652 Lockhaven Drive, Pacifica, CA Shattuck Avenue, B100 Berkeley, CA 94704

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1 L A N D M A R K S P R E S E R V A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N S t a f f R e p o r t FOR ADVISORY COMMENT OCTOBER 07, 2010 Staff Level Design Review Application (DR# ) to install two (2) halo-lit wall signs on the penthouse (roof elevator core) level of a building determined eligible for National Register designation on the State Index of Historic Resources (SHRI). The project is being referred to the LPC for advisory comment. (Prepared by Anne Burns and Angela Tam, Design Review Staff) I. Application Basics A. Parties Involved: Applicant: Steve Peterson 652 Lockhaven Drive, Pacifica, CA Property Owner: First Shattuck LLC 2150 Shattuck Avenue, B100 Berkeley, CA Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA Tel: TDD: Fax:

2 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION Page 2 of 5 October 7, 2010 Figure 1: Vicinity and Site Map 2150 Shattuck Avenue Double-hatched shading indicates landmarked properties.

3 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 7, 2010 Page 3 of 5 II. Background The project is located at 2150 Shattuck Avenue, on the west side of Shattuck Avenue at Center Street, and is in the Central Commercial (C-2) district. The building was included in the State Historic Resources Inventory list as the First Savings/Great Western Building in It is adjacent to the landmarked American Trust building (Wells Fargo) located at 2140 Shattuck Avenue. Currently, Tully s Coffee and Chase (both ground floor tenants) have signs located on the east and north façades of the ground floor level. In July 2010, Design Review Staff approved one interior and two exterior halo-lit wall signs for Chase that will be located on the ground floor level of the building. This signage was approved with the condition that all existing horizontal metal sign bars be removed so that the existing architecture is preserved. The exterior wall signage is approved with 12 letters on a 20 grey background that complements the existing building color. III. SHRI Status The property at 2150 Shattuck Avenue is listed under the State Historic Resource Index as 2S2: individual property determined eligible for NR by a consensus through Section 106 process. Listed in the CR; and 3S: appears eligible for NR as an individual property through survey evaluation. Because of this determination, this project is being referred to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for Advisory comment. IV. Project Description The project proposes to install two (2) halo-lit wall signs on the penthouse (roof elevator core) level of 2150 Shattuck Avenue. It is before the Landmarks Preservation Committee (LPC) as a referral from Design Review Staff. According to Sub-title 23E (23E.12) of the Berkeley Municipal Code, Design Review Staff has responsibility for review of new signage, while signs involving SHRI properties may be referred to LPC for comments. The building owner requests this for overall building signage and not tenant signage. Each sign will be a 49 sq. ft. Chase logo on a sq. ft. background. The two location options are centered on the penthouse (Option 1) and on the northeast and southeast corners of the penthouse (Option 2). The metal screen on the penthouse is nonstructural, so signage must be attached to structural I-beams rather than the screen. For Option 1, these structural conditions may prevent the signs from being exactly centered on the elevation; the applicant will provide more information at the meeting. For Option 2, each sign is located in the center of the third vertical bay from the right and two (2) feet from the top. Each sign goes over three of the bays; each vertical bay is approximately four (4) feet wide. The signs will be blue with a background painted to match the existing building. The sign face is an opaque blue with the illumination only shining onto the background. Design Review Staff recommends Option 2 where the signs are located on the northeast and southeast corners of the penthouse because it appears to fit into the existing building

4 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION Page 4 of 5 October 7, 2010 lines more successfully but would like the Commission to discuss the merits of both options and how they work with the existing building as well as adjacent landmarks. V. Issues and Analysis Code Compliance The current proposed signage is consistent with Title 20 of the Berkeley Municipal Code (signs) and the Downtown Berkeley guidelines as overall building signage in terms of size, the number of signs allowed, and illumination. Attached are the relevant sections of the Ordinance and the guidelines. Commercial District Regulations (20.24), allow four (4) signs for the building. Individual tenant signage is considered separately. Wall signs are not to not exceed 15 percent of the building face of the premises or 150 sq. ft. in sign area, whichever is less. Two signs are currently being proposed, with each proposed sign being sq. ft., so the signage is within these limitations. Staff has also considered any General Regulations (20.16) that may be relevant. Wall signs are not to be located higher than the roof and shall not project more than twelve (12) inches from the wall of the building when it is located higher than ten (10) feet above existing grade. The proposed signage is located on the face of the penthouse and has a total projection of ten (10) inches from the wall of the building, so it is consistent with these limitations. While the general regulations for business complexes limit location of signage to below the third floor or less than forty (40) feet above existing grade, these regulations only apply to tenants with no visible frontage. Furthermore, the building owner has proposed the signage as overall building signage and not tenant signage, so this regulation does not apply to this project. According to the Downtown Berkeley Design Guidelines, sign lighting, if any should utilize spot-lighting, halo-lighting, or exposed neon (All Signs #18). The proposed signage uses halo-lighting, which is consistent with this guideline. In terms of location, the Downtown Berkeley Design Guidelines recommend that signs on the upper façade of a building be building identification signs only, while signs for ground floor tenants are to be located at the storefront level (All Signs #9). Signage has been proposed as overall building signage and not tenant signage, so it is consistent with this guideline. The guidelines also recommend that wall signs be located on the upper portion of the storefront (Wall Signs #1); however, this guideline applies to storefront tenant signage and not overall building signage.

5 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 7, 2010 Page 5 of 5 VI. Recommendation Staff asks for advisory comments from the LPC on how the proposed signage works with the existing SHRI building as well as the adjacent landmarks. Attachments: 1. Building Owner Statement, received September 27, Proposed Signage drawings, received September 22, Detailed Elevations and Sections, received September 27, Relevant Title 20 and Downtown Berkeley Design Guideline sections 5. State Historic Resources Inventory (SHRI) Profile Staff Planners: Angela Tam, Design Review Intern; ATam@ci.berkeley.ca.us, (510) ; Anne Burns, Design Review Planner; ABurns@ci.berkeley.ca.us, (510)