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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-2017 Item P1 (Cooper) To:SLO Architectural Review Commission Re:1027 Nipomo Street From:Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown Date:November 10, 2017 Honorable Chair and Commissioners - At their August 14, 2017 meeting, the Cultural Heritage Commission made and passed the following motion: Å,,,to recommend the ARC deny the project based on the Ðnding that the proposed new building is inconsistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines Section 3.2.1 because the building is not compatible in scale and massing with the Downtown Historic DistrictÈs structures and provided direction that the project reduce the height of the building to three-stories with the third story setback.Æ Although we commend the architect for signiÐcantly scaling back the fourth Ñoor with increased setbacks on all four sides, this project continues to remain, according to the Cultural Heritage Committee, incompatible Åin scale and massing with the Downtown Historic DistrictÈs structuresÆ. We concur. Even though the material selection and step-backs above the second and third Ñoors do help to bring down the scale of this building, this project remains a 4-story building near the 2-story Soda Water Works and SLO ChildrenÈs Museum buildings and immediately adjacent to the 1- story historic Creamery. The only neighboring building currently taller than 2 stories is the 3- story Kraker Oce building at 641 Higuera Street. We acknowledge that the 4-story South Town 18 project has already been approved. We also acknowledge that the updated Downtown Concept Plan is recommending that 4-story buildings be located on this block (so- called ÅBlock 18Æ). However, this recommendation was made in direct contradiction to nearly all public input. There were two public outreach workshops, an online survey (393 survey responses) and a neighborhood group meeting with a near unanimous recommendation of either maintaining the current Ålook or feelÆ of downtown or keeping downtown 2-3 stories. In light of all of this - and short of asking the architect to eliminate the entire 4th Ñoor - we believe it is incumbent on you to ask the architect to increase the step-back above that portion of the 4th Ñoor facing Nipomo Street so that it cannot be seen - from street side - above the 3rd Ñoor (for reference, see the illustration below). Secondly, the balconies facing the creek should be eliminated to prevent the possibility of tenant-related noise encroaching onto the Dana Street neighborhood. Thank you! VIEW AT NIPOMO STREET AND PASEO CEMENT PLASTER EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS DECORATIVE CORNICE CAST CULTURED STONE OR GFRC CONCRETE BARREL TILE ROOF CEMENT PLASTER SLIDING PATIO DOORS AT SHALLOW PROJECTING BALCONIES WITH METALWORK RAILING CEMENT PLASTERMETALWORK BALCONY RAILING SAND CAST THIN BRICK GLASS TRANSOMS FABRIC AWNINGS WITH METAL SUPPORT DECORATIVE TILE OR PRECAST CONCRETE BULKHEAD AT RETAIL STOREFRONT BAYS PEDESTRIAN PASEO NIPOMO STREET FRONTAGE