Q&A
Integration of large development sites into the community
1:17:47
·
3 min
Council Member Marmorato questions how large sites like 1601 Bronxdale will be integrated into the community. DCP representatives explain measures to ensure community integration and accessibility.
- Plans to extend Pierce Avenue to connect the site with the surrounding area
- Provisions for a large public plaza with specific requirements for seating, water fountains, and lighting
- Concerns raised about the height of buildings (11 stories) facing existing 2-story buildings
- Discussion on balancing density near stations with neighborhood character
Kristy Marmorato
1:17:47
Okay.
1:17:47
So on on the large sites such as 1601 Braunstale, what does DCP incorporate into the proposal to make sure that it is part of our community rather than exclusive neighborhood that is all on its own because I feel like we have 2 different communities on each side of of this development.
Michael Kavalar
1:18:09
Yeah.
1:18:09
I'll I'll take this 1 council member.
1:18:11
I I think that's an excellent question.
1:18:13
So here I'll point to 601 bronch cells, an example.
1:18:16
We were also concerned about a site that would seem closed off from the community.
1:18:20
So we have a mapping action, which is actually technically filed by the property owner there, which would extend Pierce Avenue to the western extreme of the site.
1:18:31
And then within where that would end.
1:18:33
The mapping action itself also contemplates a rather large space to accommodate the future proposed Western Plaza there.
1:18:43
That is all defined within the special district tax.
1:18:46
So for the property owner there to take advantage of the bonus.
1:18:50
They're actually quite exhaustive provisions that include everything from seating to things like water fountains and lighting and things like that.
1:18:57
They would be required provide that and that those spaces would have to remain functionally public.
1:19:03
The street at some point, you know, some of these c towels hall, but the idea is that the street would go into the possession of DOT, and so then it would be fully a public street and the spaces themselves would remain under those restrictive deeds for public access.
Kristy Marmorato
1:19:17
K.
1:19:17
Do you feel that the 2 buildings on the front side on Bronxdale Avenue?
1:19:23
I think they were coming in at 11 stories.
1:19:25
Do you think that that's a massive change from the 2 story buildings across the street?
Paul Philps
1:19:32
So, definitely, it is a change.
1:19:35
I think 1 of the things that we looked at is that we for the proposal is really to strike a balance looking at, you know, where we could, you know, locate higher densities, which are closest to the stations.
1:19:45
And then as we moved away from the stations trying to respond to neighborhood character and lowering some of the density and the heights as part of the proposal.
1:19:52
So we do think that, you know, through several years of outreach, etcetera.
1:19:55
We do think that the proposal strikes a balance between, you know, neighborhood character but also creating capacity for new housing and other uses as part of proposal.
Kristy Marmorato
1:20:04
You do realize this is gonna be a neighborhood when in itself, and there's gonna be no access from the people of Mars Park Avenue.
1:20:10
Right?
1:20:13
You're creating an entire neighborhood in this 1 development, and what the large buildings in the front of the property is gonna determine my constituents from coming in and using the facilities and using Well,
Paul Philps
1:20:26
I think you make a a really good point.
1:20:28
I think, you know, the devil is in the details, and they haven't like, I think the development team is here, and I think they're open to having this discussions about how the site can be designed.
1:20:36
But I do think, you know, we think that there's great value in this site.
1:20:39
This site also has the potential to create a 3rd connection to the station.
1:20:43
As we also mentioned, Michael talked about those public accessible open spaces.
1:20:47
Those would be designed and created to park standards.
1:20:51
And certainly, I think, through the parks department and design, we can, you know, commit to working with you in constituents.
1:20:57
To making sure that it's a development, a proposal that meets community satisfaction.
Michael Kavalar
1:21:02
Okay.
1:21:03
And apologies, council member.
1:21:04
Just to build on that, I just want to note that the site plan shown for that site, which prescribes where those open spaces would need to be, and the text prescribes their size.
1:21:15
There's an entry open space that's prescribed as part of that and that was intentionally placed on the bronch cell side so that that public space would be visible and accessible from Bronxdale Ave and clearly a part of the larger community.