cathedral safeway proposal feedback - letter to city 4 - regina …€¦ · ·...
TRANSCRIPT
CATHEDRAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS c/o – [email protected] -‐ Don Meikle & Fred Searle, City Planners City of Regina Planning & Sustainability Department P.O. Box 1790 Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3C8 August 25, 2011 Dear Mr. Meikle and Mr. Searle, Re: Expansion of the Safeway Store at 2915 - 13th Avenue, Regina Please accept the following feedback in regard to Development Application: Proposed Rezoning and Discretionary Use (11-Z-10/11-DU-16) (the Safeway Proposal). The suggestions below are not simply a reflection of our personal preferences as long-‐time residents of Cathedral Village and ardent supporters of community culture. They have been generated and refined as a result of ongoing exchanges with members of the community via a neighbourhood Google Group, joint email discussions and multiple interactions with locals. To clarify at the outset, we are in favour of the commitment Safeway has made to Cathedral Village and support expansion and renovation. That said, we have strong concerns about the aesthetics of the façade, the interface between the exterior and interior, the internal effect of the proposed design, the absence of active edges and the effect on local businesses. Please see our comments and suggestions below. We also offer some constructive ideas for how Safeway could use this moment in its development to establish stronger community ties with Cathedral Village, and become a more committed member of our neighbourhood. In what follows we draw on the Regina Downtown Neighbourhood Plan (the Plan/RDNP). We have reviewed various aspects of this document and consider it an excellent study and approach to Regina’s (re)vitalization, as do many others. We posit that several of the principles that inform it should apply as much to Cathedral Village as to the Downtown Core given the similarities between the two areas (i.e., heritage structures, walkability, boutique shopping culture, residential buildings, etc.). Furthermore, if the proposed Safeway were being built a mere six blocks east of its current location, the Downtown Plan would directly affect its construction. It seems disingenuous not to extend the reach of at least some aspects of the Downtown Plan to the adjacent Cathedral neighbourhood. Not only is Cathedral Village one of Regina’s oldest areas, but it has also developed in sync with Downtown. While we would be interested in the possibility of rezoning the current site to “DCD” or “C” status, in the meantime, we think most of the principles and frameworks of the Downtown Plan should be invoked and applied to the Safeway Proposal.
Architectural history v. big box façade & design The Cathedral Safeway is a classic example of the Marina-‐style architecture that branded Safeway in the 1960s. Such modernist specimens are apparently on the decline: “The Marina stores are disappearing even faster than the pylon stores did, with most having been closed or remodeled beyond recognition. It’s hard to find many traces of the old Safeway” (http://www.groceteria.com/store/national-‐chains/safeway/safeway-‐history/). The Downtown Plan specifically recognizes the demise of modern architecture in our own City: “Regina also has some excellent examples of modern architecture, which are beginning to be recognized as heritage buildings -‐ as they should be. Unfortunately, a significant number of heritage resources have been lost, including Train Station Park in front of the old train station, and a great number of buildings. Notable among those lost buildings was The Hill building, Regina’s first skyscraper at the edge of Victoria Park” (RDNP, p.190). While we do not think the current Safeway must be preserved at all costs, we believe any new design could pay homage to the dying modernist paradigm, e.g., using arches, large, full-‐length windows, integrating the Safeway curve or "wave", etc. Another possibility would be to keep the existing façade, but to build up about 10ft behind it, possibly echoing the line of the current Marina roof, adding more height and windows. In terms of attempts to bridge past and future we appreciate the following Safeway projects:
▪ Marpole Safeway, Vancouver ▪ Denman &Robson Safeway, Vancouver ▪ Oakland Safeway, California ▪ Berkeley Safeway, California ▪ Bulingame Safeway, California
Robson & Denman, Vancouver
Oakland, California
All examples above show an attention to design and community sensitivities that the current Safeway Proposal could better reflect. The design in the Safeway Proposal not only fails to incorporate any modernist lines or architectural styles that are, in some places, considered heritage, it reflects the “big box” aesthetic that is anathema to the values and image of Cathedral Village. It is also contrary to the principles in the Downtown Plan. One design requirement for new buildings in the Built-‐Form Framework is that the construction have “beauty and will stand the test of time” (RDNP, p. 125). The proposed design already looks outdated and does not qualify as beautiful in the opinion of dozens of people with whom we have spoken in this regard. We very much support the following broad interpretation of “heritage” from the Downtown Plan: “heritage conservation is not only about saving old buildings, rather it is
