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Home My WebLink AboutSubmittal 4ARTHUR J. MARCUS ARCHITECT P.A. 1450 LINCOLN ROAD #806....MIAMI BE4CH, FL 33139....T:305-674-8945 email: znarcus aPbellsouth.ner March 10, 2005 Miami City Commission 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, Florida Re: 5301 and 5501 Biscayne Boulevard Commissioners; As a professional Architect for over thirty years with a far ranging practice, I am supporting the appeal by the Morningside Civic Association, of the City of Miami's decision to permit the two condominium projects proposed to be constructed at 5301 and 5501 Biscayne Boulevard. Through my involvement as a member and Chairman of the Miami Beach Design Review and Historic Preservation Boards, I have learned that critical issues such as neighborhood context, building height and massing, open space between buildings, contextual scale and the ability to see the sky, do matter deeply to our residents and can have long ranging effect upon the quality of life in our neighborhoods. We have also leamed that over -development can be truly detrimental to a community's health and well-being. The existing predominantly one and two story scale of this charming residential neighborhood, zoned as R-1, will be irrevocably altered by the abrupt intrusion of these approximately 100'-0" tall buildings along its immediate periphery. New construction in such a low scale neighborhood, should respect and take design cues from the surrounding urban context. Through the use of a series of stepped building blocks, the transition from one and two story residential neighborhoods to high-rise structures lining a commercial corridor should indeed form a gradual transition; and not a virtual wall of building. These proposed projects fail to respond to the architectural and urban context of the Momingside neighborhood. They fail to create an urban design transition of building mass and scale which respects the existing surrounding streetscape, rather than smothering it.. d5; "q- g gal 4/ SUBMITTED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR ITEM z.1 ON 3-1a- MIAMI CITY COMISSION March 10, 2005 Page 2 This principle of transitioning building mass and scale is supported not only by commonly accepted contemporary urban design practices; it is also supported by your own governmental advocates: The Miami -Dade County Planning Department's 'Urban Design Manual' has already illustrated examples of the proper scale for the juncture of such residential and commercial corridors. • The new City of Miami SD-9 Overlay District Regulations also clearly illustrates this transition as a 45 degree angle line of stepped development. And Florida case law has supported height limitations in order to preserve and protect the integrity of residential neighborhoods adjacent to similar large scale development. It is unfortunate that the City of Miami has overlooked its very own criteria with respect to relative building scale. Thus I recommend that you not only listen to the arguments of your own residents and constituents; listen to your own governmental zoning experts, in limiting the maximum building height to 35 feet, as the appropriate height for buildings proposed to be sited adjacent to these historic residential neighborhoods. And remember that you set the precedent for this back in November of last year, when you as a Commission, unanimously decided to send the proposed projects at 5101 and 5225 Biscayne Boulevard back to Planning & Zoning for redesign according to the SD-9 Overlay District regulations. And one last point needs be addressed regarding the design of the eastern facades of both of these buildings which face directly into the neighborhood, These east facades appear far too corporate and monolithic to respond to the charms of Morningside. And these east elevations merit the same type of attention that has obviously been shown on the western sides of these buildings. Right now these buildings literally turn their back on Morningside. The design elements on these eastern facades should be loosened up and be made more neighborhood friendly. This is not a government or corporate building. I invite you to stand in Morningside next to one of the adjacent one story residences; and all you are going to see is a wall that is 45'-0" tall, and that looks just like the parking garage that it is. And that will not be a pretty sight. Submitted Into the public' record in connection with item Pz I on 3- 10-OS. Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk MIAMI CITY COMISSION March 10, 2005 Page 3 The Architects for these buildings are certainly talented enough to further study these designs, and create a garage / back -of -the -building facade that responds much better to the adjacent neighborhood context. Right now this elevation looks like a suburban shopping center garage. And a suburban shopping center garage is not appropriate in the middle of an Historic neighborhood such as Morningside! In closing, I strongly recommend that you too return both of these projects to Planning & Zoning, so that they may properly apply the Design Review criteria outlined in section 135.2 of the Zoning Ordinance. Submitied Into the public record in connectk:n1 with item ?2.t on a- I 0-os- Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk T � "" l0 � / /A J. / y� /-�1\L,�� ,/-�^ /4fnLowzuNRnAn*806... MLxm/fFauH,fZ33/Y9... rmxil.marcus a0bxllsourh'oet Registered Architect with diverse national clientele, directing design & management efforts in the development and successful completion of architectural, interior design, renovation and restoration projects fore varied clientele. ° Brings excellent skills /n coordinating clients through the planning, design and construction processes, boassure that the final product meets project needs /nterms nf superior oembheboo' quality control, coat and scheduling. ^ Concurrent with multi -task project management and specific phase m*spmnaibilitieo, his experience ensures an ongoing senior level involvement with client, nmnuu/tonts, engineers, nealtoxn & government officials. Continuous monitoring of delivery uUmbyrno and general trouble -shooting ensures m close working relationship with both Owner and Contractor, value engineering costs while maximizing design potential from available dollars. Selected experience includes: URBAN DESIGN & MASTER PLANNING Bridgeport Landing, Bridgeport, Connecticut (1) 2001 Master Plan/Urban Design of 50 acre mixed use development to win RFP proposal Lincoln Road Design Competition, Miami Beach 1SS2Urban Design competition entry ARCHITECTURE &HISTORIC PRESERVATION 1491 Lincoln Terrace Miami Beach, FL Historic restoration ofIgor Po|evitakvbuilding Miami Beach Community Development Corporation ��enovadonofThe VVm�ohaoharApa�mant Building ��51G15^oStreet inMiami Beach Collins Park Historic Hotel Village, Miami Beoch, FL Renovation of new unified seven building complex around interior -of -block Park David A. Klein Onchidahumn @Vizcoyo Museum & Gardens, Miami New Architectural Design & Documentation of4.00OofOrchid Museum & Education Center Palm Court Office Building, 3OS23rdStreet Miami Beach, FL Historic Renovation (25,000 sf ) & Architecture for new 10,000 sf building addition Four Columbus Circle Office Bui|ding, New York, NY FL (3) Architecture & Interior Design of new office building Victoria Hall Office Bui|ding, Hamilton, Bermuda (3) Architecture and Interior Design for new office building Cartier Building, 52"« & Fifth Avenue, New York, NY (3) Restoration designs and new additions to noted landmark headquarters building Metropolitan Opera @ Lincoln Cmnhar, New York, NY (3) Interior Architectural Design and Construction for interior bock stage areas & offices Balch Ethnic History Museum, Phi|ode|phio, PA New design and construction of museum INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE American Media Inc. Boca Raton, FL (1) Architecture, Interiors Design and site pbnningfor renovated 5O.U0Oafo�mabuilding GaUmwayUyWedica|Office Building 74OOS.VV.8TmAvenue, K8iamiFL FL (1) Architecture & Interior Design for new Medical Offices Merrill Lynch Private Client offices: FL (1) Interior design of Coral Gables, Naples, 8anasota, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, FL offices UB8VVorbuqJ. Miami, FL (1) Interior Financial Offices renovations Johnson & Higgins International Headquarters, New York, NY (3) Interior Architectural Design and Construction (424,000 so & 900 person cafeteria First National Bank mfChicago, New York, NY(3) Submitted Into the public Interior Architectural design of1OO.UOOsfregiono|offioes record in connection with item Fz' \ on 3' 10-0'5 Priscilla A. Thompson City ~~~W.. LEGAL FIRMS Bratter Krieger Attorneys, 500 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach, FL Interior architecture for new legal offices Kozlowski Lovv Firmn, 927 Lincoln Rood, Miami Beach, FL Interior architecture for new legal offices Ferrell Schultz Carter & Feda|Attorneyo. Knianmi, FL&Awmntu,e. FL FL (1) Interior Renovations and New Construction for five separate projects totaling 60,000 sf. Strmock&8troock@ Lovan LLPAttornays. K8iamni, FL FL (1) Interior Design of renovated offices Rudin McCloskey