Columbia Citizens

For once, I'm feeling kinda jazzed about new townhomes. Too often we get the standard six-packs with the lop-sided overhangs, the cattle-pen yards, and the driveway-dominated streetscape. I think this proposal fits that corner better, so I sent in these comments:

To: vog.elttaes|dradog.ylloh#vog.elttaes|dradog.ylloh
Cc: Philip Christofides (moc.sedifotsirhc-onallera|cpilihp#moc.sedifotsirhc-onallera|cpilihp); Robert Mohn (ten.tsacmoc|trebornhom#ten.tsacmoc|trebornhom)

Hi Holly,

I've taken a look at the online design packet for this project on Edmunds and 39th.

I have a lot of respect for this design team's work. They live and work here, and they've got an abiding sense of Columbia City's neighborhood texture & scale.

In the preferred concept, the siting decisions for this corner are exactly right.

• Front doors should face onto 39th, set back somewhat and elevated a few steps relative to the sidewalk. The guidance should emphasize the importance of the direct line of sight from each front door to the sidewalk.
• Parking should be located at the back of the site.
• Resultant departures appear to me to be well justified by application of the guidelines.

I think the simple fenestration on the south side effectively addresses what might otherwise feel like a blank wall. This wall will be very visible, so the updated design should be very clear about its treatment.

• Finish materials aren't necessarily defined at EDG, but I do think this style of wall would be most effectively designed using a substantial material, like the masonry used in the lofts project to the southwest.
• The design's reference to that project is obvious and appropriate, but I'd only caution that there should be some clear differentiation between the two — a different shade of brick maybe?

If possible and if necessary, it would be worthwhile to engage with SDOT to allow the alley grades to be steeper than the standard. This neighborhood has a few very steep alleys to the north and south of this block, and they appear to work just fine.

• Depending on the height of the parking pad, I encourage the design team to think about visual activation of the southern plinth. It might be appropriate to provide a (gated) stairway, as well as a landscaped area that's accessible and useful to the residents adjoining it.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the design's initial direction. Thanks for reviewing these comments.

Here's DPD's Early Design Guidance for this project.

Next the architect will file a permit application. I'm looking forward to seeing those drawings.

well I'm actually befuddled by this. Whether or not its a nice design, we seem to have unsold townhomes all over Columbia City—-why do we need more vacant properties? I actually went into the ones over by the Edmunds light rail station and was flabergasted by how tiny the rooms were. I can't imagine who would pay so much money for a townhome that wtih bedrooms so tiny, they barely held a double bed. And given how many are still sitting empty, I guess I'm not the only one wondering.

I like townhomes, I like compactness but it seems a shame to tear down a nice single family home just to build six more to sit empty.

I too like the design of this, and I echo the sentiment that those ugly, overhang 6-pack designs need to be shelved forever.

3monstermama - They're not being built to be vacant. If the developer is willing to get on the financial hook, and a bank is willing to lend them money, the expectation is that someone will buy them. Granted, a lot of stuff came onto the market when that market was really slow and things have stayed around longer than anyone involved would like. Don't think that it'll be that way forever. We've got a lot of people moving here that will need places to live. The excess supply will eventually go away. And it takes some time to go from design to occupancy - you start now to sell in 1.5-2 years.

I am the first to point out to folks that it seems many people want to move to Columbia City these days, even with the downturn, but I'm a little concerned at the amount of unsold real estate. We have people on our block doing improvements to their homes and financing is tough with property values so low. The glut in unsold property and the distressed sales are hurting equity and making it tough to get financing to make things in the neighborhood a little better.

The design is nice, and I am generally pro-density in areas like Columbia City. It increases the number of people on the street, walking, frequenting our great local businesses, etc. But the proposed increase in house stock is worrying during a time when it appears difficult to sell existing stock.