HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-2017 Item PH2 (Cooper)
To:SLO Architectural Review Commission
Re:San Luis Square Project @ 570, 578 & 590 Marsh and 581 Higuera Street
From:Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown
Date:November 10, 2017
Honorable Chair and Commissioners -
We continue to register our concern with the mixed-use project proposed to be located at 570,
578 & 590 Marsh and 581 Higuera Street. Although the architect incorporated some bulkheads
and reconsidered the window design/sizing on 590 Marsh, this project has remained virtually
the same since it was Ðrst submitted back in 2014.
Both the CHC and the ARC urged the architect to provide upper story setbacks with particular
attention to building heights along the property line shared with the Jack House. As can be
seen in the illustrations below, this was not done.
In order to address this issue, yours truly met with Mr. Belsher to discuss stepping back the 4th
Ñoors further without losing one square foot of leasable space. This could be accomplished by
rooÐng over the paseos (between 581 Higuera and 570 Marsh and between 570 Marsh and
590 Marsh) in a way similar to the Garden Street Terraces paseo that connects Garden Alley
through to Marsh Street. Why should this be done? Because the San Luis Square paseos will
seldom, if ever, receive any direct sunlight. Not including the covered walkway, the main paseo
(AlexÈs Alley) is 16 feet at its widest Ñanked by buildings 59.5 feet tall. Compare this with the
Downtown Centre where the main paseo width ranges between 19 and 35 feet and the
adjoining buildings average 31 feet in height or the Court Street project where its main paseo is
26 feet at its narrowest Ñanked by a 51 foot tall building to the west and a 45 foot tall building
to the east (see below).
Moreover, Policy 4.20.4 of the LUE states, in part, that tall buildings (50-75 feet) shall be
designed to achieve multiple policy objectives including Åa public/private plaza (like Court
Street)Æ. However, one can hardly compare the shaded plaza at the convergence of AlexÈs Alley
and JockÈs Way measuring 27.5 feet by 32 feet to the south-facing and sunny Court Street
plaza which measures approximately 50 feet by 90 feet (these measurements includes both the
ground level and upper Ñoor plazas shown in yellow and purple above).
The preamble to the Community Design Guidelines has an over-riding goal stating: ÅEach
development proposal should demonstrate consideration for the existing conditions on and o
the site including¼the architectural style, and the shape and massing of neighboring
structures.Æ Now, how can these buildings Ðt more appropriately into our Downtown? Sta
should be commended in their December 1, 2014 review of 581 Higuera Street for providing
you with direction in this matter. SpeciÐcally, sta recommended that the developer keep the
building height to 50 feet or under and eliminate the fourth Ñoor.
But going beyond staÈs recommendations, the developer should eliminate those
architectural features that are not found anywhere else in the Downtown Core (including, by
the way, the Government Center). Features to be eliminated include the large plate glass
windows on the 2nd and3rd Ñoors of 590 Marsh Street as well as the Bauhaus style
projecting eaves on the 3rd and 4th Ñoors.Moreover, materials should complement those on
signiÐcant adjacent buildings. The preponderance of red brick on the 581 Higuera building is
out of character with the historical Creamery project across the street.
We therefore urge you to continue this project with direction to the applicant and sta. Thank
you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Figure 2: Front faade elevations of the three proposed structures