Lakewood Architectural Board of Review Special Meeting – September 25, 2024
Lakewood Architectural Board of Review Special Meeting – September 25, 2024
The Lakewood Architectural Board of Review held a special meeting on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 5:30 PM in the City Hall Auditorium (12650 Detroit Avenue) with a virtual Zoom option. The sole agenda item was Docket No. 09-80-24, concerning the proposed downtown mixed-use development at 14501-14519 Detroit Avenue. The board reviewed updated architectural and landscape plans presented by the applicant, CASTO Communities, and ultimately voted to defer the docket to the next regular meeting on October 10, 2024, pending additional materials.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Linda Barbero (2249 Olive): Asked for clarification on the board-and-batten location on the Curtis Block, requested visuals of new rear balcony railings and the historic paint color scheme. Also questioned window sizes in Building 4 gables and the single gable on the courtyard facade, asked for mural locations and details on deciduous vine winter appearance.
- Heather Rudge (13926 Clifton Boulevard): Echoed Barbero's comments and requested a detailed rendering of the Curtis Block ground floor facing the plaza. Expressed concern that the dormers on the street-facing elevations are oversized and appear to topple off the building. Noted that the Lincoln Building in Tremont shows dead plants in winter, urging caution with the planned vine on the parking garage.
- Marie France Schreiber (1349 Cook Avenue): Praised the addition of a pet station, commented that black windows on Building 4 do not blend with the community (where most porches and windows are white), and appreciated the decision to plant trees in the ground rather than in containers.
Discussion Items
- Presentation by Paul Glowacki (Demot Architects) and Ted Hardisty (Edge): Provided an overview of design refinements since the previous meeting, including detailed 2D elevations, material boards (brick, cast stone, fiber cement, ACM panel, lighting fixtures, windows), and landscape updates (plaza paving, bike parking, pet stations, green screen vines).
- Curtis Block: Board discussed the proposed restoration of the historic storefront, removal of non-historic siding, reopening of the corner entry, and reintroduction of a board-and-batten base. Suggestions included realigning the three new overhead garage doors on the west elevation to align with existing building columns. Board also noted potential Section 106 review for historic properties.
- Building One: Board praised the brick detailing and material palette. Asked about lighting on the retail facade and residential wash on Marlowe side. Received clarification on full-depth brick and flush soldier courses.
- Parking Garage: Discussed the east elevation facing Building 3 – concrete crash wall with board-and-batten infill, green screen trellis on west side, and illuminated mesh at vehicular/pedestrian entries. Board expressed interest in seeing the trumpet vine in winter, considering alternative infill panels. Requested photometric study and downlighting rather than uplighting on the trellis to minimize light pollution.
- Building 3: Commended the wrapping of architecture around the corner and Juliet balconies. Clarified that true balconies are on rear facade.
- Building 4: Board appreciated refinements to brick placement and color palette. Discussed dormer scale and window size – majority supported current proportions. Chair suggested adjusting the dormer roof slope to sit on the portico roof line for better balance; Paul explained design tradeoffs. Board agreed black windows are appropriate for the multi-family context.
- Landscape: Board requested additional pet relief stations near Building 4 and the meandering path, bike racks at the Building 4 courtyard entrance, and a bus shelter location on the Bell Avenue plan. Also asked for pedestrian details at the Detroit/Bell curb cuts (ADA domes, crosswalk buttons, light pole).
- Overall Site: Board noted the need for outlets in the plaza to support events and public use. Asked about the future condition of the townhouse parcel (currently not being developed).
Key Outcomes
- Motion to defer Docket No. 09-80-24: Passed unanimously (all board members in favor). The applicant will return on October 10, 2024, to address a short list of items: (1) West elevation of Curtis Block – realignment of garage door openings; (2) Night renderings with photometric plans and lighting fixtures; (3) Vertical green screen winter visual along parking garage (east side) shown with evergreen layers; (4) Bus shelter and crosswalk/curb cut details at Bell Avenue; (5) Consideration of additional pet relief stations and plaza electrical outlets.
- The board indicated that if these items are satisfactorily addressed, the project could be approved without further full presentations.
Meeting Transcript
Hello everyone. Welcome to this evening's board architectural board review, Board of Building Standards Sign Review Meeting for September 25th, 2024. Can we get a roll call? Mr. Monet? Here. Ms. Cohen Plastner. Here. Mr. Egerberry. Here. Mr. Slaughterback? Here. Mr. Smith will be joining us shortly. Yes. All right. Do we do not have any meeting minutes at this meeting? So I think next matter of business is opening remarks. Welcome to the Board of Building Standards Architectural Board of Review Sign Review Board. The purpose of the architectural board of review is to protect the value, appearance, and use of property when buildings and homes are constructed or altered. In improving building plans, the board will take into consideration development of adjacent buildings and properties. All applicants as well as those members of the public who have come to offer comment when asked to come to the podium, please print and sign your name on the O sheet and then clearly state your name and address into the microphone for the record. Please stay close to the microphone so we can capture an accurate record of all discussion. For those members of the public who have come to speak on a given proposal, we ask that you please keep your comments within five minutes to allow everyone an opportunity to comment. Questions and comments should be directed to the chair who will compile them and provide them to the applicant for discussion after everyone has had the chance to speak. We will now begin with the regular business of the Board of Building Standards Architectural Board of Review Sign Review Board. All right, thank you. So as this is a special meeting, we have one item on the agenda. So calling docket number 098024 for the downtown development. Mr. Chair, I'm just gonna go through a couple of things. Uh just as a refresher. Um this is the site we're speaking about. Uh we can reference any of these other things that we need to. The approval process has gone through planning commission. They have they've gotten their final development approval. Um there were a couple of comments that the applicant was gonna work on their approval. And then I did also include all the comments from our last meeting. Um, if we need to reference those at all, those were sent to the applicant uh after our meeting two weeks ago. So other information that we can reference if needed. Very good. All right, come on down. Thank you. Good evening, board. I'm Paul Glowacki with Demot Architects. We are located at 14725 Detroit Avenue. Uh, here to present the downtown redevelopment uh plan and the updates from our previous um presentations.
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