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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Alternate Campustown URA Criteria for window proposal for 2300 Lincoln Way RESOLUTION NO. 14-454 RESOLUTION APPROVING EQUIVALENT WINDOW PROPOSAL FOR CAMPUSTOWN URA CRITERIA FOR 2300 LINCOLN WAY FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS,OPUS Development Company,LLC,of Minnetonka,Minnesota,purchased the property at 2300 Lincoln Way and is in the process of constructing a residential/commercial mixed- use building, "The Foundry," at this address; and, WHEREAS, the structure will have six stories plus one level of below ground parking, and the ground level will include commercial retail and service uses along the street frontage of Lincoln Way and Lynn Avenue, with parking behind the commercial businesses; and, WHEREAS, the top five stories will consist of 53 apartment units; and, WHEREAS,this property is located in the Campustown Urban Revitalization Area,and the developer is seeking tax abatement through the urban revitalization program; and, WHEREAS, specific criteria must be met for a development to qualify for tax abatement in this urban revitalization area, and one of the 15 criteria specifies that street-facing facades may use only fixed windows; and, WHEREAS, at this time, the developer is seeking approval by the City Council of an equivalent proposal to meet the window criteria of the Campustown Urban Revitalization Area,and that is to install awning windows on the street-facing sides of the building(Lincoln Way and Lynn Avenue) that swing out along the bottom edge of the window a maximum of four inches; and, WHEREAS, the height of the proposed windows is seven feet, six inches, with a fixed window on the top five feet, six inches, and an awning window on the lower two feet; and, WHEREAS,there will be a variety of window widths,including four feet,six feet,and eight feet; and, WHEREAS,regardless of the window width,only one operable awning window is proposed to span the entire width of the window opening, and the window openings are to be equipped with heavy gauge custom-made aluminum screens to prevent objects from passing through the window opening and falling onto the sidewalk below; and, WHEREAS, staff from the Police and Planning and Housing Departments met with the developers on multiple occasions to discuss alternatives and view mock-ups ofwindows and screens for the street-facing sides of the building; and, WHEREAS,the basis for the urban revitalization criteria,which requires facades facing any street use only fixed windows,is for the safety of pedestrians walking,or standing near the building from projectiles that could be thrown through an open window; and, WHEREAS,given the proposed materials,design,and methods proposed to keep the screens securely in place,the Police Department is supportive of the developer's request to allow windows on the street-facing facades,provided the screens and windows are constructed, as proposed by the developer; and, WHEREAS, following installation of the windows and screens, staff will inspect the final installation to confirm the windows and screens were constructed and installed in accordance with the narrative and graphics provided by the developer to qualify as an "equivalent to the adopted window criteria," as approved by the City Council; and, WHEREAS, the final determination for the granting of tax abatement, based upon compliance with the Campustown Urban Revitalization District Criteria, will be a decision of the City Council following construction of the building. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the developer's proposal to install windows that open on the street-facing sides of the building under construction at 2300 Lincoln Way is an equivalent alternative to the Campustown Urban Revitalization Criteria for fixed windows on the street-facing sides of the building is hereby approved, subject to the following conditions: windows installed on the street-facing sides of the building shall have fixed windows for the upper five foot-six inches of the height of each seven foot- six inch window opening; no more than the lower two feet of each window opening shall be an awning style of window that hinges at the top and swings out at the bottom;awning windows on the street-facing sides of the building shall open no more than 4 inches;screens for the awning windows shall be made of heavy gauge aluminum, 1/8- inch thick, in a grid pattern with t/2-inch openings; awning window screens shall be secured to U-shaped channels with tamper resistant screens;the U- shaped channels are secured to the jamb of the window with tamper resistant screws; and,City staff will inspect the installed windows and screens to confirm that the conditions for approval of the equivalent alternative have been met, prior to consideration of a request for tax abatement for this property. ADOPTED THIS 12th day of August, 2014. `! A. W• co Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor Introduced by: Goodman Seconded by: Nelson Voting aye: Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Goodman,Nelson, Orazem Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 12'day of August, 2014.