Goodyear building addition wins approval from Ann Arbor Historic District Commission
A rendering of what the Goodyear building addition will look like from behind where infill construction will raise up previous additions to three stories to allow the construction of a fourth and fifth story on top.
Courtesy of Integrated Architecture
Ed Shaffran of Ann Arbor-based Shaffran Companies wants to add a fourth and fifth story to the Goodyear building on the west side of Main Street between Washington and Huron.
The building, located in the Main Street Historic District, dates back to 1866 and was first occupied by First National Bank. It features an elaborate cornice with large brackets, decorative stone pilasters, brick corbeling and arched windows with stone window hoods.
Envisioning strong demand for high-end condos and apartments downtown, Shaffran plans to add six to eight apartments and five to six condominiums on top of the three-story building.
A rendering of the Goodyear building addition as viewed from Main Street.
Courtesy of Integrated Architecture
Jennifer Ross and Patrick McCauley voted no.
With approval from the HDC, the proposal now goes to the Ann Arbor Planning Commission for review and then to the Ann Arbor City Council for final approval.
Shaffran plans to construct infill additions on the rear of the building that total 2,485 square feet and a two-story addition above the existing three-story building.
The proposed fourth floor would be 7,125 square feet, and the proposed fifth floor would be 4,065 square feet. The new construction proposed totals 13,675 square feet.
Questions were raised about how visible the additions would be from the street level, but most commissioners agreed they were set back enough so they're not too noticeable.
Bushkuhl gave credit to Shaffran for making some "really smart moves." Ramsburgh said the addition is "just subtle enough" that she doesn't think it detracts anything from the streetscape.
McCauley said he was worried about the Washington Street elevation, saying it's "way too massive" and he doesn't think it meets the standards for historic rehabilitation.
"I just think it's too big," he said, adding he thinks the additions would make it more of a new building simply with a historic facade.
Jill Thacher, the city's historic preservation coordinator, recommended approval of the addition, believing it's generally compatible with the rest of the building and the surrounding area.
Thacher said the historic character of the property must be preserved, and the additions cannot destroy historic materials that characterize the property.
"Overall, staff feels that the historical integrity and character-defining features of the building will not be harmed," Thacher wrote in her staff report.
The historic preservation rules the city follows stipulate the new addition must be differentiated from the historic building so that it's clear what's new and what isn't. But it must be compatible with the massing, size, scale and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Ann English
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 10:41 p.m.
This might explain the appearance of a Goodyear blimp in the sky Thursday afternoon.
Bertha Venation
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 5:43 p.m.
I used to work at Goodyears. I remember the third floor is where all the higher-end merchandise was.... coats, suits, better dresses. Ahhh, memories.
talker
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 9:30 p.m.
I remember the first floor and the tubes system. The clerk would put the customer's money into the tube system (the closest descripton of it is the system used at bank drive-ins). Pneumatic tubes would whosh the holder upstairs and change would be sent back.
pbehjatnia
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 3:11 p.m.
Wwowwww. The average homeonwer will be ostracized from polite society for having a fence or a front door that the historically stupid commission doesn't like. But, if you are a major landlord downtown Ann Arbor you get immediate approval for an addition that is absolutely out of sync with the building it will sit on as well as the rest of the street. Go figure.
pbehjatnia
Sat, Sep 15, 2012 : 12:49 p.m.
@a2roots: it isn't knowing how to use the system - in ann arbor it's who you know. so, it's no surprise that a large landlord gets immediate approval while the average joe homeowner is scrutinized heavily over ridiculous matters. i love change, but i am not looking forward to mr. shaffran doing any construction projects on or near main. his last scaffolding frolic in the 300 block of south main went on for months over the time given. it blocked the sidewalk completely in the winter forcing peds to wade through dirty snow; it was poorly marked and maintained - and - the best part? it was up with no permit for a good period at the end. how do i know that? i contacted the city after bruising myself one time too many getting around it. of course, no fine was levied. afterall, it's who ya know, not what you do in ann arbor.
a2roots
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
Some know how to work with the system and others don't think the system applies to them. Go figure.
Lolly
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 1:43 p.m.
The article says that the developer is building "high end" condos and apartments, but the average size appears to be around 1000 square feet, since there will be 13000+ sq. ft. and potentially 13 units. There is a disconnect somewhere.
a2roots
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:26 p.m.
Would appear many commenters are not aware of the success Ed Shaffran has had over the years with his projects downtown. Ed is very savvy at dealing with the knuckleheads at the city. His projects are successful, look good and he is a great supporter of the downtown. I know he has fought many a battle with the city and am certainly glad he came out on top in this one.
Wolf's Bane
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:16 p.m.
While most the new projects are just developer's specials meant to earn them a fast buck while degrading our city, this proposal obviously involved an architect and some real thought processes. I want to congratulate the project team and wish them all the best. I look forward to seeing the finished addition.
foobar417
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 8:17 a.m.
You do realize it's the same HDC, same commissioners, right? All hysterics aside, they are a very hard-working, thoughtful group of volunteers working closely with dedicated, hard-working city staff. How would you expect them to act? In one case you have a guy who flouted the HD guidelines and even built without a building permit (flouting general city regs). In the other case, you have a class act of a developer who worked within the guidelines and is doing everything by the book? Once again, they got it right.
quetzalcoatl
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 3:42 a.m.
The Main Street Historic District approves a pretty big alteration, and the West Side historic commission needs many meetings and months of hissing to turn down a guy's yard fence. It's probably the water.
regularjoe
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
A rational development that asks for no variances, complies with zoning and has approval of the HDC. Isn't that the way it's supposed to work? Out of town developers should take notice.
widmer
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 2:09 a.m.
Excellent. It will be fun to see what it looks like when it's done. If anything, this development acts to further preserve the historical building. Naysayers, yo be jelly bout thos cribz.
mixmaster
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 1:49 a.m.
Can we now please put to rest all the arguments about how anti development Ann Arbor and the HDC is and that nobody wants to develop here because it's too difficult?
badboybobbybrown
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 2:07 p.m.
No, you cannot put that notion to rest. This is a perfectly logical and rational addition to downtown that will bring high end residents. And it barely squeaked by. The Historic committee has been repelling growth downtown for years, hindering prosperity. This is not 1866 anymore.
a2roots
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 11:58 a.m.
Hard to put some things to rest. Bottom line is that Ed Shaffran has done many successful projects in town and is quite savvy at dealing with the knuckleheads at the city which includes all the commissions and boards. Way to go and Fast Eddie.
mike gatti
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 2:01 a.m.
oops that is rational not rationale.
mike gatti
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 2 a.m.
No. Random unexplained instances of reasonableness do not put anything to rest. Once they have a track record of rationale and reasonable decisions then maybe. They have a lot of undoing to do before anything is put to rest.