Next up: Concept plan review for the Hill hotel. Been awhile since we visited this. This council has never touched the issue, I don't believe, other than voting to call this up. I could be wrong on that.
Presentation: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/2A_Hill_H…
Carr going over the rules: Council doesn't have to base anything on any criteria, since concept review is not quasi-judicial. "It's OK to say almost anything you want."
As you may recall, the proposal is for a 189-room hotel on Uni Hill, as a "catalyst" project to revitalize the struggling area. More on that: boulderbeat.news/2019/08/24/rep…
I believe where we left it was that the city was negotiating the sale of Pleasant Street parking lot to developers. I don't believe we ever got the final price on that but, again, I could be wrong.
No Hill hotel info in the council packet this week.
This project was first proposed in 2015(!) City was going to partner on a parking garage, but it was way too expensive
Then city was just going to contribute to improvements on public areas (bus stops, plaza, ped connex, etc) but that got ditched, too.
Then city was just going to contribute to improvements on public areas (bus stops, plaza, ped connex, etc) but that got ditched, too.
Hotel will also have ground-floor retail. And 25% of the ground floor is a pedestrian plaza.
Apparently there is an issue with how the northwest part of the building might cast shadows on adjacent properties, which would block solar access. That is protected in Boulder.
Issue No. 2: Design meets open space requirement with the aforementioned plaza, but maybe there should be better visual space facing Broadway, staff member Elaine McLaughlin says.
Reminder: This process is supposed to provide feedback to developers so they can tweak things before the next step in the regulatory process (site review)
Young references info in the memo... did I somehow miss dozens of pages on the Hill hotel? I didn't see a one.
Apparently a sanitary sewer has to be realigned. What if that doesn't work out, Young asks.
Applicant is looking at other design options, McLaughlin says.
Wallach: The building is "vaguely reminiscent" of the "unimaginative" structure at 28th and Canyon. "I hope they can provide us something more interesting."
Twitter is down on my Mac but I'm still here taking notes
My roommate is here (and maybe drunk) and his commentary on council is perhaps even more entertaining than mine.
I will tweet all my notes if/when Twitter comes back on the Mac. Too hard/slow to tweet much from my phone.
Roommate to the rescue! He has lent me his laptop and I am tweeting once more.
Notable from when I was gone: Hotel expected to bring in $1.1M / year in accommodations tax, based on $210/night average room rate.
Notable from when I was gone: Hotel expected to bring in $1.1M / year in accommodations tax, based on $210/night average room rate.
Wallach: We've had "recent unhappy experiences" in Boulder with the design of hotels. "It's imperative" we not end up with another "homely" structure.
It's simply a set of "stacked rectangles."
Roommate update: He is now regretting his vote for Wallach, based on the 30 seconds of commentary he's heard.
Architect Chris Shears is addressing Wallach's comments: "I can assure you there's a good deal of design ahead of us. ... I can guarantee you this project will be a good fit and you'll be pleased when you see this at site review."
Don't make promises you can't keep, Chris. Pleasing this council is a tall order.
Brockett: Right now, next to the plaza you've got retail and co-working spaces. Are those designed so that those uses can change over time?
Yes, Shears says.
Yes, Shears says.
Young re-asking her q about moving the sanitary sewer. What happens if that won't work? What's the backup plan?
Danica Powell, with Trestle Strategy Group, says she's working with civil engineering firm JVA (Boulder based) on this. "All indications are there will be an engineering solution."
Young: This hotel is supposed to draw ppl to the Hill: neighbors, tourists, etc. "What kinds of programmatic ideas are you playing with to attract a broad spectrum of ppl and ages?"
Powell: That's the next stage of work. We're collaborating with a ton of ppl: businesses, Uni Hill Neighborhood Association, CU students.
Right now, we're focused on the plaza.
Right now, we're focused on the plaza.
I'm officially over this issue. Let's move on to the big muni news and petitioning discussions!
That was just a plea; we're not actually moving on.
Shears: "We know retail is changing almost daily." We're watching that. Design will follow.
Young also worried about "sterile" design.
My roommate is losing his shit over Young's vocabulary: "programmatic" and "computerated"
He's still ranting, but I've got to get back to business.
Brockett: I think the thought is that the design is a little pinched. Whatever you can do in the final design to draw people's eyes in would be great.
Swetlik: I don't want one, two or three bigger spaces that might limit tenants to corporations. Can we have smaller spaces to encourage local retailers?