ata|Attorneys, Ft. LaudmnJa|e, FL FL (1) Interior Renovations Graham & Dunn Attorneys, Seattle, WA., FL (2) New 50.0OOs[attorney offices NAACP Legal Defense Fund, New York, NY FL (3) Interior Architectural Design and Construction for non-profit Philadelphia Legal Defenders C)ffice. Philadelphia, PA Interior Architectural Design and Construction ofpublic defender agency RESIDENTIAL NEW CONS7RUC T/ON & RENk]%4TION Residential Rooftop Deck, 100 Lincoln Road. PH-3. Miami Beach New 2 level 5,000 SF-1 7 1h floor fantasy outdoor residential deck overlooking the ocean with 85'-0^ long reflecting pmo|s, hot tub and trellis /canopies with woNarfo||o. 1258OOld Cutler Road, Pinecnaat, FL Additions bzexisting residential compound Helmsley Residence Star Island, Miami Beach, FL Schematic Design & Strategic Planning for 2O.0OOafprivate residence Norcross Residence, Sunset Island #2. Miami Bmeoh, FL New construction & renovations for 4.SOOsfprivate residence 5625 Pine Tree Drive Miami Beach, FL New construction & renovations for 12,500 sf private residence & associated buildings 4985 Pine Tree Drive Miami Beauh, FL New construction & renovations for 1U.UUUofprivate residence 5389 Pine Tree Drive Miami Beach, FL New construction & renovations for B.00Oofprivate residence 057UAllison Road Miami Beach, FL New construction & renovations for 7.5DUmfprivate residence 2U12North Bay Road Miami Beach, FL New construction and renovations for 8.000sfresidence 6390 S.W. 113th Street Pineon*st, FL Additions and renovations to3.5OOofresidence 1214 Pennsylvania Avenue, Miami Beaoh, FL New additions and renovations hohistoric residence ADDITIONAL PROJECTS RmmanoffBoutique, Ba|Harbour Shops, Ba|Harbour, FL Interior design & construction of 7,500 sf womens' couture fashion showroom & retail store Pacific Northwest Ba||et, 8ee#|e, WA New dance studios and office interiors Stella Blue Remtaurant& Bar, K8ionni Beech, FL New restaurant and bar adjacent toLincoln Road Galloway || PWedioo| C]ffica Bui|dinQ, K8inmi, FL New Construction and renovation of former office building into medical offices Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle, VVA(3) New interior office design and construction New retail bookstore and caf6 including historic facade renovations Submitted Into the public record in connection with item FZ\ on a'ho-o5 Priscilla A. Thompson ��-�� _''� ' PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Arthur J.Marcus Architect P.A. 2UO3-present 8vvanka Hayden Connell Architects, K8iamni, FL 1999-2002 (work completed indicated as (1) Arthur J.Marcus A|AArchitect, Miami Beach, FL 1991-1999 Cm||isonArchitects, Seattle, WA 1088- 1901 (work completed indicated as (2) Svvanka Hayden Connell Architects, New York City, NY1983-1988 (work completed indicated as (3) EDUCATION Master ofArchitecture /1073/Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Bachelor ofArts / 107O/Temple Univerodv, Phi|ade|phia, PA Post -Graduate studies: Han/and University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA New York Institute of Photography, New York, NY Minneapolis Institute ofArt, PWinneapoUs, MN Temple University Real Estate Institute, Phi|ede|phia, PA LICENSED ARCHITECT Registered aoanArchitect in Florida, New York, Pennsykmnia, California and Washington state, and member of the NCARB, through which registration may be obtained in all fifty states. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Member, American Institute ofArchitects (AI/) Member, American Planning Association (APA) Member, National Council ofArchitectural Registration Boards (NC/\RB) COMMUN/TyAFFIL/ATION8 Board Member, Miami Design Preservation League, 2OU4-present. Member, Urban Arts Committee ofMiami Beach /^yWiyWo^. 2OUO-Present Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Heritage Tourism Committee, 2001-2003 President / Board of Directors, Shelbourne House/Miami Beach Community Dev. Corp.1&Q7-2UO3 Board Member / South Point Citizens Coalition /^SaweMiami Beooh' . 1994-1998 City of Miami Beach, Gilbert Fein Conservation District Committee, 2002' present City ofMiami Beach Collins Waterfront Historic District Committee, 2000 City of Miami Beach Architect Selection Committee for new Collins Park Librory, 1090 City ofMiami Beach Historic Database Expansion Committee /Ocean Beach Historic District, 1995 City ofMiami Beach Design Guidelines Working Group, 1SS5-1S87 Vice Chairman, City of Miami Beach Omoi0n Review & Historic Preservation Board, 1995-1986 & 1998 Chairman, City of Miami Beach Design Review & Historic Preservation Board 1999 References available upon request �� - -'-~=��puu»rie, KecOrd in connection with