3465 buckhead loop – jared fourth visit
Project Scope: The applicant submitted a significant revision to previous plans. The latest plan set still proposes to rebuild on the footprint of the demolished Wells Fargo bank branch and expand the structure towards Buckhead Church to the south. The proposal makes minimal changes to the exterior, mostly to finishes, fenestration and entry location. The building’s height, ground story clearance and fenestration now meet SPI-12 code. The entrance has been reoriented to face both Tower Place Drive and Lenox Road.
Outside the structure, the proposed site plan and landscaping show the greatest changes from previous iterations. The applicant completely removed the drive through access lane running between the building and Tower Place Drive, eliminating one curb cut. In its place, substantial improvements were made to the sidewalk, pedestrian area and landscaped areas. Connectivity between the building and the Tower Place street frontage has been restored and represents a substantial improvement. The parking lot has shrunk slightly moving away from both away from Tower Place Drive and Lenox Road with the stall count reduced by 3 spaces for a total of 18. Finally, along Lenox, the new sidewalk and parking lot configuration allows the planned Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID) Lenox sidewalk project to comply with streetscape requirements along Lenox Road.
Click on the image below to download all documents.
Applicant: Caleb Cummings, Signet Jewelers
Also with the Applicant: — John Kranyak, Signet; Craig Nichols, Signet; Tim Goering
SAP#: 24-175 (4th visit)
Variation Requested: Several variations are needed for this project.
Sec. 16-18L.009. – Sidewalks. (There are multiple requirements that need to be met in this section of Lenox Road)
For Lenox, the requirement is 5’ wide amenity zone, a 10’ walk zone and a 10’ supplemental zone with tree planting and lighting requirements. Given that Lenox is a GDOT road and is subject to a planned BCID improvement project and underground utility easements prevent proper placement of the building, the proposed improvements from the applicant (and BCID) will only meet the amenity and walk zone requirements. The DRC supports the applicant’s request not to meet the supplemental zone requirements due to (1) the sewer easement that prevents proper building location and (2) pending BCID improvement project that does not include a supplemental zone. Additionally, the committee the BCID ensures their project meets walk and amenity zone code requirements as closely as possible
Sec. 16-18L.011. – Relationship of building to street
Sec. 16-18L.011.1. a – All buildings shall have a minimum of one building façade meeting the major sidewalk-level building façade requirements of this section. All other building façades shall be considered as minor sidewalk-level building façades.
Following this provision, Lenox Street frontage would need to meet the major sidewalk level building façade requirements. Given the utility easements parallel to that street, this requirement does not appear to be feasible. The committee requests that a variation to designate Tower Place Drive as the primary street frontage for the building instead as (1) this private street offers a stronger pedestrian connection to the rest of the development and PATH400 and (2) is a more logical “primary frontage” for the proposed store while dealing with the very difficult nature of the site itself.
Sec. 16-18L.011.4.c. Fenestration for all other non-residential storefront windows shall allow visibility into the building for a minimum depth of ten feet when located along Peachtree Road and primary streets, and five feet along all other streets, measured from the interior windowpane and shall be internally illuminated
The applicant has requested a variation to allow for more use of display case windows owing to the security risk of having full windows with greater interior visibility. The committee is supportive of this variation as the display cases do provide visual interest to pedestrians and showcase what is inside the store even if the visual depth is not the minimum five feet.
Sec. 16-18L.011.6.Additional active use provisions. Where sidewalk-level active uses are required, the following additional provisions shall apply:
Sec. 16-18L.011.6.a.Sidewalk-level active uses shall not include parking, non-residential storage areas, driveways, or queuing lanes parallel to the adjacent street.
The proposed project includes retaining the parking area in front of the entrance along Lenox and a driveway from the former drive-through for the bank. This is not permitted in SPI-12. The revised plans do reduce but not eliminate the parking between Lenox and the jewelry store. The DRC supports this variation as (1) the parking area is smaller than previous iterations of this plan (2) and allowing greater pedestrian connectivity by locating the main entrance on the Tower Place side of the building. The remaining parking is largely for the benefit of (3) handicapped drivers and allows for sufficient turn-arounds of (4) accessibility vans and emergency vehicles.
Sec. 16-18L.016.3. Location. With the exception of regional shopping centers, accessory off-street surface parking lots shall not be located between a building and an adjacent street without an intervening building.
Sec. 16-18L.016.4.Screening. Off-street surface parking lots shall be screened from adjacent streets and sidewalks.
The proposed jewelry store parking lot is situated between the building and Lenox Road. The committee supports a variation for this placement as it is (1) not possible to move the building closer to Lenox Road due to the location of underground and surface utilities and (2) for the reasons cited above in Sec. 16-18L.011.6.a.
The remaining parking area not located between the building and the street will be better screened from Lenox Road by the future BCID project. Prior to the implementation of that project, the applicant will reconfigure the parking lot to allow for this project at a future date to be determined by the district. Depending on the project timing, the applicant may install some easy-to-remove landscaping for temporary screening. The applicant shall contact the district to determine when their Lenox project will start and install some basic screening if the start date is more than a year out.
Additional Design Recommendations: The committee commended the applicant for their improved plan set and made a few additional design recommendations to the applicant.
Utility Relocation and Screening – There are several utility boxes and equipment located at the corner. The committee encourages as many of these as possible be relocated to underground vaults and if not feasible, work in better screening of them.
Sidewalk Repair. The existing sidewalk which is proposed to be widened to meet code also suffers from paver buckling due to tree growth. The replacement sidewalk system should correct this and reduce its risk of reoccurrence in the future. The committee also encouraged the applicant to go beyond the code minimums to provide as much sidewalk width as possible. Finally they recommended consulting with an arborist to ensure that the trees currently along the street frontage be kept as-is, removed and replaced or removed with a new configuration based on the applicant’s ultimate landscape design for the plaza.
Sidewalk light repair – Several lights have been damaged or knocked over. Work with the landlord to repair or replace them.
The Development Committee DOES NOT expect to see this applicant again unless significant changes need to be made to the proposed plans that will necessitate additional variations, and the City staff and/or Neighborhood Association requests additional input from the DRC.
