MEETING OF THE CIVIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION

Monday, April 15, 2019
2:30 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 125

Minutes

 

Commissioner Kimberlee Stryker called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   Dorka Keehn
   Linda Parker Pennington
   Abby Schnair
   Barbara Sklar
   Lydia So
   Kimberlee Stryker
   
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Paul Woolford
   
   
   Staff Present
   Aleta Lee, Program Associate, Public Art Trust & Special Initiatives
   Rebekah Krell, Deputy Director of Cultural Affairs & CFO
    
2. Public Comment
   N/A
   
    
3. SFO Courtyard 3 Connector Project: Phase #1
   Alan Bright, Project Designer, HOK
   Kris Opbroek, Project Manager, SFO
   Bart van Vliet, Architect, HOK
   
   The team presented the project site and context, site photos, site plan, project scope with sections, project goals, and updated design. The new design broke down the mass to two sections, while still meeting the program needs, connecting the campus, and providing outdoor balcony space for users. The team provided renderings of different views to the building from landside and airside perspectives, elevations, and a material palette.
   
   The Committee thought the new design was not in line with the comments that they provided the team in their last review. They believed the previous design had a strong, iconic jewelbox form given its programming and height, and wanted the team to develop this idea further. The Committee felt the new design was neither dynamic or blended enough to the adjacent structures of terminal 2 and terminal 3. It was suggested that the project team come for an informal to facilitate a discussion on a design that would resonate with everyone, including the Committee, SFO design team, and stakeholders of the project. There was no public comment and there was no motion.
    
4. McLaren Park Group Picnic Area Restroom Project: Phase #2 and #3
   Erica Ruiz, Project Designer, Public Works
   Alexis Ward, Project Manager, Rec & Park
   Will Kwan, Architect, Public Works
   Bill Bulkley, Landscape Architect, Public Works
   
   The team presented the project context, site images, site plan, section and elevation, planting palette, and site furnishing. The design incorporated a retaining wall and planting to screen the new restroom. The planting palette included an Arbutus tree, Arctostaphylos shrub, and Ceanothus groundcover. A 3D rendering was also showcased.
   
   The Committee asked the team of their considerations for the pre-fabricated types of restrooms that had been previously approved by the Committee. They were surprised that none of the pre-fabricated restrooms that were approved had been suggested for this site. The Committee was adamant that an already approved pre-fabricated restroom be used for the site, not only in an effort to streamline the review process, but to use design as an advocate for equality throughout the city and to provide design equality for everyone. The Committee felt that the neighborhood deserved a better proposal.
    
   There was no public comment and there was no motion.
    
5. Castro Mission Health Center Project: Phase #3
   Steven Juergens, Project Designer and Project Manager, MEI Architects
   Mei Mei Chan, Architect, MEI Architects
   Koa Pickering, Landscape Architect, Public Works
   
   The team presented the Committee’s comments from their last review and the updates they made to the design. The revisions included the addition of cement plaster control joint locations, CMU module in shear wall reveals, updating sign location, and removal and additional trees. The team provided elevations which highlighted the revisions on the facades, along with an updated color and material palette. Next, the team presented the new proposed landscape plan which showed removal of some existing eucalyptus trees, updating the pavement, and adding new planters, palms, and planting. Lastly, the team showed an updated planting palette and elevations of the new landscape.
   
   The Committee thought the landscape was nice and streamlined. They asked that the team adjust the L-shaped segment by the door of the façade on Pond street. This adjustment included removing the middle score line, having one white band above the windows and door to mimic the top white band, and giving a lighter gray color to the bottom half.
   
   There was no public comment and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #3 of the Castro Mission Health Center Project contingent upon adjusting the L-shaped segment of the façade on Pond street by removing the middle score line, having one white band above the windows and door, and giving a lighter gray color to the bottom half.
    
6. SFO Bus Maintenance Facility Project: Phase #1
   Lyn Filar, Architect, SFO
   Alice Lau, Landscape Architect, SFO
   
   The team presented the project goals, site context, site plan, design diagram, and floor plans. The team expressed that since the location was an inhospitable site with strong winds, intense sun exposure, and much noise and dirt, that the intent of the design was to build an interior courtyard and to use daylight to link circulation paths. Next, the team presented the building elevations, perspective renderings, and precedent images. Lastly, they shared the site landscape plan and the proposed planting palette.
   
   The Committee thought the project team did an excellent job on their presentation, design, and landscape plan for phase one. They suggested refining the pieces of the building to have better proportionality and studying the arrangements of the design to break from grids currently on the facades. The Committee also recommended increasing the scale of the landscaping.
   
   There was no public comment and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #1 of the SFO Bus Maintenance Facility Project contingent upon: 1) simplifying elements of the design, 2) examining the arrangement of components to break from a rigid grid of the façades, and 3) increasing the scale and verticality of the landscape.
    
7. Visual Arts Committee Update
   Commissioner Dorka Keehn spoke on the Percent for Art Program and the process for selecting artists for art enrichment opportunities.
    
8. Staff Report
   There was no staff report.
    
9. New Business and Announcements
   Aleta Lee reminded the Committee of the joint Civic Design Review and Historic Preservation Committee meeting set for Monday, May 20^th held in the Civic Design Review hearing room.
    
10. Adjournment 
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
    posted  4/25/19, 1:55 p.m., akl
    approved 5/6/19

Language Accessibility

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Associate Aleta Lee, 415-252-2251, aleta.lee@sfgov.org.

我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助，Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Associate Aleta Lee, 415-252-2251, aleta.lee@sfgov.org.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Associate Aleta Lee, 415-252-2251, aleta.lee@sfgov.org.

Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Associate Aleta Lee, 415-252-2251, aleta.lee@sfgov.org.