MT. SINAI 400 REED STREET CDR meeting 9/1/15 and Decision on 9/2/15

Mt Sinai 5th st entrance
MT. SINAI 400 REED STREET  CDR meeting 9/1/15 

The next public meeting of the Civic Design Review (CDR) Committee is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 01, 2015 in Room 18-029 of the One Parkway Building, 1515 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA. The meeting agenda is attached.  Licenses & Inspections (L&I) has informed the City Planning Commission that the following project must be considered and assessed:
400 Reed Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

The Agenda for that meeting is:
20140817_150617

CDR MEETING NOTIFICATION
TO: Councilman Mark Squilla, Mark.Squilla@phila.gov
Marie Beren, representative to council, Marie.Beren@phila.gov
Ronald Patterson, Klehr Harrison, LLP, rpatters@klehr.com
Matthew Koenig, Barton Partners, mkoenig@bartonpartners.com
Ashley Shrom, Dickinson Square West Civic Association,
zoning@dickinsonsquarewest.org
Domonic Chiavaroli, 1st Republican Ward, poppopc1@aol.com
FROM: R. David Schaaf, RA Director of Urban Design, Philadelphia City Planning Commission
RE: CDR Meeting Notification – Tentative Agenda, Materials for Review, and Procedure
On behalf of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s Civic Design Review Committee, I am sending
this notification that the next public meeting of the Civic Design Review (CDR) Committee is scheduled
for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 01, 2015 in Room 18‐029 of the One Parkway Building, 1515 Arch
Street, Philadelphia, PA. The meeting agenda is attached. Licenses & Inspections (L&I) has informed the
City Planning Commission that the following project must be considered and assessed:
400 Reed Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
See http://www.phila.gov/CityPlanning/projectreviews/Pages/CivicDesignReview.aspx for additional
meeting information, as well as your project materials submitted to the CDR Committee for review.
REMINDER: Required Community Meeting
Section 14‐303(12) of the Philadelphia Zoning Code requires that the Local RCO(s) convene, organize,
and conduct a public meeting with the applicant and members of the community to discuss the
proposal. The meeting must happen within 45 days of the applicant being notified that CDR is required.
NOTE: Please provide the following required written documentation ASAP, and no later than one
business day before the date of the scheduled CDR meeting:
Local RCO Responsibilities:
 Provide written documentation of the meeting and actions taken at the meeting to the Civic
Design Review Committee at <cdr@phila.gov>.
 If no meeting was held within the required 45‐day timeframe, written documentation that the
applicant has made a good faith effort.
Project Applicant Responsibilities:
 Provide written documentation of the meeting and actions taken at the meeting to the Civic
Design Review Committee at <cdr@phila.gov>.
 If no meeting was held within the required 45‐day timeframe, written documentation that the
applicant has made a good faith effort.
REMINDER: RCO Representative Seat at a CDR Committee Meeting
Local RCO Responsibilities:
 At least one week before the date of the scheduled Civic Design Review meeting for the project,
the Local RCO(s) shall nominate a representative to the PCPC Executive Director. Inform the
Executive Director at <cdr@phila.gov>.
 If there is more than one Local RCO whose boundaries include the project site, the Local RCOs
may select up to two representatives. Inform the Executive Director at <cdr@phila.gov>.

 

All members, residents, and neighbors interested in the development of the Mt Sinai property are welcomed to attend

 

400 Reed St CDR Sketch Plan Final

400ReedSt_CDR_8-20-15 ForWEB

 

20140816_162758

Civic Design Review for 400 Reed Street (Application No. 617614)

September 2, 2015

 

Mr. Carlton Williams

Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections

Municipal Services Building, 11th Floor

1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Philadelphia, PA 19102

 

Decision Letter  Civic Design Review for 400 Reed Street (Application No. 617614)

 

Dear Mr. Williams:

 

Pursuant to Section 14-304(5) of the Philadelphia Zoning Code, the Civic Design Review (CDR) Committee of the City Planning Commission completed the required review of a proposed residential building project at 400 Reed Street.

 

The project is proposed on a site bounded by Reed Street to the north, 4th Street to the east, Dickinson Street to the south, and 5th Street to the west. The site is zoned RMX-2 (Master Plan District) and currently is occupied by multiple vacant hospital buildings.

 

The site is about 3 acres and the proposal is for 95 residential units, in 14 structures with 134 garage parking spaces. The proposal includes private driveways and 4 landscaped courtyards that function as rain gardens.

 

At is meeting of August 4, 2015, the Civic Design Review Committee made a series of findings and voted to extend the review process, requiring the project to come back for a second and final review. At its meeting of September 1, 2015, the Civic Design Review Committee offered further comments:

 

  1. Improve Pedestrian Walkways

The CDR Committee recognized that the addition of the pedestrian walkways from both Reed and Dickinson Streets improves the site plan, but their narrow width prevents them from being inviting features. The Committee had concerns about safety and suggested that the landscape buffer be eliminated and windows added to the side elevations of adjacent buildings. These improvements would allow the walkways to be wider and to feel more comfortable.

 

  1. Improve Rear Elevations and Rear Drives

The CDR Committee requested at the August review that the quality of materials of the rear elevations of the houses be improved. No changes were submitted for the September review. Much of the public realm within the site design suffers from the lack of design of the rear elevations and rear drives. For example, the vistas created by the courtyards are terminated by inadequately designed rear elevations. Pedestrian and bicycle conflicts are possible because of the unarticulated driveway space and the dominance of parking garage doors.

 

  1. Locate Automobile Access on Reed Street

The CDR Committee repeated their recommendation from the August review to locate the automobile entrance on Reed Street because this street should act as the major circulation route into and out of the site.

 

  1. Locate Street Trees Strategically

The CDR Committee expressed concerns with the placement of street trees. Walking zone pinch points between tree pits and stoops should be avoided and overhead wires should either be avoided or placed underground.

 

  1. Eliminate Planting Strip Parallel to the Southernmost Sidewalk

The CDR Committee recommended removing the grass planting strip because successfully maintaining plants in such a confined space is difficult.

 

  1. Verify Sustainable Features through a Certification Process

The CDR Committee recommended that proposed sustainable features employ a standard rating system so that their impact can be more accurately assessed.

 

  1. Effectiveness of CDR Process on Approved Master Plan Districts

This project prompted the CDR Committee to voice concerns about the effectiveness of the CDR process if a Master Plan has been approved prior to design review. Design discussions in a public forum have the largest impact on a project when considered at the beginning of the development process. The Committee recommended amending the sequence of the process of Master Plan approvals so that the City Planning Commission can be informed by the CDR Committee’s comments before considering approval a Master Plan district.

 

In conclusion, the Civic Design Review process has been completed for this project. Please contact me if you have any questions about the Committee’s action.

 

Sincerely,

Gary Jastrzab

Executive Director

400 Reed Street CDR Report

Developers say Mt. Sinai demolition will start this month

Please click here to read more

http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/09/01/developers-say-mt-sinai-demolition-will-start-this-month