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1 MEMORANDUM TO: DESIGN REVIEW BOARD FROM: David Lee, Senior Planner Cameron Zapata, Planner SUBJECT: LAND-2018-00869; LMC Marymoor Master Plan/Site Plan Entitlement/Development Agreement; Pre-App meeting No. 5 LOCATION: 17611 NE 70th Street DATE: January 17, 2019 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 January 17, 2019 DRB Purpose At the last November 16, 2018 DRB, it was decided by the DRB members that more time was needed to fully digest the massive amounts of material submitted to them. It was suggested that the project be brought back again to be able to fully debrief on the northern most building. The purpose of the January 17, 2019 meeting is to continue the discussion of the northern building with its recent resubmittal incorporating the DRB’s comments and suggestions. DRB last looked at the northern building on January 3, 2019. Past discussions on the northern building focused on how to turn the building, particularly the corners of NE 70th ST, into a gateway for the Marymoor neighborhood. The resubmittal also refreshed the landscaping plans for the entire site, to show how the landscape integrates with the buildings. The hope is to also illicit comments on the landscaping so that it can come back with the remaining two buildings. As stated in the past, DRB should not concern itself with dimensional requirements of the upper- story setback. Staff has the ability to modify that requirement if the resulting design is superior than if applying that requirement. However, such things as height, density, and FAR cannot be modified. In regards to staff review and comments, staff believes the changes meets the intent of the MDD’s goal of exhibiting “eclecticism”. The mix of materials, the unique building shape/massing, and art interventions serve to make a statement gateway to the young Marymoor Design District. The only suggestion staff would like DRB and the applicant to consider is to add a slight “indentation” towards the middle of the western half of the northern façade. The slight indentation/angle was used successfully on the northwest corner and southeast corner, and staff believes would give the northeast corner that one last splash of uniqueness. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Arts Commission Update The applicant approached the Arts Commission on January 10, 2018. As you recall, the Arts Commission was previously briefed on the integration of art into the buildings and general approach of how art was to be used throughout the site in November. The concepts and proposed placement of art on the site was met with very favorable comments and excitement. A Call for Art was released shortly after the Arts Commission meeting. The shortlist of artists, and examples of their work, were presented to the Arts Commission at the January 10, 2018 meeting. Much like the approach and placement of the art, the shortlist of artists was met with a very positive reception. The next stage of the art process is to award the project to the artists and receive conceptual drawings. Closing & Next Steps For the last several meetings on this project, the project has been broken into two components: 1) the north building and 2) the southern east and west buildings. The DRB appeared to be favorable to the design and direction of the southern two buildings. Both the applicant and staff would like feedback from the DRB on how to approach the next meeting on this project. For the ease of discussion, staff has provided several options: 1. Assuming the DRB is comfortable with the new iteration of the northern building and the site’s landscaping, the entire project can be brought back (with the southern two buildings) with an overview of the changes. This would allow for the project to be looked at as a whole. However, the primary focus would be on the southern two buildings. Formal recommendation could be made at this meeting if the DRB sees it fit. 2. Bring back the southern two buildings separately from the northern building to review the changes incorporated. Assuming the DRB is comfortable with the southern two ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 building’s designs at the meeting, the entire site (all three buildings/site) would be brought back to the DRB at the following meeting for formal recommendation. 3. If the DRB believes the northern building still requires more work, the northern building and southern two buildings will be brought separately for continued review by the DRB as we have been doing for the last several meetings. Once the DRB has reached consensus on the respective buildings, the package would be brought before the DRB as a whole for formal recommendation. Thank you for your continued work and insight into this project! It is shaping up to be one of the most original building(s) and site in Redmond! The minutes for the DRB meeting regarding the last time the northern building was in have not yet been provided by the transcriber. If the comments are received prior to the meeting, staff will forward the draft minutes to the DRB via email.