NEUMANN/SMITH ARCHITECTURE 400 Galleria Officentre / Suite 555 Southfield, Michigan 48034 P 248.352.8310 1500 Woodward Avenue / Suite 300 Detroit, Michigan 48226 P 313.782.4800 neumannsmith.com MEMO Date June 24, 2020 To City of East Lansing Subject Project Descriptive Text/Narrative Project Name Michigan State University Credit Union (MFUFCU) - East Lansing Project Number 2018015.19 From Kathleen Buck, R.A., Neumann/Smith Architecture To Whom it may concern: Pursuant to item seven (7) of the East Lansing Zoning Code, Section 50-38 Application Materials for Site Plan Approval checklist, we have prepared the following descriptive text/ narrative outlining key elements of the building design, as follows: Project Overview The project provides an opportunity to expand the workforce in the downtown area of East Lansing and increase the number of office-users in the downtown area. • The proposed building being developed by Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) will occupy the northwest corner of the Albert Avenue and Abbot Road intersection, on the western end of the East Lansing DDA. The building has been designed as a Class A commercial office building, with seven stories above grade and a gross building area of approximately 87,822 SF. • The site itself has been assembled by the combination of the former “Lot 4” public parking area with the reconfigured Albert Avenue as part of the neighboring Park District project. With the passage of the public vote for the sale of Lot 4 to MSUFCU in March of 2020, the new combined-parcel is being designated as B-3, Center City Commercial. Pursuant with the B-3 classification, the office, commercial and financial institution uses that are included as part of the project are considered principal uses and are permitted. Parking for the project will be provided off-site at the required ratios within public parking facilities as reviewed by and coordinated with the City of East Lansing. • The ground floor of the building will be comprised of a MSUFCU member branch located at the primary southeast corner of the building, along with additional commercial space to the west along Albert Avenue. To the north side of the branch location, along Abbot Road, will be the entrance for the office lobby with the primary elevator bank for the upper floors. All deliveries and servicing for the building has been designed to be accommodated from the west side of the building, off the existing public alley. • On the second floor of the building will be a large community space with the ability to accommodate up to a maximum of 499 guests. This space has been designed for use by both MSUFCU employees and the surrounding community for a variety of functions, both during normal business hours and during evenings and weekends. • Floors 3 through 7 are the typical office floors for use by MSUFCU and potentially other tenant(s) within the building. • In total, between the ground floor commercial uses and the typical office levels on floors 3 through 7, it is anticipated that there could be 757* occupants in the building during normal operating conditions, but this is ultimately dependent on the types of businesses that have yet to be finalized. It should be noted that the number of occupants mentioned are as calculated per the 2015 Michigan Building Code and are not reflective of a specific number of employees identified at this time; it is instead a reflection of the occupant capacity that can be supported by the building design. * Occupancy for levels 1 and 3 through 7 is calculated at 100 s.f./occupant as follows: floor 1: 123 occupants floors 3-6: 127 occupants floor 7: 126 occupants MEMO MSUFCU-EL 2018015.19 June 24, 2020 Page 2 • The building hours of operation are as follows (subject to change): o Mon-Fri: 6 am-11:59 pm o Sat: 6 am-11:59 pm o Sun: Closed o Branch MSUFCU hours of operation . Monday: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm . Tuesday: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm . Wednesday: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm . Thursday: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm . Friday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm . Saturday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm . Sunday: Closed General Site Conditions The exterior of the building has been designed to complement the downtown core of East Lansing with overall massing and materiality that works in harmony the other existing structures in the immediate vicinity. • At 7 stories and approximately 107’ in height, the building establishes similar massing to the adjacent buildings currently under construction, or recently completed, within the Park District and Center City District developments. • The project will require a special use permit (for up to 112’ in height) since the height of the building exceeds the allowed base zoning height of 64’, and there is not a residential component as part of the building program. • The exterior is comprised primarily of brick masonry as a contextual response to the other predominately masonry buildings within the downtown core. At the 7 th floor, the exterior design incorporates metal panel to establish a hierarchy with the overall building massing. The primary Albert Avenue and Abbot Road facades of the building have been designed with large expanses of vision glass to increase visibility and connectivity with the surrounding downtown core of East Lansing. • Given the urban character of the site, the building has also been designed with pedestrian connectivity in mind. Along the primary frontage of Albert Avenue, we have stepped the floor internally to respond to the exterior grades and allow for access into the adjacent commercial spaces. The base of the building incorporates a rhythm of brick masonry with granite bases and glass, providing increased durability, while maintaining visibility and elevated finishes adjacent to the pedestrian realm. • The design of the ground floor also incorporates glass and steel canopies that will provide a level of solar control for the commercial lease space along the Albert Avenue and Abbot Road frontages. These canopies also help to bring the overall massing of the building down to a pedestrian scale, further enhancing the public realm adjacent to the building. • Pedestrian-oriented down lighting will exist within the canopies, working with the streetlights to illuminate the walking surfaces along Albert and Abbot. Natural Features As required within the design guidelines, we are incorporating canopy trees into the design of the public right-of-way along Albert Street and Abbot Road. • These trees will help to maintain a pedestrian scale while also providing additional solar control along the south and east sides of the site. • In conjunction with the trees, the design of the hardscape also incorporates cast concrete pavers which, in addition to the canopy trees, will help to control stormwater runoff. MEMO MSUFCU-EL 2018015.19 June 24, 2020 Page 3 Traffic Access For this project, the City of East Lansing does not desire a full Traffic Impact Study but does require a Traffic Impact Statement that addresses traffic flow to the area as well as a description of non-motorized facilities and a statement addressing possible parking locations since there is no on-site parking. • The content of this Traffic Impact Statement was coordinated by the traffic engineer with Nicole McPherson, P.E. , Engineering Administrator with the City of East Lansing. • The Traffic Impact Statement document is included as an attachment that accompanies this descriptive text/narrative. Utilities & Public Services • The proposed project is designed and engineered such that the existing and proposed utility services are of adequate size to serve it. • Fire department access is provided along Abbot to the east, Albert to the south and from the existing public alley to the west. • Access for fire suppression and other emergency services is provided. • Loading and receiving functions for the proposed project are also located off the alley at the west side of the building where waste and recycling will all be contained within the enclosed building. MSUFCU will contract with service contractors for the regular removal of these materials at a schedule commensurate with the need to do so. • Exterior lighting is provided and provides for safety and security; it is shielded to direct the light downward and to avoid the projection of light onto adjacent properties or create glare. Some of the exterior building lights do have an upward lighting component that softly accentuates the verticality of the façade, in keeping with other examples of lighting in the downtown East Lansing area where similar lighting effects are utilized in those building designs. Environmental Protection The proposed project is located on a fully developed parcel that is to be demolished, cleared and redeveloped. The current site contains very little pervious area. The proposed project will reduce pervious area on the site which would require storm water management per City of East Lansing Standards. The project is proposing to use the allowable option of planting trees on public property to offset any increase in storm water runoff. Per calculations provided on the Civil drawing C004: Storm, Grading and SESC Plan, the project will be required to plant (4) trees. Storm water discharge for the site will be by direct connection to the existing combination sewer adjacent to the site. Public Art Michigan State University Federal Credit Union will be providing public art as required under the current ordinance for a value greater than the minimum of $25,000. • MSUFCU is currently in discussion with an artist. • MSUFCU will work with the East Lansing Arts Commission to finalize selection of the artist and the location of the art within the overall project. • Additional information will be forthcoming related to the artist and will be coordinated with the Arts Commission as part of the prescribed process.