Wednesday, May 14, 2014

P&Z approves luxury townhouses

Project planned for corner of First Avenue and First Street

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By FREDDIE HARRIS

This rendering shows the exterior of the planned 101 First Avenue Townhomes in Ketchum, as seen from the intersection of First Avenue and First Street. Graphic by Michael Doty & Associates

    The Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved on Monday a design application to build seven luxury townhouses at 101 First Ave. South, the former site of the Sun Valley Athletic Club.
    The two-story townhouse development—called the 101 First Avenue Townhomes—will total 25,100 square feet, of which about 16,350 square feet will be for residential use. The development will surround a ground-floor motor court and each unit will include a roof terrace.
    “It’s a great building,” said P&Z Co-Chair Rich Fabiano in response to architect Brenda Moczygemba’s presentation.
    The structure will feature cedar and stone facades, heated sidewalks on both First Avenue and First Street, street trees, and a bench and bike racks on the First Street side. Landscaping will be added between the townhomes and the adjacent Evergreen residential development.
    “The opportunity to add greenery between the sidewalk and building is a benefit to the project and the community,” said landscape architect Kurt Eggers. “The street trees where there aren’t any now is also good upgrade.”
    Evergreen residents Peter Coxe and Jeanne Bell expressed concerns. Coxe said he is worried about street lighting shining into the bedrooms of residents in the Evergreen building. The design team assured Coxe that all lighting would conform to the city’s “dark sky ordinance.”
    Bell expressed concern that townhome homeowners on their rooftop terraces would be able to see into the windows of the Evergreen building, thus invading Evergreen residents’ privacy. The design team assured her that visibility into the Evergreen building would be limited, given that there is a distance of 26 feet between the buildings at the closest point.   
    Because the front stoops and the courtyard will be heated as well as the sidewalks, Fabiano expressed concern about wasted energy resources.
    “We try to make something as ‘green’ as possible,” he said. “I’m concerned about the cost effectiveness of the heated pavers.”
    The design team assured him that each home would be charged individually for heating costs, rather than paying association fees. They said they believe that would minimize wasted energy.

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