project plans CHC2 - 5 O O C-D C-D-H C-D O C-D-H C-D C-D-H C-D-H C-D C-D-H O C-D C-D O C-D-H C-D-H-PD C-D C-D-H C-D-H O R-3-HC-D M O R R O O S O S MARSH HIGUE R A PACIF I C MONTE R E Y VICINITY MAP File No. 0549-20141128 MORRO ST ¯ Attachment 1 CHC2 - 6 Attachment 2 CHC2 - 7 Attachment 2 CHC2 - 8 Attachment 2 CHC2 - 9 Attachment 2 CHC2 - 10 Attachment 2 CHC2 - 11