REGULAR CIVIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE Monday, May 20, 2002
MEETING LOCATION3:00 p.m.
Suite 70, Conference Room
25 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco 94102
Explanatory documents are available for public inspection and copying at the Arts Commission office, 25 Van Ens Ave, Set 240, during regular business hours.
Minutes
The meeting commenced at 3:10 p.m.
- Role Call:
Commissioners present: Rod Freebairn-Smith, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Andrea Cochran
Commissioners absent: Stanlee Gatti, William Meyer
Staff present: Richard Newirth, Nancy Gonchar, Rommel Taylor
- FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF SAN FRANCISCO, PERIMETER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT
John Kriken, Partner, Skidmore Owens & Merrill, introduced the location and scope of the proposal. Mr. Kriken explained that the project was intended as an enhancement to the street that also reinforced the perimeter security conditions. Mr. Kriken introduced Steve O'Brien, Associate Partner, Skidmore Owens & Merrill, to present the design scheme.
Steve O'Brien explained that this project responds to a nation wide security upgrade program being implemented on all federal buildings. He explained that this project presented unique challenges in terms of meeting the established guidelines due to its unique urban site. The guidelines call for the building to have bollards set back 74 feet from the building. The bollards should be design to withstand the impact of a 5,000 pound Ryder truck moving at 50 mph. Mr. O'Brien explained that the 74 foot setback guideline could not be met due to the existing site conditions and that the bollards were set back as far form the building as possible.
Mr. O'Brien explained the responses to the security guidelines. There are five elements which make up the security enhancements: 1. additional trees along market 2. large diameter stone planters 3. display monuments 4. bollards and 5. reconfigured sidewalk profile along Market street. These measures are intended to enhance the perimeter along Market and Spear/Main streets.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith opened the floor to public comment.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith closed the floor to public comment.
Commissioner Stauffacher-Solomon commented that the design was very handsome and sensitive to the existing context. Ms. Stauffacher-Solomon commented that she believed the solution presented would work against the type of attack described in the presentation. She questioned how effective these measures would be against other more clever types of attacks.
Commissioner Cochran asked about the effectiveness of the measures against a vehicle moving 75 mph or even a parked vehicle similar to the kind used in Oklahoma .
Mr. O'brien explained that these measures were not intended to resist all types of attacks and that the urban site conditions severely limited the types of architectural solutions.
Mr. Kriken explained that the goal of implementing these measures is not to eliminate the threat. The building currently has no measures to mitigate an attack.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith commented that this was the first project like this that the commission had reviewed and that it was unofficially setting a precedent upon which other projects would be judged. The design seems to address the design criteria in an efficient and elegant fashion.
Motion to approve Federal Reserve Bank , Perimeter Security Enhancements, Phase 1,2,3
Motion: Freebairn-Smith
Vote: Unanimous
- MINNIE & LOVIE WARD RECREATION CENTER
Mary Timken, Landscape Architect, Recreation and Park briefly introduced the scope of the project. Ms. Timken introduced Mike Pierron, Project Architect, DPW BOA to present the design.
Mike Pieron, DPW BOA, described the basic design concepts. He explained that the scheme was based around a central courtyard that takes advantage of the views, natural light and southern exposure. He explained that there are three principal buildings: the gymnasium, the classrooms/administrative, the community room and a teen room.
Mary Timken briefly reviewed the landscape design scheme.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith opened the floor to public comment.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith closed the floor to public comment.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith asked if the community had been involved in the design process.
Mr. Pieron commented that there had been significant community input.
Ms. Timken commented that the community focused more on developing programs for the center more than the architecture.
Commissioner Cochran asked what the existing planting was around the site.
Ms. Timken responded that the site was surrounded by 80-90 year old Monterey Pine.
Commissioner Cochran commented that the design of the buildings seem unrelated to each other and to the landscaping plan. Ms. Cochran requested that they submit an overall landscaping plan.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith commented that the gestures toward the playing field bleachers and courtyard were strong architecturally. Mr. Freebairn-Smith expressed concern regarding the orientation of the gym building. He asked the design team if they had considered the possible negative affects on the intended use of the building from exposure to such large quantities of southern light.
Mr. Pieron explained that louvers along the south facade would mitigate the exposure to southern light. They will present design studies at the Phase 2 meeting.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith asked if the design team had considered incorporating green building strategies such as passive solar or gray water systems, etc.
Mr. Pieron explained that they had incorporated as many operable windows as possible to facilitate passive cooling however, other green strategies had not been explored.
Commissioner Cochran commented that for the phase two review, she would need to see a more developed landscape plan that take into consideration the overall architectural design
Motion to approve Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, Phase 1, contingent upon review of landscape plan, research into Green Building Strategies and more extensive design study of the courtyard section.
Motion: Barbara Stauffacher Solomon
Vote: Unanimous
- BROADWAY STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Judi Mosqueda, Project Manager DPW, commented that the streetscape elements were reviewed and approved in March of 2002. She explained that they were working on completing a design for by mid August to meet the Phase 1 deadline on there project scope and timeline. Ms. Mosqueda explained that she had coordinated with Jill Manton on the art enrichment allocation for this project. It was determined that the art enrichment allocation would be deferred to another phase of the project.
Peter Bosselmann, Urban Designer, Intergraph Design briefly reviewed the major revisions to the design since phase 1 Civic Design Review. Mr. Bosselmann explained that the team had studied the possibility of creating a plaza at the intersection of Broadway Ave. and Columbus Ave. He commented that London Plain trees, concrete lighted bollards, red concrete pavers, seating and the standard city trash receptacles were the primary design elements for the project.
Mr. Bosselmann commented that the team proposed a necklace of lights as an alternative bid item. The necklace of lights would string the sidewalk trees together. He explained that the initial cost for the system would be expensive, however, it requires little maintenance over the life of the product.
Commissioner Cochran asked if any of the trees shown were existing, if there were existing tree grates and where were the benches located.
Mr. Bosselmann commented that all of the trees shown were existing trees, there were no existing tree grates and that the benches would be located in front of the On Lok Center only. He also commented that the team was proposing new decorative tree grates.
Ms. Mosqueda commented that the community asked for benches only in areas where there was alot of foot traffic.
Commissioner Cochran asked how the necklace of lights would work given the fact that the location of the trees is varied.
Commissioner Stauffacher Solomon commented that she was also concerned that the necklace of lights would look busy and confusing because of the varied location of the trees. Ms. Stauffacher Solomon also commented on the design of the architectural monument at Broadway and the Embarcadero. She felt that the design needed further study. Ms. Stauffacher Solomon also expressed concern with the proposed use of the city standard trash receptacles. She suggested that they look at the design of the receptacles at Crissy Field.
Martha Ketterer, DPW Landscape Division, explained that the were required to use city approved trash receptacles.
Ms. Mosqueda stated that she would get the design specifications and forward them to the committee for review.
Commissioner Freebairn-Smith commented that he was concerned about the survival of the trees in the windy micro climate of this corridor. He also commented that the tree lined street might significantly block the signage of the merchants along Broadway. He asked if this had been reviewed with the local merchants association. Mr. Freebairn-Smith also stated that there should be more seating along the street. If budget was a concern, he suggested exploring possible partnerships with the private sector.
Motion to approve Broadway Streetscape Improvement Project, Montgomery to Battery Street, Phase 2, excluding necklace of lights alternate bid item, trash receptacles and other blocks of the Broadway Streetscape Master Plan other than those specified in this motion.
Motion: Freebairn-Smith
Vote: Unanimous
- Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.