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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5934-C Staff Report - Final File No.: Z-5934-C Owners: Central Arkansas Library System Applicant: Ed Hankins / McClelland Engineers Address: 100 South Rock Street. Legal Description: Lot 1A or CALS Subdivision, Lots 1, 2, 3 of Block 8 Popes Addition; 10, 11, 12 of Block 8 of Popes Addition City of Little Rock, Pulaski County AR Current Zoning: UU of the River Market Overlay Present Use: Library Proposed Use: Library Variance(s) Requested: Variances are requested from the design guidelines of Section 36-353 to allow new building signage with increased area and height in an overlay district. Variances are requested from the design guidelines of Section 36-356 to allow the renovation to an existing building to remove historic architectural materials and features, to allow the historical context of a be altered, to allow the modification to historical windows, to allow the primary entrance to be perpendicular to the street, to allow a canopy to exceed the maximum projection from a building, to allow an addition to an existing building to exceed the allowed building height in an overlay district. A variance is requested from the the design guidelines of Section 36-357 to allow a new canopy awning to exceed the allowable projection from a building in an overlay district. A variance is requested from the design guidelines of Section 36-358 to allow the use of non-specified landscape plant materials in an open space in an overlay district. Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented in the attached letter. STAFF REPORT: Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments: Plans to be reviewed during building permit. Landscape and Buffer Comments: All landscaping and buffer areas for the new development must comply with Chapters 15 and 36 of the City of Little Rock Code of Ordinances. Building Codes Comments: No comments required. Analysis: The Central Arkansas Library System has proposed extensive additions and renovations to the library's main branch located at 100 South Rock Street. The project consists of a reorganization of the library departments, construction of a new occupiable rooftop area, addition of a new entrance area, and reconstruction of the parking area and surrounding open public spaces to the east of the building adjacent to the Cox Building. The Urban Use (UU) zoned property is located along the north side of 2nd street adjacent to the South Rock Street intersection within the River Market District. The site currently contains the main library building with a garden area at the southwest corner and an open parking lot to the east. The applicant proposes to extend the building to the east with a new multi-level entry and lobby structure which includes a stair tower structure extending to a new occupiable space at the roof. The proposed structure will be five (5) stories in height, with a total height of eighty-two (82) feet, as viewed from the lowest finished floor (east elevation) to the highest point of the building’s flat roof. Section 36-356 (d)(1) allows a maximum building height of 60-feet within the overlay district from the highest point of the centerline of abutting private and public street frontages to the highest point of the roof or parapet wall. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the increased building height from sixty (60) to over eighty-two (82) feet. The applicant is proposing to have new signage along the top portion of the new multi-level entry structure. The proposed 8-foot 11-inch-high 468-square foot sign is shown on the building elevations along the top portion of the 7,954-square foot east façade. Section 36-353 (c)(1)(a) of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that the maximum sign height on a building shall not extend above the second-floor windowsill or above the overhang of single story building. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the proposed building sign to exceed the allowed maximum height in the overlay district. Section 36-353 (c)(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that signs shall not exceed one-half of a square-foot of sign area for each linear foot of street building frontage, not exceeding twenty-five (25) square feet per sign. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the proposed building sign to exceed the allowed sign area in the overlay district. The provided plans and elevations indicated that the applicant proposes significant modifications to the east (front) facade, south façade, and west facade of the building. The modifications to the east (front) façade include removal of the existing canopy structure at the main entry and approximately fifty-three (53) percent of the building façade up to the roof. The portion of the building removed includes existing openings and portions of the existing exterior walls to accommodate the proposed multi-level structurally glazed lobby-entry addition. The addition extends approximately 27-feet to the east and approximately 60-feet from north to south along the facade. The plans indicate the new entry lobby addition to the east (front) façade will relocate the primary entry doorway from the east façade of the original structure to the south wall of the new addition. The doorway The modifications to the south façade include removal of existing enclosed wall bays along the ground floor and replaced with glass storefront curtain walls, a new entry door with adjoining glass infill centrally located aligning with the “bay” window configuration which extends to the roof level of the building. The modifications to the south façade also include a new entry area includes a handicap ramp structure connecting to the 2nd street sidewalk which is in the ARDOT right-of-way. Section 36-356 (a) (1) states “Historic materials or distinctive architectural features shall not be removed or hidden”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the partial removal of selected architectural features and for some distinctive features to be hidden within and or behind a new structure. Section 36-356 (d) (3) states “Historical context of buildings shall be restored to original designs.”