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April 22, 2022 Steve King 1 Monument Downtown design standards (ideas) Downtown Monument is an eclectic assembly of buildings with various styles and sizes. There are some buildings still remaining from the 1800’s, however they have been updated throughout the years and no longer resemble the original structure and few have any historic significance. The hope for revitalization of the downtown area would be to create a cohesive community that will become the future historic district. There is a need to establish some continuity with the downtown area, and still allow for a variety of styles that complement each other. There is hope that as the downtown area gets revitalized, older buildings will get remodeled or rebuilt to conform the new standards, and new structures will conform to these standards to have a well-defined, desirable downtown area that visitors and residents will frequent. A unique use that would drive traffic to this area would be rooftop restaurants, microbreweries, quality art stores, and working art studios such as Bliss. There are some buildings that dominate the downtown area that have real value, have been updated, and will probably remain in the current state for some time, so the design standards should allow those structures to remain as they are, and introduce styles that compliment them to eliminate the eclectic nature of the downtown area. This is what I would consider the downtown area, within the yellow line: ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 I would consider 2nd street and Front St to be the two main streets, and should have a similar style and building setbacks, and those streets would contain the buildings that have zero lot lines, with parking in the rear. Those would be the main storefronts, predominately flat roofs and parapet walls, with common walls between the stores, possibly mixed use with living areas on the second floor or a rooftop restaurant or bar area. The other streets, 3rd, Washington, and Jefferson, would have buildings set back from the street, and be a different design, with gable roofs, timbers, and maybe front yard dining areas. STREETSCAPE: Because or the nature of the streets and sidewalks, it is difficult to have street trees, or sidewalk cafes. My suggestion would be in incorporate peninsulas on street corners, especially where there is no parking due to the proximity to the corner and can be used for trees or other vegetation. Potted plants adjacent to buildings should always be encouraged where conventional landscape is not practical: ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 ALLEYS: Alleys should have some type of landscaping along the fences especially toward main streets, and dirt alleys should become paved. ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 EXISTING STRUCTURES: The new design standards would need to pay attention to the predominate structures currently in the town. Those structures are as shown below: ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 In order to establish character, various materials need to be used on each elevation, and multiple materials on each structure, such as brick, stone, stucco, metal roofs, timbers, batten board, steel, or other materials, and in alternating directions, incorporating awnings and other methods to break up the elevation plane, while complimenting the existing predominate downtown structures. The type of structures that should be used on 2nd Street and Front St should be designed to create a downtown area with zero lot lines, one or two stories, possibly a third floor when incorporating mixed uses, with large first floor windows and recessed entrances when possible. Those structures would resemble the following and would complement the existing downtown structures and provide a standard going forward. Again, multiple materials and varying elevation planes with both vertical and horizontal features. ---PAGE BREAK--- 9 ---PAGE BREAK--- 10 Example of large windows and corner entrance: ---PAGE BREAK--- 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- 12 Example of mixed use: Recessed living area on 3rd floor to break up elevation. Heights to not exceed 35ft which would allow for 3 floors when using a flat roof. ---PAGE BREAK--- 13 RESTAURANTS: Buildings with rooftop restaurants should also be encouraged, particularly on 2nd and Front streets with views toward Mt Herman. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14 Mixed uses should also be encouraged with living or office space above the second floor as the area gets redeveloped, with parking in the rear off the alleys. ---PAGE BREAK--- 15 SECONDARY STREETS: Jefferson and Washington Streets should have a little more setback than zero lot lines to accommodate outdoor dining, and different uses, possibly 10’, but all streets in this district should require off alley parking, and these streets should have sidewalks on both sides of the street. Jefferson and Washington Streets should be a little softer feel than 2nd and Front Streets but should also require rear parking and have somewhat smaller front setbacks, however large enough to accommodate outdoor dining, but not enough to accommodate parking. The feel should be rustic, timber frame style, similar to Bliss studio, in order to carry the mountain theme, with no hard edges such as steel front facing or flat roofs. Outdoor dining on secondary streets should more resemble Black Forest Café with larger dining areas more setback from the street, although exceeding the 10ft setback I used for a suggestion. Various materials on each structure and horizontal and vertical siding should still be maintained, with stone, stucco, and/or brick incorporated in the front elevation. The following are examples of secondary street architecture: ---PAGE BREAK--- 16 ---PAGE BREAK--- 17 ---PAGE BREAK--- 18 SIGNAGE: Signage should be non-obtrusive. Wood or metal plaques either projecting from the building or front facing with lighting projected onto the sign, but no LED or other backlit signs should be used. ---PAGE BREAK--- 19 MATERIALS: There should be a wide mix of materials that compliment each other, but always some type of stone, stucco or brick should be used in at least a portion of the front elevation. Color Palettes should be earth tones with a variety of accent colors for entry doors and window trim. ---PAGE BREAK--- 20 Stucco color palette example: ---PAGE BREAK--- 21 AWNINGS: Awnings on the front face of buildings on 2nd St and Front Streets should be made of permanent materials and not cloth. Steel, wood, etc. Steel awnings should be incorporated into the existing buildings along 2nd St as part of any renovation project. ---PAGE BREAK--- 22 ---PAGE BREAK--- 23 Possible outdoor dining awning: ---PAGE BREAK--- 24 PUBLIC ART: There should be prominent artwork where possible. On corner peninsulas, in the front setbacks where possible, or in Limbach park. CIRCULATION: If there ultimately was a desire to focus attention on the streetscape and allow for angled parking, 2nd street could become a one way street with direction to the west starting at Jefferson, and Front St could become one way with direction to the north ending at Washington or thereabouts. All other streets could be both ways. PARKING: Since parking is limited in the downtown area, additional parking may be required. Perhaps it is possible to obtain the grass area in front of Grace Best to create a downtown parking area. ---PAGE BREAK--- 25 SUMMARY: In summary, we have some existing buildings that have real value that we should pay attention with regards to complimenting each other. We have a couple of new projects coming into town that have an edge to a more modern design that we need to pay attention to and compliment. 2nd and Front Streets should become the major retail portion of the downtown area and should more resemble a small-town downtown with predominately flat roofs and parapet walls. We should try and achieve unique businesses that would attract visitor traffic such as microbreweries, rooftop restaurants, and working art studios. The secondary downtown streets, 3rd, Jefferson, and Washington should compliment the downtown area, but be a little softer in feel, with a more mountain type design, using timbers, gables, and possibly metal roofs.