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

Monday, December 16, 2019
2:30 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 125

Minutes

Commissioner Stryker called the meeting to order at 2:40 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   Kimberlee Stryker, Chair
   Abby Sadin Schnair
   Barbara Sklar
   Linda Parker Pennington (left at 3:50 p.m.)
   Paul Woolford (arrived at 3:30 p.m.)
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Dorka Keehn
   
   Staff Present
   Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, Program Associate, Civic Design & Special Initiatives
   Aleta Lee, Project Manager, Public Art Program
   Joanne Lee, Deputy Director of Programs
2. Public Comment
   There was no public comment.
3. Consent Calendar
   There was no public comment, and the Consent Calendar was approved unanimously as follows.
   1. La Cocina Signage on the Hyde Street Façade
      Motion to approve the signage of La Cocina Municipal Marketplace on the Hyde Street façade of their building on 101 Hyde Street in San Francisco.
   2. Castro Mission Health Center
      Motion to approve post-Phase 3 renovations to incorporate a rooftop chiller and acoustic screen to provide air conditioning to the Castro Mission Health Center, located at 3850 17^th Street in San Francisco.

Commissioner Stryker announced that because Commissioner Woolford was required to recuse himself from consideration of agenda items 5 and 6, regarding the San Francisco Police Department Traffic Company and Forensic Services Facility, and the San Francisco Airport Courtyard 3 Connector, respectively, he would be arriving at 3:30pm. The Committee would take up these two items out of order, and consider item 4, regarding the Southeast Community Center, after items 5 and 6.

4. SFPD Traffic Company and Forensic Services Division (TCFSD) Facility: Phase #3
   Alan Bright, Project Designer, HOK
   Michael Rossetto, Project Manager, Public Works
   Tony Esterbrooks, Landscape Architect, Public Works
   
   The project team reviewed their expected schedule, the intended purpose and audience for the building, the importance of the site, and the revisions they made based on the contingencies that were brought forward by the Committee in Phase 2. The team noted that they are on an expected 24-month construction schedule. They also noted that the building will primarily be a laboratory project as well as the new home of the traffic company that has recently moved out of the Hall of Justice. It is not a building that is intended for frequent public use, as it is a high-security facility. The team went on to detail the revisions that they made based on the Committee’s comments from Phase 2. These included simplifying the exterior cladding of the courtyard wall to be all one consistent orange color. They also eliminated the orange vertical stripes on the front façade on Evans Street and instead instituted a single strong element across all windows. In the entry plaza, the presented improvement involved removing the edging around the base of the trees. Lastly, the team displayed the studies they had conducted around an anti-ram, security barrier that would mesh with the design of the plaza. The team will implement a combination of a knee wall with ficus planted on either face of it, as well as a bollard barrier, both suggestions informed by a consultant the team had hired. The team also addressed the Committee’s Phase 2 request to reduce the planting at the edge of the plaza by planting a vine along the streetscape perimeter as well as low-maintenance, low-water architectural plants.
   
   The Committee appreciated the project’s thoughtful design process, and commended its simplification of the design as well as the team’s collaborative efforts. They asked the team if the barrier wall could better reflect the façade of the building in color and finish.
   
   There was no public comment and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #3 of the SFPD Traffic Company and Forensic Services Division (TCFSD) Facility.
5. SFO Courtyard 3 Connector (C3C) Project: Phase #2
   Alan Bright, Project Designer, HOK
   Kris Opbroek, Project Manager, SFO
   Bart van Vliet, Architect, HOK
   
   The project team discussed their design approach, façade organization, materiality and key details, and improvements they have made based on the contingencies that the Committee outlined in Phase 1. They began by giving a description of the building—it will be six stories tall, and consists of a bottom floor open to the public, with private office spaces located in the upper half of the building. The horizontal levels of the building are designed with alternating vertical strips of acid-etched glass and dynamic glazing glass that changes color in response to light intensity. The dynamic glazing glass’s photovoltaic sensitivity causes the material to turn a darker gray when exposed to higher levels of light. The dynamic glazing glass is divided into two portions—a vision area and a spandrel that lies above the vision area. The spandrel is one continuous piece that goes across the entire level. Both portions will remain the same color. In between each vertical block of dynamic glazing glass is an acid-etched glass spandrel. This glass spandrel will be a lighter color than the dynamic glazing glass to highlight the depth of the lighter element. Dividing each level, there will be a soffit made of a light metal panel.  This color will be the same as the color of metal across the SFO campus. The team went on to describe their study of whether to move the balcony inset several stories down or to cant it two more levels, based on the Committee’s contingencies from Phase 1. They noted the complication of their program requirements, as the “carves” reduce usable floor area and result in layout inefficiencies. The team also presented their study on the continuum datum of the second floor and its alignment to the top of Terminal 2 and Norie Sato’s artwork. The team continued to address the contingencies outlined in Phase 1, and in response moved the antenna placement to the airside of the building, which will significantly decrease the antennas’ visibility from the landside. Finally, the team presented a live demonstration of the vision glass’s sensitivity to light, and showed how the color would change over the course of five minutes, as well as the different tint states it would have throughout the year.
   
