To the Northampton Planning Board:
First I apologize for being a "bad cop" at the last meeting and hope these
attached drawings are a "good" help. They are 3 site plans and 4
section/elevations. They show the sections at the neighboring buildings
which apparently have not been created for study as of last Thursday. I
offered this need because this is an important issue in any design process.
It is especially so in this case for the building owners and apartment
dwellers who will be abused if the current plan is built. I assume we all
still wisely plan to see the future before creating it so here it may be.
I have added a NEW site plan which shows that much better set backs are not
a problem even with the huge massing the developer has plans for and
apparently almost a permit for. I have nearly matched all the enclosed areas
but for a slightly smaller garage foot print. I added one to two levels. One
by going deeper down but WITH added light and no expensive foundation walls
it will sacrifice some surface level area and trade it for sloped bermed
garden ground covered banks. If the lower levels are darkened 26 more cars
are possible on site.
Added height to the hotel in a 6th floor variance, has set backs with roof
top views for banquette facility restaurant etc. That can happen after the
fact like the two variances I received for the Hotel Northampton in the late
80s and are not in the tabulated numbers attached.
Additional to the set back improvement you’ll see an extended Pulaski Park
environment that can and should be more than to just attached the front wall
of the hotel. It should envelope the hotel on all sides for 4 reasons.
1. The neighbors will still have a loss of light and view to their dominant
open facades,, but adding a garden space to view might actually be
equivalent to the open asphalt with trees they see now or possibly better.
2. The park can wrap around the hotel by sky walkways or roof balconies that
connect to a rear garage roof top garden park. Its also an extension
enhancing the main floor banquette facilities with a rear sunny party deck.
3. The opened park expansion on BOTH sides of the hotel will add more
connected access to the residential building eliminating a dead end alley
and allowing all citizens and hotel patrons to access the Veterans field and
future Mill River restoration Park. There might even be a skate board trail
in the serpentine stairways winding down thru the garden.
4. It’s planned to be called the "Hilton Garden"!
These are just sketches begun late yesterday and I hope not too late for
some help to the planning process. There are certainly problems still in
need of adjustment as this is just a beginning for the developer’s design
team.
If they choose not to build a better hotel then the horrible spaces on their
current site plan and drop out,, as I’ve said I have a client eager to build
a nice hotel there that makes economic viable sense too. That is certainly
not my intent, as I have plenty of work and more importantly the Parmars are
first in line, so lets hope for nice results from them. I offer this work to
our city for any developer who wants to see beyond a simple narrow vision.
Sincerely,
Tris
Tristram W. Metcalfe III, AIA NCARB NY MA CT
142 Main St. Northampton, Mass 01060
Ph 413.586.5775 Fx 586.2577
Mobile 413.695.8200
twm3@rcn.com
hotel-original-site-plan
This shows a reduced site plan as proposed by the Parmars. It may have some missing detail but is shown for reference to that site plan’s horrible tight and high blank wall spaces that cut off the existing stair and abuse the neighbors environments.
hotel-west-original
This shows the view from the apartments. It and all elevations show standing eye levels as best I could approximate them without having climbed all over those buildings. My error should be less than 10%. You can see the area of eye levels as in a blue tone so that only the upper south end top floors can see over the garage. Note the plans showed the garage lowered six feet for some unknown reason but I raised it here to show more accuracy.
hotel-east-original
This shows the eye level area of view from within the office building shaded in red tone. The ridge is a line above that area. Note only 1/2 of a window in the three-story high blank wall aligns with the view.
hotel-new-section
This shows the section through the garage at the level roadway entrance and looking back at the hotel. It shows a potential to lower the garage floor another sixth level with light down at the two sides. The water table issue would arise but more excavation gets rid of the contaminated soils there, but at a cost. The added option of a roof top sixth floor could reduce the footprint even more if part of the original plan, but it is also an option for later. The main entrance would be near the old Round House front entrance offering a place of historic quaintness to the hotel and it would enhance the location of that building contrasting the way it now is hiding and abusing it.
hotel-new-site-plan
This shows a similar massing to the proposal in volume but less garage area foot print.The garage plan actually aligns almost exactly from the existing parking lot layout as you see the original trees and car bays still in the plan. It retains an open pass through on the existing roadway for emergency access through the garage by having two sides to enter and exit from. The current proposal takes away light and view.
hotel-new-site-upper-floor
This is a plan at the park and main level. It shows a reduced garage area by two bays which allows a garden park extension around the hotel by means of balconies or sky walkways looking over the lower park extensions down the two sloped open setbacks into lower grade at the front-yards of their neighbors. Turning stairs add a more gradual less-effort rise and opportunity to view the gardenswhich could be rock walled, bermed or steep bank ground covers. This is an opportunity to create a garden environment for the new hotel that could add to the attraction of this destination.
hotel-new-site-upper-floor
This is a plan at the park and main level. It shows a reduced garage area by two bays which allows a garden park extension around the hotel by means of balconies or sky walkways looking over the lower park extensions down the two sloped open setbacks into lower grade at the front-yards of their neighbors. Turning stairs add a more gradual less-effort rise and opportunity to view the gardens which could be rock walled, bermed or steep bank ground covers. This is an opportunity to create a garden environment for the new hotel that could add to the attraction of this destination.