fundamentally about enhancing the meaning and quality of life in a specific place by maintaining its uniqueness, and supporting the cultural and economic vitality that accompanies areas with strong conservation” (RDNP, p.190). While the old Safeway may go, any replacement should comply with the principle of uniqueness and should support local cultural and economic vitality. Whatever is built now will likely stand for another fifty years, and will, or should be, the “heart” of the Cathedral shopping district. The Marina-‐style Safeways were cutting edge and are now considered iconic. The proposed design for the 13th Avenue store is generic and non-‐descript. The Built-‐Form Framework of the Downtown Plan states that “[b]uildings, through their individual beauty and idiosyncrasies, collectively define a sense of place” (RDNP, p.102). There is little that seems individual or idiosyncratic about the current design. Our request of Planning Commission is that it ask the applicant to consider alternative designs in light of the Downtown Plan principles that are unique, classic, historically interesting (e.g., incorporating modernist features, the Safeway swoop/curve, etc.) and aesthetically appealing to the Cathedral demographic now and fifty years hence. Preservation of Pilon Sign with lettering/lighting as is In terms of acknowledging the past, we understand that the original pilon sign will be preserved but that the lettering and lighting may be changed, i.e., from red and neon to black and backlit, as per the new brand signage. Our suggestion is to leave the sign exactly as is given the beacon it has become in the Cathedral neighbourhood and the historic merit it now invokes. Many people are unaware that the lettering might be changed, and will likely feel somewhat misled if this alteration occurs after being told that it would be preserved. Public art & the Bob Boyer Mural Among other solutions to the paucity of aesthetic value in the Safeway proposal, local artists could be engaged to work with Safeway to give a new building some interest (e.g., Chad Jacklin, Lorne Beug, Jack Sures). The Downtown Plan encourages designers to “[e]ngage Regina’s arts community in the planning, design, artist selection and/or implementation process” (RNDP, p.186). The Plan states that “[p]ublic art provides an opportunity to celebrate and showcase local arts and culture, establish a unique identity for a precinct or development, and should contribute to enhancing the quality of the public realm in ways that conventional streetscape elements cannot” (RDNP, p.99). In this light it would also be good to see the Bob Boyer mural either preserved or given pride of place somewhere in the neighbourhood if incorporating the current bricks is prohibitive. “True” windows We are particularly concerned about the windows in the Safeway Proposal. From what we understand, the large block of panes in the middle of the façade are “false”. From floor-‐plan views of the building, it would seem that there will be offices and bathrooms right behind the facade, implying that the windows in that area will neither allow the passerby on the outside to see in, nor the shopper to see out. If our understanding is correct, this will drastically impact the interior-‐to-‐exterior relationship between shopper, pedestrian and community. A wonderful feature of the current store is the fact that you can see shoppers meandering from outside, and can experience natural light from inside. We would like to see the historic feature of full-‐length, real, unblocked windows of the Safeway flagships replicated in any new design. In this regard, note that one of the design standards for new
buildings required by the Built-‐Form Framework in the Downtown Plan is that “the façade is as interactive as possible at ground level, through transparency (windows), multiple entrances, and active uses” (RDNP, p.125). We would ask that this principle be firmly applied to the entire Safeway Proposal. Parking Section 5.4.10 of the Plan details how parking should be rendered in the downtown core. For new buildings the instruction is to “[l]ocate parking underground or internal to the building (preferred), or to the rear of buildings” (RDNP, p.139). Ideally, we would love to see the parking lot either above or below the store so that the current lot could be transformed into the “heart” of Cathedral as a village square of sorts, with landscaping, seating, space for festivals and community gathering, etc. (see more below). This would hypothetically benefit Safeway as much as the community given that more pedestrian activity would be generated outside store doors without impacting vehicular entry and egress. Outdoor spaces, landscaping & roof terrace If the parking has to stay where it is, then it would be great to see benches (i.e., two at a time at 60 degree angles to each other) in several communal spots around the perimeter and along the sides of the building, surrounded by trees/landscaping. If there were a way to make use of the roof space should it not be used for parking (i.e., as a roof garden, a cafe/terrace, etc.), we would be in favour. We would like to see a commitment to keep any landscaping looking beautiful, trash-‐free, etc. Active Edges & Friendly Façade According to the Downtown Plan, “[s]treet walls must have many windows and doors to provide ‘eyes on the street’ and a sense of animation and engagement” (p.126). The Plan states that there may be “[n]o blank at-‐grade street wall conditions, or mechanical/utility functions … permitted on any frontage anywhere Downtown” (p. 126). From the current Safeway Proposal, it seems that the sides of the proposed building are completely windowless and almost featureless, clearly contravening the principle of “no blank at-‐grade street wall conditions.” While there may be a plan to install art exhibits along those walls, further landscaping and introduction of benches would be an additional improvement. The Downtown Plan also invokes the principle of the “Friendly Façade:” “[a]ccording to this feature, even existing buildings must be remediated at grade level to create a lively, animated pedestrian realm” (RNDP, p.ii). The façade of the Safeway Proposal has no structural animation at all. We would suggest outdoor café space in front of the store and seating areas that interface between the exterior and interior of the store (e.g., via large, glassed, garage-‐style doors that can fully open in summer hours). Atlantis Café on Victoria Avenue is a good example of how to improve the “friendliness” of the proposed Safeway’s façade. Store partnerships & proximate businesses To ensure a vibrant neighbourhood with strong economic prospects, it is essential that a new Safeway not become such a hegemonic force that it drives other local establishments out of business. Furthermore, the boutique shopping culture of 13th Avenue is essential to its character and vitality. We have questions about the stores that Safeway is buying out,
