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

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

Minutes

Commissioner Kimberlee Stryker called the meeting to order at 2:33 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   Dorka Keehn
   Abby Schnair
   Lydia So
   Kimberlee Stryker
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Linda Parker Pennington
   Barbara Sklar
   Paul Woolford
   
   Staff Present
   Aleta Lee, Program Associate, Public Art Trust & Special Initiatives
   Rachelle Axel, Director of Public & Private Partnerships
    
2. Public Comment
   N/A
    
3. Consent Calendar
   1. Tina Modotti Commemorative Bronze Plaque
      
      Members of the Tina Modotti Heritage Committee provided a background of Tina Modotti’s life and her time in San Francisco, along with the impact she made in the world as a renowned photographer. They shared that the Heritage Committee created a walking tour of Tina Modotti’s life in San Francisco and received great response. They hoped to accomplish the Tina Modotti plaque project and were available to answer any questions from the Committee. There was no other public comment and the motion was approved as follows.
      
      Motion to approve the Tina Modotti commemorative bronze plaque which will be located at the southeast corner of Taylor Street and Filbert Street in North Beach.
      
       
4. 1657 Rollins Road Building Renovation Project: Phase #1
   Heather Manders, Project Designer, SFPUC
   Mary Tienken, Project Manager, SFPUC
   Michael Wang, Architect, MEI Architects
   
   The team shared background on the site and the scope of work for the project which included adding a single story building to the back of the campus and security fencing. The building addition would encompass a storage space, staging area for field samples, and wellness facility. The team presented the site plan, existing conditions, floor plan, renderings and elevations.
   
   The Committee encouraged the project team to think beyond using the interior function and program of the building being the only driving factor in the design. As a wellness center for the campus, the Committee felt there should be a visual continuity from the indoor to the outdoor. They felt that the team could still use the proportionality of the old building that related to the function of the new building in a more creative and fresh way.
    
   There was no public comment and no motion.
    
5. Southeast Health Center Expansion Project: Phase #3
   Greta Jones, Project Designer, Public Works
   Lisa Zayas-Chien and Charles King, Project Manager, SFDPH and Public Works
   Richard Gee, Architect, Public Works
   Cliff Lowe and Jeanette Hill, Landscape Architect, Cliff Lowe Associates
   
   The project team reviewed the contingencies given in their last review phase and additional new design changes. For the front façade screen, the team simplified the fin patterning to be all the same length and equal thinness. For glazing on the Bancroft Avenue façade, the team replaced the metal spandrels with glass spandrels to match the front facade. For the landscape runnel, it now terminated before the ramp. For the entry plaza and lobby, the team proposed new terrazzo and exterior paver materials which matched a similar look and feel. The team also provided samples of these materials to share with the committee. For additional changes to the design, the team reduced the glazing on the north façade to meet fire protection code, added an accessible path from Bancroft Avenue per community request, modified the planting palette with shorter trees for clearance of overhead wiring and proposed front parking lot modifications.
   
   The Committee thought this was an exemplary presentation that clearly demonstrated design response to the previous comments and changes made. They Committee felt this was a beautiful project that was well thought out and would be a great enhancement to the neighborhood. The two comments the Committee had feedback on concernted fenestration of the north façade and the access route of the front parking lot. For the façade fenestration, the Committee asked the team to configure the windows and door at the front of the building into one unit to make it feel as a whole, like in the previous design. For the parking lot, the Committee asked that the team look at a more direct accessibility route to the entrance. The Committee would review these updates post-Phase #3. There was no public comment and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   Motion to approve Phase #3 of the Southeast Health Center Expansion Project contingent upon 1) making the window and door complex into one unit to feel as a whole on the front end of the north façade and 2) looking at an accessibility route from the front parking lot to the entrance that is a more direct path.
    
6. SFO Bus Maintenance Facility Project: Phase #2
   Lynn Filar, Project Manager, SFO
   Alice Lau, Architect, SFO
    
   The project team reviewed the site location, site context, site plan and floor plan. The team presented the updated design through new elevation drawings, an updated courtyard plan with proposed furnishing and planting, perspective renderings, precedent images, material palette and signage. The updated design focused the large volume on the bus base, took out the small grid details, elongated the metal panels on top of the entrance, and aligned the design to the adjacent Ground Transportation Unit building. The team also brought metal panel and wood samples. Finally, the team provided a landscape plan and proposed plantings.
   
   The Committee thought the design was refreshing and appreciated the team’s ability to take a human scale approach for a utilitarian building. They thought the project team did a great job in simplifying the design, and were inspired to see a diverse group of women working on the project together. Additionally, they commended the team for having a colorful planting palette which complimented the sedated building palette. The Committee recommended the team not put trees in a symmetrical design, but have them presented with a more sculptural feel. The Committee felt that the box frame on the south façade at the front entrance was still too chunky, and asked the team to resolve this by having a similar frame as the bus garage to the left. There was no public comment and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
   
   Motion to approve Phase #2 of the SFO Bus Maintenance Facility Project contingent upon 1) changing the square frame on the south façade to be similar to the frame of the bus maintenance garage.
    
7. Visual Arts Committee Update
   Commissioner Dorka Keehn reported that there would be a community celebration and open house at SFO airport on Saturday, July 20^th for the new Harvey Milk Terminal. Commissioner Keehn then presented on the new artists and their artworks at the airport including Liz Glynn, Andy Vogt, Gay Outlaw, Jason Jagel, Robert Minervini, Leonardo Drew and Johanna Grawunder.
    
8. Staff Report
   There was no staff report.
    
9. New Business and Announcements
   There was no new business and announcements.
    
10. Adjournment 
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:21 p.m.
    posted  7/26/19, 2:40 p.m., akl
    ​approved 8/5/19

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.