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Home My WebLink About10/21/2019 Item 2, Cooper Wilbanks, Megan From:Allan Cooper <saveourdowntownslo@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, To:Scott, Shawna; Advisory Bodies Subject:545 Higuera & 486 Marsh Attachments:810_19_19...lettertoarc.pdf Dear Shawna - Would you kindly forward the letter attached below to the Architectural Review Commission before their next meeting? This letter pertains to Item #2 on the ARC's October 21, 2019 agenda. Thanks! - Allan Allan Cooper, Secretary - Save Our Downtown, San Luis Obispo, CA Website: www.SaveOurDowntownSLO.com 1 Save Our Downtown ______________________________________________________________________________ Seeking to protect and promote the historical character, design, livability and economic success of downtown San Luis Obispo. To: San Luis Obispo Architectural Review Commission & Shawna Scott Senior Planner Re: October 21, 2019 Meeting Item Number 2: 545 Higuera & 486 Marsh  From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown Date: October 19, 2019 Revised Design Original Submittal z SUM:[zSUNo,Yz z@ U)zY^ >z[MzSUMSUdz@3GYz[Mz @ANpz#MVz zw-YC4 Bz \U GY,\.OHz[Mz < H[zYE@@UzY[UeajUYz z SUM; [zY[SYzNpIz\MzzyY[NUuz$ zGr]z[Nz*8Y^NU/zY^Uf[kVz z Y]V^z%UMI\z& Yz UzUM>GzNqGz[Nz !zMES b5@xzp0c+z ; G[ze,@P3G)Yz zHpzpMMzY,0G)zNFSA6EL[Yzr,Y\,J)zpMMzY,Q7G)zMGzG UvzY[Ug_hVYz zY^MGz@ 3G)zNET@,EG[Zzs0Y\1J)zW29zKz @M?zM'zR=(H`zY[Xi^lUYz z Y[gNzMESD8F"I[Yzt,Y^0I)zY[hMzMGz ; G^zY\Um^nUYz ATTACHMENT 1 Packet Page 41 (2&|EQ+x{f )`cY=gacY},e8#e AiY`bZ`bkH+SeiZ MGY"Zc~*esFhcTe3p,YUiY> UjePGHdehctmyce VZ`+ e`cY~+;es HcUe45iYUpZ^@<hehcuhtce"cYN`ekb, T, [O`I,PWi bc'hPZ"eX~br:H,U\Y`cY`Ycl9]XeiYm'_<gRBu-I+U# T!YYe.6U#ZOaI7OThe/ei$ZZe++V%YUUcelbtzce eUL,U#YO`J+PXhe1en,V$c0CVIYDY?Thehcvosce ewYZOaK+OXhe1eq$eitYYU>Ulehcuitce ATTACHMENT 2 Packet Page 86 Honorable Chair and Commissioners - It is unfortunate that the architect has chosen a “contemporary” theme for these buildings given that there are very few examples of “contemporary” architecture in this neighborhood (excepting of course the architect’s two most recent additions - the cargo container complex called Downtown Terraces and the condominium complex ﬂanking Gennaro’s). Previous additions to this neighborhood, including the Manse and the Bank of the Sierra, have tried with some success to work with more “historical” and “residential” themes. However, acknowledging that the ARC made no previous reference to this concern, we are left with the remaining concerns of massing and scale. We cannot fault the architect’s attempt to step down the massing to the height of the Pollard House and we applaud echoing the same Pollard House width-height proportions. Sensitivity to proportion, irrespective of style, is simply good contextual design. However, previous ARC direction called for stepping back the third ﬂoor massing not only along Higuera Street but also along Marsh. This, in addition to breaking up the street setbacks, would be a more sympathetic response to the predominantly two-story Manse, the two-story Bank of the Sierra and the one- story Pinho House. More variety in the color palette along the horizontal dimension, particularly along the facades facing the parking lot, would help to further break up the scale of the buildings. For example the “light bronze” color for the storefront panels could change to a lighter or darker color halfway along the length of either Buildings A or B. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we should address the commercial (as opposed to residential) “feel” of this project. In particular, we should address the commercial scale of the windows involving large expanses of glass facing both Marsh and Higuera Street. These jar in both scale and proportion with the windows on the Bank of the Sierra (see below), with those on the Norcross House and even with those on the architect’s own Downtown Terraces project. Nor are these windows in compliance with the Community Design Guidelines which state “on upper ﬂoors, consider using windows or other architectural features that will reinforce the typical rhythm of upper story windows found on traditional commercial buildings…”. A simple solution would be to introduce into these recessed window bays dimensional ﬁns running in both the vertical and horizontal direction as these would help to break down the scale. These ﬁns would also provide much needed solar shading. Thank you for your consideration. ATTACHMENT 2 Packet Page 95