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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us October 8, 2005 Infill project done by the book Proposal on First Street heads to planners after two commissions sign off By Robert Plain Ashland Daily Tidings This old building on First Street , once home to a coffee shop, will soon be knocked down to make room for a new building if the development is approved. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Bill Emerson watched closely on TV while the Ashland Planning Commission deliberated over the Northlight proposal. Because a project he co-designed, a three-story, 4,500-square-foot multi-use building, is slated to go before the commission on Tuesday night, he wanted to glean an idea of what the quasi-judicial committee is looking for. He was, he said, encouraged by what he heard them saying. “When they were talking about what they wanted to see,” he said, “I thought they were talking about this building.” The project he and architect Tom Giordano designed is proposed for 11 First St. It is three stories high, just making it under the 40-foot height requirement at 39 feet, 11.5 inches. It is only 28.5 feet wide, and the lot itself is just slightly wider than 30 feet. The building currently occupying this site, which most recently housed the Grizzly Peak Roasting Company, will be razed for the new structure. Emerson said they spent considerable time and money trying to restore the structure but because of the way it was built, it could not hold the weight of another two floors on top of it. Because it is being replaced, it will be moved back from the curb an additional 6 feet, giving the building more than 11 feet between it and the curb. “It will create a nice pedestrian environment,” Giordano said. The site is owned by Ron and Carrie Yamaoka, an older couple from San Francisco planning to move into the new building when complete. There are two proposed residential units of about 750 square feet apiece. The second floor will consist of 1,569 square feet of office space. The first floor is proposed to be a restaurant that Giordano and Emerson say the Yamaokas plan to run themselves. “Staff feels it meets all the criteria,” Ashland Senior Planner Maria Harris said. “It’s pretty apparent they went through all the design standards and made sure they are in compliance. They are not asking for any exceptions.” Emerson and Giordano said it was a challenge to design a suitable building on such a small lot. But they both said, somewhat apprehensively because of the political climate surrounding planning actions in Ashland, that they feel they have created a project to be proud of. Two commissions already Last week, their project was heard before both the tree and historic commissions. Oddly enough, some members of the historic commission thought the new building may, indeed, look too historic. Section 4.c.10 of the historic district design standards states that new projects should avoid imitating actual historic structures. “I’m concerned the appearance will give it a false sense of history,” Historic Commission Chair Dale Shostrom said. “It feels so historic it could cause some confusion.” A three-story building has been proposed for the small property at 11 N. First St. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Commissioner Terry Skibby disagreed, noting that the stucco gave away the building’s newness even if the concrete blocks are indicative of another generation. He said, “My eye tells me its a new building.” Historic Commission Rob Saladoff, at the Wednesday night meeting, wondered if the planning commission may take exception with the fact that the elevator, the only ADA accessible way to get to the upper floors, is located in the rear of the building. “It’s not very friendly to people with handicaps, especially for a new building,” he said. Emerson said the narrow nature of the building caused them to locate the elevator in the rear. He said to put it anywhere else would eat away at the valuable ground floor area. The existing building was built in 1949 and is known as the B&G Sandwich Shop, according to the planning department. In the 1950s, it was converted to office space. Over the last 15 years, the building has housed various retail stores and, most recently, the Grizzly Peak Roasting Company. Staff writer Robert Plain can be reached at 482-3456 x 3040 or [email protected]. 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