Shears: These are smaller spaces. The project lends itself to smaller retailers. That's been the intent.
Friend: Are you going to include younger kids in your outreach? We recently engaged with kids on North Boulder library ideas and they were wonderful and whimsical.
That's what I did today! And she is right. It was incredible.
That's what I did today! And she is right. It was incredible.
Friend: "They're just not jaded. They're optimistic and full of ideas."
Powell says a collab is possible.
Friend asks about a site visit for council.
Also doable, according to Powell.
Friend asks about a site visit for council.
Also doable, according to Powell.
Young asks about looking at a 3D model.
"I think that's a good idea," says Shears with a slight Southern twang. Maybe in the municipal building (where council used to meet, pre-COVID)
"I think that's a good idea," says Shears with a slight Southern twang. Maybe in the municipal building (where council used to meet, pre-COVID)
Nagle: It's hard to look at a building that makes me feel like I'm in downtown Seattle rather than "quaint" Boulder.
Shears is responding but I can't hear over the cackling of my roommate.
The "next layer" of design will address some of these things, Shears says.
Powell: We'll get your feedback and then go to Design Advisory Board. We're working with staff; it's a long process.
Powell: We'll get your feedback and then go to Design Advisory Board. We're working with staff; it's a long process.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN FIVE YEARS!
Joseph: We've been talking about revitalization of the Hill. When I looked at everything that was brought forward, it didn't seem as vibrant. Does the next phase include working with art association? Will there be murals? Pavement art or something that makes it more vibrant?
Powell: Absolutely. That is what's hard about concept review; we show images of where we're going, but they're not finished. There's no furniture, no planter boxes, no murals. Nothing that will eventually be there and add color.
I did not realize we had a public hearing for this. I put in my newsletter that there wasn't any.... Apologies.
4 ppl signed up.
4 ppl signed up.
I have two roommate-related corrections:
We just realized Young might have said "computer-aided" not "computerated," which is not a word.
And that he voted for Mark McIntyre, not Mark Wallach.
We just realized Young might have said "computer-aided" not "computerated," which is not a word.
And that he voted for Mark McIntyre, not Mark Wallach.
Andrew Shoemaker, a former city council member who I believe lives on the Hill, supports the project for how it can aid businesses up there. "They're barely scraping by, and that was before the pandemic."
"This is a real solution to a long-term problem the Hill has had."
Mark Gelband already spoke. He's not sure a hotel is the right project, but he thinks council should step back and stop micromanaging design.
If you don't like what you're getting, he said, maybe look at how your policies contribute to that.
If you don't like what you're getting, he said, maybe look at how your policies contribute to that.
Shoemaker is kind of echoing those points, though using different words.
Andrea from the Chamber spoke (they support it) and that was it. Going back to council comments.
Brockett supports. No major suggestions for changes.
This isn't a vote or anything; council is just providing feedback.
This isn't a vote or anything; council is just providing feedback.
NAGLE HAS A KITTY!
"Building mass was pretty heavy," she (Nagle, not the kitty) says. Repeats her comment about it feeling like "downtown Seattle." Wants to keep a "funky" feel.
The kitty says "purrrr"
"I think it's great that we bring in the rest of the community and the Hill residents as well ... try to remember the essence of keeping it fun and funky."
Yeah, bc that's what the Hill residents will want. Fun and funky.
You know what's fun AND funky? Swetlik's backlit couch.
My roommate suggests "bachelor backlit couch" as a possible virtual Zoom background.
Swetlik: "I don't want something unpleasant on Pleasant Street."
GROANS.
Swetlik: I want this to be a community space. That's the whole idea of revitalizing the Hill.
Young talking about how too much development happens in "wealthy urban" places.
Has said "programmatic" twice
Weaver: "I think this project could be great."
"It's great to have non-hotel spaces in the hotel project, so that it can draw more ppl in who aren't staying there."
He's talking about the 28th/Canyon hotels. The design is "the result of" a corporate chain getting involved. "This is an opportunity to get a St. Julien or Boulderado" -type unique design, Weaver says.
I zoned out, but my roommate summarized Weaver's comments in this way, "I don't know what is good, but I know what is bad."
Mostly, he (Weaver) is OK with the design. "I'm hopeful and I think this is going to add a shot in the arm to the Hill."
I'mma call this a wrap. @threadreaderapp please unroll. Thank you!
