The Aegis Living project planned for East Madison across the street from Safeway will go in front of the Capitol Hill Design Board for a second time this week. The first session of the Early Design Guidance process for the building in January ended with the board asking for more work on the project. Community organizer Andrew Taylor has been active in the process with the developers and has posted details of the EDG process on his site:
At the first Early Design Guidance Hearing for this proposed assisted living facility at 22nd & Madison, the Design Review Board liked much of the plan, but really didn’t like the plans for the 22nd Avenue side of the building, and sent the architects back to try again!
The architects kindly shared their revised plans with us, and will be eagerly awaiting your comments at the second Early Design Guidance Hearing, at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, February 16, at Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 S Jackson St. ( see DPD link, my reporton previous hearing and the Design Review Board report).On a brief glance it appears to me that the architects have done much of what the board requested, though the changes have resulted in the loss of the mini-park and the moving of the traffic entrance yet further into the residential street (22nd Ave. E.). I encourage you to look at their design, and come to the meeting with your constructive comments ready.
Here are the revised plans via Taylor:
Too bad they’re going to have to take down a few really nice big trees on that site. The city is apparently granting them a variance from the tree protection ordinance.
Discussed at length at 1st Early Design Guidance Hearing:
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRReport300
“EXCEPTIONAL TREES
A special site condition is the presence of three identified exceptional trees currently located on this site. The information presented to the Board describes the trees as having an extensive roots system that would prohibit the excavation areas needed for construction. Page 29 of the EDG packet shows that the preservation of the trees would result in a reduced development potential of the site to 74%. The Board’s concern with the scheme that would preserve the trees is that all of the access would be forced closer to the corners of Madison and 22nd and 23rd, both of which create a significant impact to an already challenged pedestrian streetscape. Furthermore, both of these prominent corners are gateway opportunities for the Miller Park and Madison Valley neighborhoods and locating vehicular access at these corners would be a detriment to the architecture and pedestrian environment. The proposed open space for the resultant building would be shifted to the north side with less solar exposure and increased shadow from the building. For these reasons, the Board unanimously agreed that this scheme would be contrary to Design Guidelines A-8, A-10 and C-5 and the proposed site plan that eliminates the trees is a far superior option. Thus, the Board supported the removal of the trees and the required replacement of the trees in appropriate locations.”