Eight-story Modera Overlake project-design is under review, public is invited to comment

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This project is under review by the City's Design Review Board (DRB.)  The DRM is appointed by the City Council and is comprised of five professionals and two residents who volunteer their time and represent the community at large. 

The purpose of the Board is to make urban decisions that will promote visual quality throughout the City  DRB meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7 pm in the City Council Chambers. Planner Gary Lee manages the meeting. 

If you have questions or want to receive updates on "Modera Overlake Apartments" and other projects e-mail Gary at glee@redmond.gov.  

The "Modera Overlake Apartment" project address is 15260 Bel-Red Road.  The site is near Aero Rent A Car next to Brown Bear Car Wash and across from Jimmy John's.

CITY LETTER TO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD:  "This first "Modera Overlake Apartment" pre-application meeting is to learn about the applicant’s (Modera Overlake) development concept, and to provide input regarding design issues the Board and staff will be interested in addressing through further design development.

With the two new buildings across Bel-Red Road, in Bellevue, and being that this might be the 1st new building in Overlake Village, Staff would like to ensure this building sets a good design direction and tone for this sub-neighborhood. Staff is also concerned with how the south and west façades of the garage will be clad/treated as they will be 2-stories tall near the property lines, as these sides will not be wrapped with commercial or residential space. 

The applicant (Modera Overlake) is proposing an 8-story building, which is possible in this zone with the use various incentive techniques, including the payment of in-lieu fee for plaza dedication, Green Building Incentives, subterranean parking, and provide housing above the minimum required. At this bulk, wire-frame, study stage, staff is concerned with massing, façade and roof modulation, and exterior façade material selection.  [Color schemes and other items will also be studied.]

The site plan generally appears to meet setback requirements, however street frontage improvement requirements have not been confirmed at the time of this writing, thus front setbacks along the streets are not yet been confirmed.

The applicant is requesting a reduction in the minimum parking requirement, which shall be reviewed by the staff and the Code Administrator. The unit count is dependent upon the approval of this request.

Attached is Design Standards Checklist that is required to be submitted with the pending application. I (ity planner Gary Lee) have added a big red asterisk and note to elements that will be important to this development to alert the designer to pay extra attention to these elements for the next iterations.

Planning Staff is interested in hearing about the applicants ideas for cladding and architectural style for the building. Staff is interested the applicants presentation, and in hearing the Board’s comments and directions for the next Pre-Application meetings."

-- Gary Lee, Senior planner

Project #LAND-2018-00130

Special thanks to Redmond resident and past Planning Commission Chair,.Mr. Tom Hinman, for providing this information.