Design Issues for Charrette
Hello friends,
Going into the charrette, I wanted to alert you to some of the architectural, engineering, and other design issues that we need to think about as we try to translate our vision statement, or your version of one, into a sketch plan.
First, if you reflect on all good the ideas people have suggested for improvements to the plaza, you will quickly realize that we can't accommodate all of these suggestions, or even many of them, in available spaces without tremendous impact and exceedingly high costs.
Many constraints exist, including (a) impacts on the historic architecture of the plaza area buildings, (b) limited land area within the North Shore Drive perimeter, (c) high cost of building below grade parking under the main parking lot becuase the high water table and the water flow under the parking lot, (d) the desire to keep new development within scale of the existing buildings, and (e) the desire to open up a view of the plaza to people entering the Village Center area from Baron Cameron Avenue.
One of the concepts most likely to emerge from the initial suggestions during the charrette is an extension of the plaza into the area that is now the main surface parking lot, surrounded by shops, cafes, and other attractions.
What is left is very little space for parking and very costly below grade parking, and parking above the plaza level which cannot go very high without violating the community's architectural constraints.
The visual impact of such above grade parking might be mitigated by surrounding the parking with housing of high quality design, but at a cost that is likely to significantly impact the marketability of this housing.
Other solutions include (1) raise the grade of the extension of the plaza into the main parking lot area in order to reduce the cost of the below grade parking somewhat, (2) extend the plaza's pedestrian environment east toward a redevelopment of the Lutheran church site, (3) extend the plaza's pedestrian environment west beyond the Baptist Church, (4) extend the plaza's pedestrian environment north and/or east across North Shore Drive toward Baron Cameron Avenue and/or Cameron Crescent Apartments.
More on some of these options and issues later......
Joe Stowers
8 Comments:
Oh my, I would have thought that the idea of the Charrette would have been to explore with open minds, this seems to be priming the pump for some specific outcomes. I’m sure you are well intentioned, but it seems that we are putting the process at a disadvantage to our own detriment if we go into it with fixed ideas.
No, I think you are right. Joe is just very visionary and able to see what might be discussed at the charrette. Open minds are great but it is also nice to try to think things through before hand so you can have valuable input. I think that is what Joe has done. I thank him for jogging my mind on some possibilities, even though I realize that none of these ideas are reality right now. We'll see what comes out of the charrette...
Kool-Aid Anyone?
Annie, please note that I was asking people to think about some options. I didn't give you a clue about what I thought about any of these or other ideas that I hope may arise in response to this discussion. All I did is say that I may make comments on one or more options later ...after I give people a chance to think about them. That's about as far away from having "fixed ideas" at this time as I can get.....frankly, I hope someone else's ideas are better than any I could come up with, and that's why I asked people to think about these things ahead of time.
Joe
I guess "Kool-Aid Anyone?" is intended to be a reasoned expression of opposition to any development at all. What frustrates me most about this wise-ass cynical approach is that I firmly believe that there are very good arguments in opposition to any development, and I wish that someoene would express them. I could give it a try, but I guess I'm drinking a different flavor of Kool-Aid.
Oh yeah, that's right, the "no-development" approach is the one that is being ridiculed and derided, so it is they who are sane and rational, and those of us attempting to have a positive influence over development which is essentially inevitable are the ones drinking kool-aid. Wise-ass, anonymous opposition is the more rational and less cult-like way to go about it?
Why not say, "I'm John Smith, I live around here, and I think any development is a bad idea because..."
I would certainly pay respectful attention to such a view, and I might even learn something.
I found many of the survey questions problematic and, although I responded--as if they were to be taken completely at face value--I'm worried about how my responses will be used. For example, one of the questions is "I want new development to complement the existing Village Center and not overpower the existing community." Well, now: who in the world wants new development to "overpower..." anything!!! On the other hand, how would I make known that I believe that several high rise appartments in the vicinity would do more for Lake Anne revitalization (simply by increasing population density)than any other idea set forth on this survey. Moreover, I disagree that the site of the former Lutheran Church is inappropriate for a high rise. And yet, I know that there are people who will argue that "agreement" with the survey statement equals opposition to a high rise on that site.
Second loaded question: "I encourage the preservation of housing for people of diverse economic levels...." Again, I couldn't be more in agreement with that statement. On the other hand, I have "no opinion" about whether or not Cameron Crescent should be kept as is...or if keeping it architecturally as is is required to maintain economic diversity--and yet, any simple reading of our local newspapers would suggest that there may be a connection between "agreement" with this statement and opposition to a high rise on Cameron Crescent property.
3. If it makes commercial sense to open up a view to Lake Anne from
Baron Cameron, that's fine with me. But again, I don't know what is REALLY intended by this question. For example, I would not be opposed to construction of a high rise with ample parking (even if at ground level on the site of the current parking lot.
4) One thing that I believe would help relieve cost to Lake Anne businesses and dwellers would be to ask--one more time--for the Reston Association to take over maintenance of the Plaza. I think it is ridiculous to pretend that this area is simply the "front yard" for the inhabitants there, instead of significant "open space." There was no statement to that effect, however. Is that absolutely out of the question?
By way of further explanation for what I've said here about high rise apartments, I want also to make clear that I'm not opposed to having high rise buildings elsewhere than where I suggested--i.e. behind the Baptist Church. I only mention (above) the sites that have been widely discussed; and I only ask that my responses to certain of the questions I identify be taken at face value and not be used for to defend any position that is not clearly stated on the survey
--Claire Moses (former resident of what was then known as "the J, " who hopes to return there one day; current resident of a cluster that is still in Lake Anne Village.)
Claire, as one of several people who participated in the development of the questionnaire, I'm confident that no one in our group will do anything more than an objective summary of the responses to the questionnaire.
In developing the questionnaire I think we chose to avoid getting into any of the design or specific architectural issues you raise, thinking those issues should be addressed later -- especially in the charrette.
I hope you will express your suggestions during the charrette and will actively participate in that process.
I wrote my suggestions in this blog for options to think about as a sort of bridge between the questionnaire survey and the design focus of the charrette.
Joe Stowers
I agree that the best solution I have heard so far is for Reston Association to take over Lake Anne Village. I think this is a great idea so the whole community will have control over what goes in there and stays, rather than a developer who may displace vendors the community would like to keep ( just for $$). I agree that to keep saying how much the condominium owners have to pay is getting very old. Others use the plaza and have never been asked to contribute. Having the nearby clusters contribute or RA would be a great solution. I know some feel that money from commerce is the only way, but I don't eat out and rarely shop but I would love to contribute just for a nice p;lace to walk and enjoy the area!
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