1800 Joseph Guillaume Pl, 1115-1119 Saint Anthony St.

Description: Review of previously approved new construction of a 7,863 SF two-story commercial hotel building on a vacant lot due to expiration of previous approval.

Previous ARC Recommendations & Commission Actions: 

06/05/19: The Commission voted to grant conceptual approval with the final details to be worked out at Staff level. 

05/21/19: The ARC recommended conceptual approval with details to be worked out at Staff level. The ARC agreed that the cornice is too tall for the scale of the building and should be lowered as much as possible and that the lowest band of the cornice be raised up 18”-24”. 

04/24/18: The ARC recommended conceptual approval of the proposal with the recommendations of the ARC with the details to be worked out at the Staff level. The ARC agreed the cornice appears very heavy and recommended removing the details and/or molding associated with the three lower lines of the cornice elevations. Additionally, they recommended raising the windows up at the third floor across all elevations. The ARC also recommended reducing the thickness of the balconies. They suggested changing the 2x12 structure to a 2x8 structure to accomplish this. They recommended adding a window at the St. Anthony elevation of 'Building 1' to address the previously mentioned oddity of the single window at the third floor of that elevation. The ARC agreed the door submittals presented were not appropriate and would require additional research. The ARC recommended looking into door with simpler detailing. 

12/07/17: The Commission voted to grant conceptual approval with the final details to be worked out at the Staff level.

11/21/17: The ARC recommended conceptual approval of the proposal with the recommendations of the ARC with the details to be worked out at the Staff level. [Please note: for the purposes of differentiating ARC comments across the McShane Street elevation, the structures have been numbered from left to right Building 1-7 with Building 7 wrapping the corner at St. Anthony St.] The ARC agreed the single parking space on the first level of Building 1 is not successful in that it reads like a false facade. This element does not align with the visual mass of a masonry building. The ARC recommends reducing the width of the opening and providing return walls on either side of the opening. At Building 2, they recommended reducing the width of the vehicular gate to approximately 12'-0", shifting it to the left and incorporating a pedestrian door.  The ARC agreed the 'hut' like structure between Building 1 and 2 should be removed and allow the stair door at the building face to become an exterior door as well as allow for the installation of a matching window at the first floor and extension of the balcony above. At Building 4, they recommended reducing the oversized window at the first floor to match the adjacent windows. The ARC recommended enlarging the small windows at Building 5 to match all of the second floor windows on the McShane St elevation.  At Building 7, the ARC agreed the parapet should return approximately 2'-0" at the St. Anthony street elevation and the brackets should be removed at the entry vestibule. In regards to the windows across the building(s) at the second floor, the ARC agreed that the windows with ankle height sills should be modified to be full-length or standard size windows (i.e. 3'-0" x 6'-0") for a cohesive streetfacing elevation. The ARC also recommended reducing the parapet height by 1'-0". 

10/24/17: The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review.  The ARC agreed the semi-delineation of the units creates an intermediary condition that is between a single structure and multi-building proposal.  The ARC agreed that the proposal should either be a single unified building, or an ensemble of individual buildings.  Additionally, various elements across the proposal appeared odd and inappropriate. These include, on the St. Claude Street elevation, the parking space with the false facade, adjacent shed roof, single set of pilasters, chunky brackets at a single balcony, and the inconsistent use of operable wood shutters. At the St Anthony street elevation, the oddities include the recessed balcony, the reduced windows at the first unit, the single window at the third floor of the last unit, and the French doors with sidelights at the 3rd floor.  The ARC agreed these French doors and sidelights were not successful and recommended reworking them to reflect a more traditional form. The ARC agreed that the St Anthony street elevation appears diminutive compared to that of the St Claude St elevation. They recommended incorporating more of a presence that relates to the pedestrian traffic at this elevation.  Additionally, the proposed HVAC units on the North Rampart St elevation appear highly visible from St. Anthony Street and recommended further investigation in shifting those units to a visibly obscured location. The ARC requested that additional pedestrian perspectives be included in the next proposal presentation. 

Summary of Changes since Previous Review: 

• One entry door and associated stoop stair have been eliminated and replaced with a window at the front elevation

• Rear elevation windows have been reconfigured with some eliminated

• Elevator location has been shifted to the far left corner of the site

Context Photos:

Current Drawings:

Previous Drawings - 05/21/19:

Previous Drawings - 04/24/18:

Previous Drawings - 11/21/17:

Previous Drawings - 10/24/17:

Street View: