HPC Meeting Date: November 1, 2023
To: Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
106 Group
Title
Certificate of Appropriateness for New Construction at 212 Division Street South - the former Archer House site.
Body
Action Requested:
The Heritage Preservation Commission is asked to review and approve a resolution for the new construction of a building at 212 Division St. S.
Summary Report:
The property owner and applicant, Manawa LLC, proposes to construct a new mixed-use building at 212 Division St. S - former Archer House site. The Archer House sustained a fire in November 2020 and was subsequently demolished. The applicant proposes to redevelop the site with 43 residential units, main floor commercial space and lower level interior parking garage. The historic inventory form is attached.
The HPC has been provided with two resolutions for consideration. One resolution approves the project with the screen as presented and with a condition to approve with or without the mechanical parapet. The second resolution approves the project with the final design element over the north entrance, where the screen is proposed, to come back for final approval of the HPC and with a condition to approve with or without the mechanical parapet. The applicant is fairly confident the building can be constructed without the mechanical parapet, but wants to have the option pending final mechanical equipment design.
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved both variance requests - one for overall height of the building and the other for the 11 ft. setback of the south 60 feet of the 4th floor. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the conditional use permit to City Council - recommending approval of the proposed 34 parking stalls, and additional conditions to include better bike facilities and EV charging.
Attachment 4 is included for scale and massing reference, but is not a depiction of the current design. It has been purposefully excluded from the resolution for this reason, but included for context.
The Northfield city ordinances outline, in Chapter 34 - Land Development Code (LDC), Section 8.5.8, the Heritage Preservation Commission's Certificate of Appropriateness process and approval criteria. The HPC shall consider the following in evaluating an application for a certificate of appropriateness for a zoning certificate and/or building permit. Criterion (A) below must be met and criteria (B) through (G) shall be considered:
Criteria A, For all applications, the proposed action fully complies with all applicable requirements of this LDC;
Findings: The proposed action complies with the LDC. The applicable section of the Northfield LDC states that “Buildings must be consistent with the design guidance of the City of Northfield Downtown Historic Preservation Design Guidelines and the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and receive a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HPC.” More detail on how the proposed action meets the Downtown Preservation Design Guidelines is included under Criteria D below.
Criteria B, That the proposed action is in harmony with the purpose of the H-O district for sites located in the H-O district;
Findings: The proposed action is in harmony with the intent of the H-O district. Within the LDC Section 2.5.3, Historic Overlay District (H-O) purpose is defined “(a) Safeguard the heritage of the city by preserving sites and structures which reflect elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, visual or architectural history; (b) Protect and enhance the city's appeal to residents, visitors and tourists and serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry; (c) Foster civic pride in the beauty and notable accomplishments of the past; and, (d) Promote the preservation and continued use of historic sites and structures for the education and general welfare of the people of the city.”
a) The applicant is proposing to construct a new, mixed-use commercial and residential building on the site formerly occupied by the historic Archer House. The proposed design is comparable and compatible with other buildings within the H-O district, thus preserving and safeguarding the historic character of the H-O district.
b) The proposed action will result in a new mixed use building, providing entrepreneurs, small business owners, residents, visitors, and tourists with new commercial spaces and opportunities, as well as potential new downtown residents housed in new residential units. These new residents are likely to spend time and money in the district. These commercial and residential spaces are intended to serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry in the city, particularly focused in the downtown.
c) The proposed action is comparable and compatible with other buildings in the H-O district, many of them historic, but also differentiated. In that way, the new building will support civic pride in the beauty and notable accomplishments of the past offered by the H-O district on the whole, while not creating a false sense of history.
d) Due to its compatible, yet differentiated design, the proposed action promotes preservation and continued use of historic sites and structures for the education and general welfare of the people of the city. While not a historic site itself, its compatible design does not detract from the historic integrity and significance of the other buildings in the H-O district, and its design references help create continuity in the district, which is critical for the continued promotion of education and support of the general welfare of the people of the city.
Criteria C, That the proposed action would complement other structures within the H-O district for sites located in the H-O district;
Findings: The design of the proposed building will complement other structures within the H-O district. The design proposes to construct a building of comparable scaling, form, and mass to other buildings within the H-O district. The building will replace the non-extant Archer House with a building that occupies the same width of lot, maintaining viewsheds of the Canon River at the north and south elevations that existed when the former Archer House was in place. The proposed design uses architectural details, materials and colors comparable to other buildings within the H-O district, including red and tan brick, arched windows, and cornice detailing. More detail on how the proposed action is complementary to other H-O district buildings is included under Criteria D below.
Criteria D, That the proposed action is consistent with the Downtown Preservation Design Guidelines for sites located in the H-O district, and consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties for sites located within or outside the H-O district;
Findings: The proposed design is consistent with the Downtown Preservation Design Guidelines, which calls out the importance of (i) proportions of the façade, (ii) composition, (iii) proportions of the openings, (iv) detailing, (v) materials, (vi) color, and (vii) building setback for new downtown construction. The proposed guidelines are also consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, which emphasizes that (viii) new buildings in a historic district maintain the historic setting, context, and relationships between existing buildings, structures, objects, and sites.