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the modification and or redesign of the exterior of the building with alterations that will impact the portions of the structure’s historical context. Section 36-356 (d) (3) states “Historical context of buildings shall be restored to original designs.”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the modification and or redesign of the exterior of the building with alterations that will impact the portions of the structure’s historical context. The provided plans and elevations indicated that the applicant proposes the installation of new metal cantilever canopies over each first-floor bay on the south façade which will extend approximately 4-feet south from the building over the ARDOT right-of-way and be approximately 9-feet 7.25-inches above the sidewalk. Section 36-356 (f) (2) states “Awnings shall not project more than five (5) feet from the building facade and have a minimum clearance of nine (9) feet above the sidewalk.”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow canopies to be installed 9-feet 7.25-inches above the sidewalk. The modifications to the west façade include the removal of existing southwest corner ground floor wall bays and replaced with glass storefront walls with doorways. The proposed modifications to the west façade also include removal of the existing central wall and windows at the 5th floor for the creation of balcony area with new recessed storefront entry doors and metal railings. Section 36-356 (c) (1) states “Historical upper facade windows shall retain original dimensions and details”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the removal of selected upper-level façade window units and modification of opening dimensions. According to Sec. 36-356 of the River Market Design Overlay District, the proposed building form changes are inconsistent with the River Market code in the removal of distinctive architectural features, alteration of original openings, orientation of the primary entrance, awning projection, and building height. The proposed changes are also directly inconsistent with the goal of restoring historic buildings to their original designs. However, construct a new on the east side of the existing building medical building on the site as noted on the attached site plan. The proposed medical building will be located within the north half of the lot, with paved service drive at the rear (south) side of the building and a new circular drop off area at the front (north) side of the building connecting to West 10th Street. The proposed building will be four (4) stories in height, with a total floor area of approximately 202,000 square feet. The proposed building height will be seventy (70) feet, as viewed from the lowest finished floor (north elevation) to the highest point of the building’s flat roof. Section 36-281(c) allows a maximum building height of 45-feet for O-3 zoned property. The proposed building will have a height of 70-feet as viewed from the low sides of the property (north elevation). Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the increased building height from forty-five (45) to seventy (70). The site plan indicates the proposed medical building will be located 6.62-feet of the north property line, 3.05-feet from the west property line and 3.08-feet from the east property line. Section 36-281(d) (2) allows a minimum side yard setback of ten (10) feet from the property line. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow a structure to be adjacent to a public sidewalk with the side yard setbacks reduced from the required ten (10) feet to 3.05- feet on the west and 3.08-feet on the east from a property line . Section 36-258 (d) (1) allows a minimum front yard setback of twenty-five (25) feet from the property line. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow a structure to have the front yard setback reduced from the required twenty-five (25) feet to 6.62- feet on the north from a property line. Staff is supportive of the requested variances. Staff views the request as reasonable, as the property is located near the intersections of collector streets to the east and west of the site. The property is bordered by O-2 and POD Commercial zonings. Given the property’s location and the site’s topography as it relates to the surrounding structures of the Arkansas Childrens Hospital campus, staff believes that the building height variance is appropriate and should have no adverse impact on the surrounding properties. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested building height and setback variances, subject to the descriptions and any conditions in the “staff analysis,” and the following conditions: A building permit being obtained for all construction. Abide by all site development requirements for O-3 and O-2 zoned properties. Compliance with the Landscape and Buffer requirements of Chapters 15 and 36 of the City’s code.