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The project site is located at the corner of K and 11th Streets in Arcata, California. The existing site contains light industrial, auto service and retail uses. Surrounding structures are mixed and include single/multi-family residential, historic, commercial, retail, professional and light industrial properties. The project will remove a 3,376 s.f. portion of an existing 1-story, 23,304 s.f. commercial building. This section will be replaced by a two-story addition that includes street level office/retail space with three residential units above. The total square footage of the addition will be 6,752 s.f. The resulting building will be a total of 26,680 s.f. with a 23,304 s.f. footprint. The height of the addition will be within the existing building height envelop of 33’ feet from street level.
The existing, nonconforming parking lot will be reconfigured and landscaped. Sidewalk repairs and improvements including public street lighting will be made a part of this project. The new look seeks to improve the aesthetic qualities of the existing building and to fit within the design context of the established neighborhood. This will be accomplished by breaking up the long monotonous lines of the existing building and adding interesting design features such as windows in gables on the 2nd story residences, awnings and a parapet wall along the retail sides, and custom trim boards. The existing and proposed structures will be painted in a suitable color palette that will also help define and articulate the surface areas. It will appear as if there are several contiguous structures rather a single block face on each of the projects two public fronts. The third side will be effectively screened by ornamental vegetation and a wrought iron style security fence.
In addition to the new use-mixing, facade treatment and landscaping, major new urban design features include a detailed reuse/recycling plan, state-of-the-art composite (flat) solar panels, a comprehensive indoor sky lighting program, custom corrugated steel awnings by a local artisan, period wall mounted lighting fixtures with color-accurate illumination as well as integrated building marquee and signage.
The project was approved by the City Council as a Planned Development Overlay/Zoning Amendment and by the Design Review Commission in 2004. Conditions of approval include limitations on construction work hours, actions to be taken in the event of a possible archaeological find, dust and erosion control, site maintenance, dam failure evacuation planning, as well as requirements for sidewalks, utilities, landscaping, parking, signage and recycling. Streamline managed all aspects of the project including CAD work. |