William Apartments revisions: committee seeks final dimensions, railing and window‑well details

Applicants for the William Apartments at 108–110 College Ave presented revised project changes Jan. 10 to the Project Review Committee, focusing on landscape details, patio and window‑well construction and stormwater drainage calculations.

Jason and Chris, representing the project team, said they had submitted a revised landscape plan and a stamped civil‑engineer signoff for drainage calcs. The team described a dimpled hydrostatic membrane and drainage bed behind a shoring wall intended to prevent silt migration and relieve lateral pressure on the wall. The engineers’ calculations were submitted using conservative assumptions; the applicant said the design conservatively models drainage at only 10% of current capacity and that available trenching is about 9.75 square feet compared with a 1 square foot minimum requirement in their described calculation method for the 100‑year storm scenario.

Board members asked for clear dimensions and materials before final approval. “If you can bring this or an image like this and a product spec sheet, I think that'll help,” committee member Jenny Sutcliffe said about the proposed steel site railings. Committee member Andy Rollman urged the board to see concrete window wells (rather than stained wood) and a clear spec for balcony railings; he said he preferred concrete window wells as shown in approved drawings.

Why this matters: The changes affect below‑grade patios and drainage measures adjacent to the public sidewalk and street; the committee emphasized clarity on final dimensions and durable materials before issuing project approvals that permit construction to proceed.

Key technical details - Drainage: The team reported trenching and drainage design sized for a 100‑year event and provided a stamped engineer’s signoff. They noted that the calculations modeled an extreme 1‑hour event with up to 4 inches of rain and used conservative assumptions (10% functional capacity) to size the drainage. - Trench capacity: The applicant said the property provides about 9.75 square feet of trench capacity and that the engineered scenario shows adequate performance even under long‑term degradation assumptions. - Materials and finishing: The team proposed stained timber window wells (already stained black for longevity), poured/stained concrete patios, Trex railings on balconies and black trash enclosure. The applicant asked whether 4‑inch granite curbing would be acceptable.

Board requests and outstanding items - Sunken patios: Committee members asked the applicants to provide a plan with exact dimensions for the sunken patios (the board asked for a plan that shows dimensions without planting so the finished clearances are explicit). - Railings: The board requested a product spec or image for the proposed site railings; members preferred a designed steel solution rather than an unspecified off‑the‑shelf item. - Window wells and balconies: Members requested clarity whether window wells will be concrete as approved drawings showed, and whether balcony infill should be open metal grate or a more closed detail; one member noted practical concerns about open grates above occupied units. - Curbing: Applicant asked whether 4‑inch granite curbing is acceptable; board will note this option in follow‑up materials.

Next steps Staff will prepare a resolution listing items with consensus and outstanding items. The committee asked the applicants to return at the next meeting with dimensioned plans for the sunken patios, product/spec sheets for railings, and confirmation of window‑well and balcony materials so the committee can vote on the outstanding project changes.