   The Committee expressed concern regarding the balcony insets, and would like the project team to revisit them to attempt to make a full statement, provided that the team would like to continue to include this design. The Committee also expressed concern regarding the contrast between the vision glass and light glass. The Committee appreciated the team’s relocation of the antennas and the project’s alignment with the existing datum.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #2 of the SFO Courtyard 3 Connector (C3C) Project contingent upon the consideration of the proportionality and rhythm of the vision glass and the light glass.
    

Commissioner Parker Pennington left the meeting at 3:30 p.m., and Commissioner Woolford entered the meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Commissioner Parker Pennington re-entered the meeting at 3:35 p.m.

6. Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans: Phase #3
   Greta Jones, Project Designer, Public Works
   Fara Perez, Architect, Public Works
   Tony Esterbooks, Landscape Architect, Public Works
   
   The project team informed the Committee that they had previously passed their Phase 2 with no contingencies in August of 2017. Their intent for this meeting was to share minor landscape and architectural changes. The team provided context for their project—it is a community center in the Bayview area. Principal to its design is the lush, green landscape park on the corner of Evans St and 3^rd St. The site’s design has remain unchanged since Phase 2. They noted that the extent of the mechanical louver was reduced, wood composite panels were added, and the window sizes and locations were refined to respond to the interior layout. The team also added a trash enclosure with louvered panels attached to the north elevation of the site. The trash enclosure will have the same color scheme and louvered panels as the rest of the project. The team then invited Jackie von Treskow, Project Manager of the Public Art Program at the Arts Commission, to discuss the proposed public artworks for the site. Ms. Von Treskow established that the Arts Commission is in the final stage of the artist selection process. The budget for the artwork will be $1,100,000, inclusive of a $100,000 installation allocation, as well as a $25,000 community engagement allocation. The artists have been requested to design a community engagement plan that, if selected, will be managed in parallel with the installation of the artwork. The proposed artists are Frederick Hayes, Mildred Howard, Adia Millett and Xaviera Simmons. The Artist Review Panel will convene on January 7, 2020, to make a recommendation for the sculpture. The process is currently in the Public Comment phase. The proposals can be found at the Bayview Library and on the SFAC website.
   
   The Committee expressed concern regarding the artwork possibly blocking the visual corridor that is central to the Southeast Community Center’s architecture. The Committee would like the Public Art program to consider visual permeability in the selection of the artwork. The Committee also expressed concern regarding how easy it will be to climb on the trash enclosure, and would like the project team to consider covering the top of the enclosure. The Committee expressed effusive admiration for the landscape, the architecture, and the team’s thoughtful and diligent work. The Committee recommended that this project be presented at the meeting of the full Arts Commission and that it be submitted for an award.
   
   There was no public comment and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #3 of the Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans.
    
7. Visual Arts Committee Report
   In the absence of Commissioner Keehn, there was no report.

Commissioner Parker Pennington left the meeting at 3:50pm.

8. Staff Report
   Commissioner Stryker welcomed Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, the new Program Associate for Civic Design and Special Initiatives. She also thanked Aleta Lee for her time as the former Program Associate for the Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives and congratulated her on her promotion to Project Manager of Public Art at the Arts Commission.
9. New Business and Announcements
   Commissioner Schnair requested that the Committee discuss the time of future Civic Design Review Committee Meetings. The Committee agreed to revisit the regular time of meetings once the new Commissioner joins the Civic Design Committee.
    
10. Adjournment 
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:52 p.m.
    
    
    posted 12/20/19, 2:15 p.m., LIR
     

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 Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, 415-252-2252, luna.izpisua@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 Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, 415-252-2252, luna.izpisua@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 Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, 415-252-2252, luna.izpisua@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 Luna Izpisua Rodriguez, 415-252-2252, luna.izpisua@sfgov.org.