(i) The proposed design maintains a scale and massing at the façade that is comparable to other downtown buildings. The proposed design does not overpower the neighboring Nutting Block or other downtown buildings.
(ii) The proposed design features three bays and recessed entrances that break up the mass of the overall building to match the rhythm of other downtown commercial buildings.
(iii) Window and door openings are designed to be proportionally comparable to other downtown commercial buildings. Openings are taller on the first story and smaller on upper stories. Openings are taller than they are wide, and openings are spaced proportionally on building elevations in a way that is comparable to other downtown buildings.
(iv) Detailing in the proposed design is comparable to other downtown commercial buildings and includes first story bulkheads on commercial window openings; cornice details; brick details on panels between window openings on south bay; arched windows, brick and cast stone belt courses, and decorative brick panels at frieze on the central and north bays.
(v) The use of brick, metal, and glass is comparable to other downtown buildings. Metal and cloth awnings are both present downtown, and metal awning size will be limited. The building will not include back-lit signage, and proposed building lighting is minimal and appropriate.
(vi) Material colors mimic brick and limestone colors that are dominant in downtown buildings.
(vii) The proposed design maintains zero setback for the building, similar to the rest of downtown. The setback variance on the upper story of the south bay is to maintain appropriate scale and massing and not overpower Nutting Block.
(viii) The proposed design is compatible and comparable in size, scale, proportion, massing, and materials with the rest of the downtown district. The proposed building is located at the northernmost edge of the district, and its construction will have limited effect on the overall setting, context, or character of the district. The building’s modern elements (e.g. the metal scrim) are clearly differentiated but are appropriate in size, scale, proportion, and material. The proposed design maintains relationships to surrounding buildings by maintaining the rhythm of the buildings in the district and the spatial relationship that existed between the former Archer House and neighboring, including viewsheds of the river, are maintained by mirroring former Archer House property limits.
Criteria E, Consideration should be given to the amount and quality of original material and design remaining in the building or structure when applying criteria, guidelines and standards;
Findings: New construction, therefore, not applicable.
Criteria F, For new construction, the building or addition should be compatible with: (i) scale, texture, materials, and other visual qualities of the surrounding buildings and neighborhoods; (ii) the height, width, depth, massing and setback of the surrounding buildings; and (iii) the amount of solid wall to window and door openings, and the replacement of window and door openings, should be proportional to that of the surrounding buildings and neighborhood;
Findings: The design of the proposed new building is compatible with the following:
(i) The proposed design matches the scale, texture, materials, and other visual qualities of the surrounding buildings and neighborhoods. The proposed building references the scale of the former Archer House. It is four stories high and maintains separation from buildings on lots to the north and south, just as the former Archer House did. The proposed building will be clad in brick, as many downtown buildings are, and brick colors mimic the brick and limestone of other downtown buildings.
(ii) The proposed design is compatible with the height, width, depth, massing, and setback of the surrounding buildings. The design height is limited so as not to overpower the Nutting Building to the south. The design proposes a building divided into four bays to reference the width and massing of similar downtown buildings. Similarly, the design proposes a building with a setback that matches other downtown buildings. A variance has been approved for the setback on the upper story at the south end of the building’s façade, which was necessary to break up the massing of the building without overpowering the neighboring Nutting Block.
(iii) The proposed design includes a proportion of solid wall to window openings that is consistent with other downtown buildings. The proposed building will have a tall first story with large, plate-glass-style display windows and broad entrances. Window openings on upper stories will be smaller than those on the first story and similar in proportion and spacing to other downtown buildings.
Criteria G, Consideration shall be given to clear cases of economic hardship or to deprivation of reasonable use of the owner's property.
Findings: The setback variance allows the number of units to create a viable project, while being consistent with the Downtown Preservation Design Guidelines.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of a new building at 212 Division St. S. per the attached documentation.
Two draft resolutions are attached - one for approval of the new construction as presented by the applicant, the other is approval of the new construction with the condition the screen/scrim come back to the HPC for approval. If there are any proposed changes, HPC members can contact staff in advance to make edits.
Alternative Options:
The HPC can offer changes or amendments to the provided resolutions. If denial of the COA is brought forward, new finding will need to be provided to support that decision.
Financial Impacts:
Redevelopment of the site will have positive social and economic impacts to the downtown and community as a whole.
Tentative Timelines:
ü September 21, 2023 - Zoning Board of Appeals approved two variance requests (one for the overall height and the other for a setback of the southern 60 ft. of the building).
ü September 21, 2023 - Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow for 34 off-street parking stalls, bike parking and EV charging stations.
• November 1, 2023 - Heritage Preservation Commission reviews the Certificate of Appropriateness.