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Design Review Commission defers 500 W. Washington office project after material, active-frontage and neighbor concerns
Summary
A proposed four-story, approximately 73,000-square-foot office building with structured parking was deferred to August 13 after commissioners criticized building materials, active frontage calculations and the garage access and asked the applicant to return with revised materials.
The Design Review Commission deferred consideration of DRH25-00184, a proposed four-story office building at 500 West Washington Street, to the August 13 hearing after commissioners expressed concerns about exterior materials, active frontage calculations, parking ramp design and neighborhood impacts.
Planning staff described the proposal as a 73,000-square-foot office building with structured parking accessed from the alley and commercial space at the ground floor. Staff recommended conditions, including a limit on EIFS to 20% on the south and west facades, because the planning team felt the upper floors used an excessive amount of EIFS for the downtown planning area. The applicant, Harley Elliott of Landmark Conroe Architects, explained parking constraints and said the project requires a second level of structured parking to provide 99 spaces while maintaining active street-facing tenant space.
Neighbors raised objections during public testimony. A nearby property owner whose lot abuts the alley told the commission he is concerned about vehicle loading and maneuvering behind his residence; other residents said the proposed garage and its color palette and the loss of neighborhood character were problems.
Commissioners raised design concerns including (1) heavy reliance on EIFS, (2) limited active frontage where the ramp occurs and disagreement on whether certain bench/planter areas should count as active frontage, (3) landscape-plant palette dominated by deciduous species, and (4) the alley access location behind a single residential lot. One commissioner suggested reducing EIFS to 0% on south, east and west facades and allowing it only on the alley side. Another suggested requiring more substantial awnings and storefront treatment.
Given the number of outstanding design issues and the extent of revisions the commission wanted to see, the commission voted to defer the item to the August 13 public hearing to permit the applicant time to revise materials, provide more detail on active frontage calculations and work on landscaping and material palettes. The applicant accepted the August 13 date and asked for the earliest possible opportunity to return due to construction schedule concerns.
The project file is DRH25-00184; staff will review revised materials prior to re-noticing or before the next hearing per the commission's schedule.
