Sunday, January 15, 2006
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This was the original Seminole Heights blog with commentary about life in and around the urban neighborhood of Seminole Heights in Tampa, Florida. Musings about other topics as my mood permits. The blog is essentially inactive since I moved to Lutz. Go to The Official Unofficial Seminole Heights Blog - www.seminoleheightsblog.com for active content.
6 comments:
Has anyone else noticed how high up they are putting the building?
If by "high up" you mean they've built up the soil around it, I believe (but am possibly wrong here) that it's due to the historic district. This makes the building as high off the ground as the homes and such.
Remember, the structure was approved by the ARC. Their only real, unresolved complaint was the way the building wasn't set on the sidewalk. Otherwise, the building passed their review. Starbucks objections aside, the structure itself ought to be pretty decent for the district.
Yes Shawn - I think you are incorrect. The elevation on commercial structures would be set by the building code requirements. ARC has no say over the level above grade.
take into account the fill that will be needed for the tarmac for the parking that will surround the building. this new constuction will sit higher than the surrounding existing structures - much like a Mcmansion and its adjacent neighbors - it's code working here.
Not to mention that site is a former gas station. The old tanks were not required to be dug up, and they probably need to pack more fill dirt on top before they lay down all that impervious asphalt for parking (and yes, the code dictates the building elevation, not to mention the design guidelines for commercial being constructed in a locally protected historic district - Chapter 27, Municipal Code, City of Tampa)
Here's an update on this from Linda Pearson who works for the developer:
"The City's requirement is 18 inches above the crown of the road at the highest point (Hillsborough Avenue). Because Central Avenue slopes down toward the River, the building looks higher from a Central Avenue perspective. But it is exactly 18 inches above Hillsborough Avenue; however, it is 3 ½ feet above the crown of the road on Central Avenue. There is a two-foot difference between Central and Hillsborough Avenue. Once the grading is completed and the building's architectural elevations become a reality, along with the landscaping, the visual perception of the height ought to be minimized. "
So it's certainly not ARC-related, but is a city requirement.
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