such as the bagel shop, hair salon and the launderette, especially given that no new businesses, other than Starbucks, will take their places. We also wonder about the impact a new coffee shop will have on the local cafes, and how increased bakery, deli and floral options will affect the small stores that surround Safeway. We would be interested to know if an economic impact analysis has been done to predict the effects of the Safeway Proposal on the proximate business, either for better or worse. We also wonder if the Safeway/Starbucks partnership is written in stone, or whether Safeway could create liaisons with more local and unique businesses such as Roca Jack’s, etc. We would welcome further information/analysis in this regard, and some creative thinking around alternative partnerships. Pedestrian, family & bike culture Two of the eight Big Moves that ground the Downtown Plan are “Pedestrians First” and “Cycling Culture” (see Plan, p.67). In this regard, not only would we appreciate good bicycle lock spots, we would also support areas to leave/lock strollers, as well as doors that are wide enough for strollers to pass through. Cathedral Village is very family-‐oriented, and shopping often occurs en masse. Safe zones delineating where to cross from parking to store would also be helpful. Traffic flow In light of the “Pedestrians First” move, the Downtown Plan includes various details about pedestrian flow and safety (see section 4.3.8). We have heard concerns voiced about the safety and effectiveness of traffic flow in the Safeway Proposal. We leave the details of those to others, but request that the City ensure that contemporary best-‐practices in that regard are applied. Multi-use, housing & scale We are open to a low-‐rise apartment being included towards the back of the proposed site in line with the principles for multi-‐purpose buildings in the Downtown Plan. We would not want it to be higher than 4-‐5 floors in order to maintain the light and scale of the current intersection. While we support some expansion and would not mind a small height increase in the main structure, we are not in favour of a store so big that it becomes inefficient to do frequent, quick shops which are part of the pedestrian shopping culture of the area. Green construction We support principles of environmental construction. Store content We would like some better food/produce options, but believe that this is primarily a stocking and freshness issue, not a space or rebuilding matter. Commitment to community We would very much like to see more community-‐involvement by Safeway as part of the remodel arrangement. This is a pivotal moment in Safeway’s history in Cathedral Village, and it could be marked by a renewed commitment to the neighbourhood, its culture and its celebrations. A general feeling among some Cathedral community members is that Safeway does not do its part in the neighbourhood – e.g., by not being part of the Business Association, not keeping its walks shoveled, not engaging as fully as it might in community
activities, etc. (The staff, on the other hand, are well-‐known to be wonderfully warm, welcoming and helpful.) This could be an opportunity for renewed, constructive public relations between Safeway and the residents/businesses of Cathedral Village. One of the eight Big Moves that direct the Downtown Plan is the creation of Festival Places, namely “spaces for gathering to allow arts and culture to flourish” (RDNP, p.77). The 12th Avenue WOW Project is geared directly towards this ideal. It would be absolutely wonderful to see the parking lot on 13th relocated above or below grade in order to transform the current lot into another such WOW space. If this is prohibitive, there are other ways in which Safeway could support community gatherings and promote arts and culture. For example an annual, week or weekend-‐long winter flooding of the lot for a local hockey-‐tournament, and/or pleasure-‐skating opportunity, maybe coinciding with one of the Cathedral community events, would be a strong sign of collaboration. A similar dedication of the space could take place during the Arts Fest. To conclude, our request is that the Safeway Proposal architects produce new drawings that invoke innovative design that is unique, classic, historically interesting (i.e., incorporating modernist features, the Safeway swoop/curve, etc.), aesthetically appealing to the Cathedral demographic, natural-‐light-‐filled, welcoming and supportive of local businesses. We also ask that the design feature good landscaping (ideally a “village square”), public art, a friendly façade and "active edges" (i.e., along the sides on Robinson and Retallack). We hope that Safeway will generate three-‐five new designs based on the above and other residents’ input with optional component parts that could be reviewed and commented on by the community. We also hope to get feedback or initiate further research on questions of neighbourhood economic impact and potential business partnerships. Many thanks for the process you have set in place to review the Proposal. We take our responsibility to make use of it seriously, and hope that our views will be sincerely taken into consideration. We look forward to hearing from you, and to being notified of further designs as well as of the timing of the Planning Commission Meeting. Yours very truly, Larissa McWhinney Director, Prairie Sky School, Regina Randy Widdis Professor of Geography, University of Regina Julia Siemer Professor of Geography, University of Regina Darlene Juschka Professor in Women’s & Gender Program and Religious Studies, University of Regina