HomeMy Public PortalAboutBurkhard planning board memo 030713_201303081144315529Memorandum
Re:192 Pleasant Street – Design Alternatives
During the past 45 days the development team has considered a number of
design options to address the concerns of the members of the Planning
Board, Neighbors, Conservation Commission, Department of Conservation
and Recreation, as well as several citizens of Watertown.
Primary Concerns:
o The massing of the building
o Drop off and turn around for delivery vehicles and residents
o Guest Parking
o Organization of rear façade elements
o Further enhancement for the protection of wetlands and the Charles River
and footpath expansion
At the suggestion of the Planning Board and staff a number of architectural
alternatives for the building design were considered.
o Window size
o Reducing the central accenting of the entry
o Visually reducing the massing
o Removal of brick in the center section
o Review of paint and trim colors to lesser impact from river path
o Setting the slope roof back from cornice
During the process a number of alternatives were considered among that
are not shown including;
o Full front gable roof
o Half hip with gable peak
o Various center façade treatments
The two alternatives shown give two distinct options that address the
concerns and comments. Below the cornice line the designs are very
similar with substantial variance above it.
The hip roof option:
2
o Pulls back the center roof
o Reorganizes the center façade
o Strengthens the cornice line visually
o Rear façade as been realigned to give a cleaner and more ordered
appearance.
The set back option:
o Reduces the roof elements substantially
o Greater setbacks from cornice
o Allows the top floor to be set back by 5’ in the rear to further reduce the
visual impact from the river path.
o Parapet above the cornice creates a visual break in the roof organization
that reduces the mass
o Allows planters in the corners for a green area on the roof.
To address vehicular issues
o 3 spaces designated for guest parking
o 1 being further restricted to 15 minutes for loading from 7:00am to 8:00pm.
Wetlands protection improvements
o Approximately 3,500 square feet of pervious pavers will replace traditional
asphalt paving along the rear of the building further controlling runoff and
enhancing water quality adjacent to the wetlands.
To lesson the impact from the river path
o The color palette of the building has been changed to earth tones with no
white trim allowing better visual blending with the proposed screening
using native species plantings.
We would like to thank the Planning Board and the Town of Watertown
staff for their continued efforts on this project.
We look forward to the Planning Board’s recommendation on the most
appropriate option for the Watertown community.