Urban Design Commission continues review of proposed grocery at 1229 NW 20th Street after material, frontage concerns

The Urban Design Commission on May 28 voted to continue consideration of a proposed grocery store at 1229 NW 20th Street to the commission's June 25 meeting so the applicant can submit revised elevations and material details.

Planning staff told the commission the project is a roughly 28,000–30,000 square-foot grocery building proposed at the southwest corner of NW 20th Street and Classen Boulevard, to connect with the existing Golden Phoenix building to the north. Staff said the site is now governed by an adopted SPUD and remains subject to the Urban Design Overlay's design guidelines.

The commission's concern centered on exterior materials and street interaction. Planning staff noted the project proposes architectural metal panels and exposed tilt‑up concrete panels; staff said the overlay’s code “metal siding is not permitted for exterior walls of buildings” and contrasted the proposed tilt‑up construction with the prevailing materials and scale in the Asian District. Staff recommended a continuance to allow the applicant to present alternative treatments to reduce the appearance of exposed tilt‑up concrete.

The commission also questioned the lack of a functional street-level entrance and the placement of storefront glazing with the bottom of windows roughly 6 feet above the sidewalk, which staff said would limit visual interaction between the sidewalk and the store interior. Commissioners said a long, uninterrupted west wall would read as a large “box” at the pedestrian level and urged increased pedestrian-scale detailing, additional ground-level glazing in some locations, and larger canopy or tree canopy treatments to mitigate west exposure.

The applicant's representative defended the design as a functional response to grocery operations and parking patterns, saying the primary entrance needs to align with where customers park and that the raised storefront glazing accommodates refrigerated equipment along the west wall. The applicant said they would consider added masonry veneer, black brick, additional glazing and larger shade trees and asked for the continuance to incorporate commission feedback.

Staff also noted two on-street angled parking layouts connected to the project would require review and approval by the city’s Traffic Transportation Committee; any commission approval should include that condition. During the discussion the commission and applicant confirmed submittal deadlines for materials: the applicant was advised to file revised plans by June 3 to appear on the June 25 agenda.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to continue the item to the June 25 meeting; the motion was seconded and approved. No design approvals or conditions beyond the continuance were adopted at the meeting.

The commission's continued review will focus on revised elevations showing the proposed west entrance in context, alternative materials or screening for exposed tilt‑up panels, pedestrian-level detailing, and landscaping/trees to provide shade and soften the west elevation. The applicant said Golden Phoenix restaurant will remain on the site and may provide some backup storage for the grocery’s dry and cold goods.