HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-15-2016 ARC Correspondence - Item 2 (Cooper)Meeting:&_e
Item: 2
To: SLO Architectural Review Commissioners
Re: 560 Higuera Street
Date: August 11, 2016
From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
AUG 15 2016
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Honorable Chair and Commissioners -
Regarding 560 Higuera St. Save Our Downtown is making the
following recommendations:
Recommendations per the SLO Community Design Guidelines
and the Downtown Design Guidelines (see below):
1) In order to provide a logical transition between adjacent
buildings and decrease the vertical appearance of the stair
towers, the architect should remove the non-functional
fourth floors located above the trash shoot and the
lobby/"stair 1" towers.
2) In order to reinforce the horizontal lines of the two-story
facades on both adjacent buildings, the architect should
terminate the metal grilles above the second story and
transition to stucco.
3) In order to complement the colors and materials on the
adjacent buildings the architect should replace the
predominant dark grey colors on the stucco with a light
cream or light terra cotta color matching the adjoining
buildings.
Recommendation per the SLO Community Design Guidelines, per
the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce and per the LUE
Task Force (see below):
1) Extend the downtown creek -walk for pedestrians along the
Creek, NOT through a parking garage! The Creamery creek -
walk should connect directly to the creek -walk abutting 560
Higuera St. We reinforce the importance of staff's
recommendation to screen off the parking garage from San
Luis Creek, the neighbors across the creek and from the
creek -walk
From: SLO Community Design Guidelines
Re: Chapter 4 - Downtown Design Guidelines
Date: June 2010
B. Height and Scale
4 b. Reinforce the established horizontal lines of facades in
adjacent buildings; Horizontal lines. Reinforcing established
horizontal lines is one way to provide a logical transition between
adjacent buildings with different heights.
4 f. Use roof overhangs, cornices, dentals, moldings, awnings,
and other decorative features to decrease the vertical
appearance of the walls;
D. Materials and Architectural Details
1. Finish Materials
Materials should complement those on significant adjacent
buildings.
The following exterior finish materials are considered
inappropriate in the downtown and are discouraged:
Corrugated sheet metal
From: SLO Community Design Guidelines
Re: Chapter 1 - Introduction & Applicability p.11
Date: June 2010
"The City has also been conscientious in preserving views and
access to distinctive open space features including creekways
and hillsides, by incorporating access to creeks into individual
site designs and area plans, and by maintaining view corridors to
open views and hillsides."
From: San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
Re: 2015-17 City Budget Goal Setting Process
Date: January 8, 2015
"Extend and improve facilities along the downtown creek -walk
for pedestrians"
From: LU E Task Force
Re: Chapter 1 - Land Use
Date: December 9, 2014
4.30. Master Plan for San Luis Obispo Creek
"The City shall develop a master plan for San Luis Obispo Creek
in the Downtown area."
"Walking paths along the creek in the Downtown core should be
provided and extended as links in an urban trail system, provided
this will not further degrade wildlife habitat value of the riparian
ecosystem."