Twice a month, the city of Birmingham’s Design Review Committee convenes to discuss plans to make alterations to structures that fall within one of the city’s many historic and commercial revitalization districts. This column summarizes recent DRC activity, with projects grouped by type and location. This edition of Design Review recaps the DRC meeting from March 11, 2015.
The Design Review Committee has rekindled their relationship with the Auburn Urban Studio and has resumed meetings in the school’s new space on 20th Street North.
Commercial Projects
19th Street North
Coyote Logistics (1904 First Avenue North) continues the renovation of their downtown building. Plans include painting the bands above the windows, the brick, and the storefront. The existing columns will also be painted.
Status: Approved, one recusal
Avondale
The city parking authority’s plans for a new public parking lot (41st Street South / First Avenue South) returned to the committee for final approval. The lot will be landscaped around the 160 spaces. An emergency egress has been added, although the parking authority plans to have this gate locked. A monument sign will be installed and will resemble the signage at Avondale Park. The remaining signage will return to the committee for approval. The committee expressed concerns about traffic issues with the main lot entrance on 41st Street. Answering a question from the committee, the designers explained that permeable paving was considered, but there were too many concerns with the river basin and existing flooding in the area.
Status: Approved
Downtown West
The Jemison Lofts parking structure (1827 First Avenue North) is undergoing the first phase of renovation. The concrete will be repaired and painted to match the adjacent building. The limestone at the front will be maintained. The rear will have an image of the old train station on the window treatments. This structure was the first parking deck in Birmingham and possibly the state. The old window grids will remain. The committee requested more detailed drawings of the project.
Status: Tabled
Highland Park / Avondale
The developers of the Clairmont Apartments (3420 Clairmont Avenue) presented the project for schematic review. The site is between two historic districts and the developers negotiated with the neighborhood associations and the committee to create a special committee to review the project. The special committee approved the plans. There will be three colors of brick, stucco, and hardie board siding on the exterior. The DRC discussed the aesthetics of the placement of different brick colors and continued a previous discussion on accessible street parking. The project can begin, but the color selections need to return for approval.
Status: Approved
Lakeview
The exterior designs for SkyCastle (2808 Seventh Avenue South) returned to the committee to discuss updated plans for the awning and screen elements as well as the patio connections to the building. The committee requested the attachments for the gate be moved from the storefront window casing to the brick.
Status: Approved
Midtown
Newk’s (611 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard South) is developing an outdoor patio between the existing building and the bank drive-thru next door. They have leased the property adjacent to the building. A door will be added to access the patio from inside the restaurant. The awnings will match the existing awnings and the wood patio enclosure will be stained to match the dark metal of the storefront, as per the committee’s request.
Status: Approved.
Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church owns multiple lots on the block across the street from the church (1827 19th Street South). Plans to raze the existing buildings for additional church parking were presented to the committee. The curb cut will be moved away from the intersection. The church sees this lot also as a potential space to expand the popular annual food festival. Representatives also explained that the church is concerned that much of the street parking used by parishioners will be lost when the new Publix project is complete. The committee expressed concerns about losing the existing buildings on the site for an open parking lot. The landscape plan will need to return to the committee.
Status: Approved.
Fresenius Medical Care (2024 Fourth Avenue South) has moved into a building previously used by a restaurant tenant. Plans presented to the committee included opaque window installations and canvas awning. No awning drawings or material information was presented.
Status: Tabled for more information.
Parkside
The designers of the new parking deck at LabCorp (1801 First Avenue South) met with the committee previously to develop plans for construction of a private parking deck to be built on their rear lot. The business operates on a 24-hour schedule and the deck will be used only by employees. There will be no attachments between the deck and the building. The designers were careful to incorporate the design guidelines for the Parkside District. The committee expressed concerns with the lack of coverings for the openings that leave cars visible to pedestrians. The designers will considering raising the walls to accommodate this request. Signage for the project will return to the committee at a later date.
Status: Tabled, with an email vote allowed after new drawings are circulated.
Signage Projects
Birmingham Green
Renasant Bank has taken over the former Park Place Tower (2001 Park Place). A signage package was presented to the committee. The old sign will be removed and new signage will be added on the north and south faces as well as individual letter signage on the east and west elevations. The channel letters will be internally illuminated and be mounted to a contrasting, perforated back to better blend with the building. The street level signage will be made of bronze. A master signage plan was also submitted. The motion to approve included the request for any additional signage to return to the committee.
Status: Approved.
Five Points South
Pho Pho (1025 20th Street South) is a new restaurant in the former Sakura / Sekisui Pacific Rim location. The new tenant plans to remove the existing awning and replace with a new black awning with white letters noting the new restaurant. The multi-tenant building does not have a master signage plan to determine the appropriate signage.
Status: Tabled, master signage plan for the building needed.
Parkside
The former Merita Bakery property (60 14th Street South / 1320 First Avenue South) is currently under renovation. Owners of the building presented a master signage plan for the development now known as Bakers Row.
Status: Approved, two recusals.
The branding concepts for the new Parkside District in Midtown were presented to the committee. The plans include street signage, banners, and a painted pattern in the crosswalks. Monument signs will create gateways to the district and aluminum panel banners will be installed on the corners. An add-on panel will be attached to the street signs.
Status: Approved, three recusals.
Residential Projects
Avondale
As requested by the committee, a residential project (4005 Fourth Avenue South) returned to the DRC to present additional information about a front porch addition. The existing stoop will be removed and replaced with a low porch. Tapered Tuscan columns will support a metal roof and a beadboard ceiling. The windows will match the rest of the house and the concrete block supporting the porch will be covered with stucco. A variance is also needed for the front yard setback. The neighborhood association approved the new porch plans.
Status: Approved.
Forest Park
Previously approved by the neighborhood committee, a residential exterior renovation project (1124 Glen View Road) will return an existing enclosed porch to its original form. The windows will be removed as will the glass in the porch roof gable. The siding will also be replaced.
Status: Approved.
Redmont Park
A pea gravel driveway has already been installed at the historic former residence of Thomas Martin, former president of Alabama Power Company (2821 Stratford Road). The new owners are working to restore the exterior. The neighborhood association retroactively approved the project, but using pea gravel also requires a variance from the city. The committee discussed urging the neighborhood group to determine the types of surface requirements they will find acceptable. Two committee members were opposed to the motion to deny the project based on the committee going against the vote of the neighborhood.
Status: Denied, two opposed.