Quote:
Originally Posted by WpG_GuY
This Historical Buildings and Resources Committee has raised concern with several aspects of the proposal:
1. Obstructed visibility of the main pumphouse façade – The space between the pumphouse façade and the overhead walkways/stairwells on the proposed building is only ten feet, and the ability to see the pumphouse from Waterfront Drive is severely limited by the proposed east building.
2. Excavation in front of main pumphouse façade – The creation of a sunken plaza in front of the main façade will require exposing the raw foundation, which changes the appearance of the façade.
3. Cutting new openings through foundation – The proposal involves cutting seven new openings through the foundation of the main façade. This not only causes irreversible damage to the façade, but negates the symmetry and design quality of the original façade.
Urban Design Review
Urban Design Review has identified several issues that have yet to be resolved:
1. Sunken plaza – A plaza below grade can appear to be private rather than a space welcoming for the public to enjoy. The grade change also results in most of the open space being allocated to ramps rather than space for passive enjoyment.
2. Walkways encroaching over the sidewalk – Since Waterfront Drive is a unique street with its own design guidelines, there is concern about how the overhanging walkways fit with the character of the street, especially if the predominant façade material is black corrugated metal, which may seem visually heavier than other options.
3. Commercial access from the street – While the inclusion of a commercial rental unit on Waterfront Drive is a desirable component of the project, having the entrance internal to the site with the rear facing Waterfront Drive negates policies to activate the street edge. The issue is exacerbated by the intent to have the commercial space also sunken with to the lower plaza level rather than at the level of the street.
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I guess I'm late to this party... but these are some of my thoughts corresponding to numbers above:
Historical:
1)Fair, but what other ideas do you have? A building at grade blocking the whole thing?
2) Way too picky. That's what architects and engineers are for, to solve these problems, not figurehead civic organizations
3) GTFO, you think engineers aren't aware of this? "Cutting into the building might hurt it?" clearly that would be considered and reinforcing mandated
Urban design
1) Whether people like the sunken plaze or not, I disagree with the "feels private" nonsense, because it's completely open and visible space in a very different looking property.
The positive of the sunken plaza is that it actually adds a small perimiter to the public space
once you're in it, and not before since there's no visual barrier. Small visual cues to a degree of enclosure do give a sense of space, like the small sink at market square. It's clearly super open and public, but you feel like you're IN something. It invites you, encourages you to stay there. People respond to elevation changes like that, but raising it is less inviting than sinking. Plus it turns the foundation into a feature.
I'm not pro-sunken, but I'm curious. A flat space will feel unremarkable, and like something to pass through rather than sink into.
2) the design, while I may not like it, isn't heavy. it's slight and minimalistic. Stone and all the existing materials in the exchange are heavy, and that's not bad. Non-issue. Also, overhanging the sidewalks? GTFO. What they should just say is they don't like the design, which is a fair point. But to artificially leverage their position through nonsense? I'm not a fan of that either.
3) But they weren't going to allow retail to take away that facade anyway. They make a fair point but it's moot. If commercial space is on the side, creative signange and design on the east facade can still advertise that. Furthermore, what added visibility do they expect? That building has to be raised.
I'm not a big fan of the design but not an opponent. I do think the city doesn't know what it's doing and that's not fair either.