Commission raises scale, material and streetscape concerns in conceptual review for proposed 22‑unit mixed‑use building at 715 Mosby Street

The Commission of Architectural Review took up a conceptual review of a proposed three‑story, 22‑unit mixed‑use building with a ground floor commercial space at 715 Mosby Street and raised multiple design and contextual concerns, including the building’s large, unmodulated massing, siding material, cornice treatment and how it relates to a one‑story commercial building across the alley.

Sam (staff member, Commission of Architectural Review) summarized staff’s assessment: the project should integrate with Union Hill’s character, step down toward the alley to relate to one‑story buildings across the alley, introduce material and form variation across the Mosby Street façade, add pedestrian‑scale elements and provide context elevations and topographic information that show the proposed building’s relationship to adjacent structures.

Lisa Clark (SMEW, project architect) described the submitted design and said the team was open to deeper articulation of the façade and additional modulation between the two primary masses. Clark noted they had stepped the two masses about three feet and had recessed balconies and entries; she asked whether the commission would accept the current two‑width window rhythm (one wide and one double‑wide window per module) or require uniform openings across the façade. Clark said the team was willing to look at porches and other human‑scale elements and suggested projecting a one‑story commercial volume to better relate to the alley‑facing building.

Commissioners and neighbors responded at length. Commissioners repeated staff’s request for more modulation, a stronger base and a defined cornice; they expressed concerns that the proposed white lap siding read as an industrial/tract style rather than referencing Union Hill’s brick‑based streetscape. Several commissioners and public commenters urged the team to study breaking the mass into distinct townhouse‑scale volumes rather than relying on small steps and recessed balconies to suggest multiple buildings. Multiple speakers recommended pulling material and compositional cues from nearby successful multifamily and mixed‑use projects on 20th Street and elsewhere rather than using broad, unbroken facades.

Public comment: Nancy Lampert (Union Hill resident) said the proposed massing would “dwarf” Union Hill and urged the commission to require designs that honor the historic neighborhood character.

Staff direction and next steps: The commission provided substantive guidance but did not vote on the project (conceptual review). Staff asked the applicant to provide additional documentation: context and topographic elevations (showing relative heights and the building’s relationship to the Mosby House and the one‑story commercial building across the alley), studies showing modulation strategies, alternative cornice and storefront treatments, and a clearer explanation of how the project will step down toward adjacent low‑scale buildings. The commission encouraged the applicant to meet with staff between hearings to develop revisions consistent with the CAR guidelines.

No formal action was taken; the item will return for formal review after the applicant submits the requested materials.