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HomeMy WebLinkAbout006 Project NarrativeFebruary 16, 2022 RE: PROJECT NARRATIVE Included with the NCOA application is a request for demolition for the new construction. The project scope at 401 North Grand is to fully demolish the existing single-family home and accessory building to construct a new single-family residence. The 6,687 square foot lot is bordered by R3 zoning to the north, R4 zoning across the street to the south and B3 zoning 200’ away. The proposed new residential design considers the transitional nature from commercial zoning to residential zoning by means of a pedestrian scaled massing which mixes building heights, materials, and form typologies. This achieves a balance of both zoning typologies to initiate a more fluid evolution from this coveted residential neighborhood to all potential future adjacent zoning changes and/or developments. The footprints of both existing structures encroach well beyond today’s setbacks, as a result we are asking for the approval to fully demolish both structures. The existing site plan illustrates the current home’s footprint to be 8’-6” over into the south front yard setback, 7’ in the east front yard setback, and just 3’ over on the north side yard setback. The accessory structure in the rear of the lot sits 8’ over into the rear setback. The current foundation system of the home does not warrant further addition upwards without a complex and complete overhaul. Given that the structure is already well beyond setbacks, rehabbing the foundation system would push the building footprint further into all 3 setbacks. To modify within the existing footprint, we would need to demolish all the second and first floor wood framing of the home to expose the foundation. This level of dismantling would leave nothing original to remain besides an unusable foundation in its current state. Demolishing the existing structures and starting with a new foundation and home will significantly reduce current non-conforming building footprints in all four yard setback. Another preference for demolishing the existing home is to improve the pedestrian experience at the street corner. The current house is on a highly visible corner and encroaches the setback by more than 50% at both streets. A historic inventory card considers this structure an intrusive element within a potential historic district. Demolition allows us to construct a new home based on today’s standards of zoning, pedestrian experiences, building safety, increased historic material sensitivity, and general welfare. The new design gives better breathing room to the pedestrian circulation along the sidewalk, corrects the current non-conforming vehicle vision triangle at the intersection, breaks down the overall scale of the home with two main forms, and retains the access to direct southern sun exposure to the neighboring north lot. To ensure the new residence fits within the context of the neighborhood and pays tribute to the existing home, the forms further break down through; scaling down the overall height of the front form to tie into existing homes along North Grand, combine steep gable roofs with lower flat roofs forms found in several occasions in the surrounding blocks, varying material transitions on planar wall surfaces, and establishing dynamic shadow lines all around the home. With all of these points in mind we imagine that the demolition and construction of a new home will be a great addition to the ever-changing landscape of the neighborhood. Our intent is that the proposed design would generate a key transitional building from a forthcoming tall dense business district to a cherished residential district.