ARCHNET

333 North Main Street

Suite 201

Architecture Sustainable

Interiors

Design

Phone
Fax

651/ 430 - 0606 651/ 430 - 2414

Stillwater, MN 55082

www. archnetusa. com

Thursday, February 13, 2014 City of Stillwater, Mr. Bill Turnblad, Community Development Director & Planning Commission,
216 North Fourth Street Stillwater, MN 55082 RE: Water Street Inn, 101 Water Street, Stillwater, MN Dear Mr. Turnblad &

Planning Commission Members,

PARKING

BIKE TRAK

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HALL

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The Water Street Inn is interested in adding on to their existing hotel facility. We have met with City Staff to review the project and it is our understanding that we will require an amendment to the existing
Special Use Permit as well as a variance to the front yard setback.
J

KRCHOV / CERJICE

We are submitting application materials for your consideration.

The property consists of two lots, the southern lot containing the his-

WATER RIVET -

EXISTING SITE PLAN

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toric Lumberman' s Exchange Building, a 1994 addition and a patio

area ( on the footprint of the original Union Depot). The northern lot,

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containing on -grade parking for the hotel, was recently reconfigured

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and repaved. It will not be part of this project. The project will focus

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PROPOSED SITE PLAN

on the southern lot and the completion of the hotel building itself. In 1994, the original plans called for construction to fill the existing patio, however, funding and the economy at the time prohibited a full build out.

The design provides a new hotel lobby with associated offices, elevator and ancillary spaces to be located on the main level. This will produce a new accessible front entry for the hotel, associated more directly with the parking lot across Myrtle Street to the north. The existing hotel lobby would become the main Dining area, maintaining the existing corner entry. All other functions on the Main Level would remain.

The foot print of the plan reestablishes the prominence of the facade

on Water Street and the massing location of of the historic Union Depot tower on the corner of Water and Myrtle. The reintroduction of the

tower element placed on the footprint of the historic structure in conFt

cert with adequate building width for 5, 12 foot wide rooms, will require a variance from the city's 15 foot front yard setback.
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We feel that a variance is justified given the unique history of the property, the important civic aspects of the former tower, and the lack r of any harmful effect to the public health, safety and well -fare. The
plan requires a variance from 15' to 5'.
The second and third floors of the new plan provide an additional 20

rooms ( 10 rooms each floor) to the existing 42 room facility. The roof
of the addition would function as the current patio does now, provid-

ing seasonal outdoor seating, accessible via elevator through the hotel lobby.
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Other aspects of the development in relation to specific zoning requirements include the following;
BUILDING HEIGHT

The Building Height maximum in the Parkside Zone, for infill buildings requires the height stay within 10% of the adjacent building. The existing building is 42' -6" and the parapet of the addition is 44' -3"
4. 2 %). The tower element has been designed to reflect the original

massing of the Union Depot tower, but not duplicate its appearance, and still respect the height requirements of the CBD Height Overlay
District. For this reason the form of the tower above the parapet is

outlined with a steel frame, permitting views through the structure.

PARKING

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The plan now provides 62 rooms with the existing parking lot providing 64 stalls. As with other developments in the downtown area it is anticipated that there will be an agreement with the City' s Shared Parking Program.
FLOOD PLAIN

The Minnesota Building Code requires habitable space be located

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one foot above the flood plain ( defined as 692. 5). The new addition
will meet this criteria ( 693. 5) and we will work in concert with the

Building Inspector on construction details for the proposed basement

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level.

In the preliminary meeting with Staff there was a discussion regarding a previous Development Agreement Condition of Approval that
focused on refuse dumpsters. With the new addition proposed, all of the dumpsters will be housed in the Trash Room, in the southwest

corner of the addition. This will require the dumpsters be rolled out to

Water Street for pick up at scheduled times. A curb cut is proposed

for this purpose.
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UNION DEPOT' S SITE SIGNIFICANCE IN URBAN PLANNING

As one of the most significant lots in Stillwater, on one of the most

predominant intersections, there is a rich history to tell. A brief timeline of the site and surrounding area includes the following;
1870 - First train comes to Stillwater
1882 - Chicago, Mpls, St. Paul RR Builds Depot ( Freight House)

1888 -

Union Depot built ( Burling &

Whitehouse Architects)

with an elegant tower on Water and Myrtle 1889 - First street car system introduced 1890 -

Lumberman' s Exchange Building built

1911 - Lowell Park opens 1923 - Lowell Park Pavilion built at the end of Myrtle Street
1959 -

Hooley family purchases Union Depot and Lumberman' s Exchange building Union Depot demolished and Hooley's grocery store built Sale of land to City and sale of buildings to Lumber Baron' s
Hotel

1960 1993 -

1994 -

Addition to Lumberman' s Exchange Building

2013 - Current proposal

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In the 1880' s the predominant forms of transportation included; horse

and buggy, river boat and the railroad. The confluence of these three
at the southwest corner of Myrtle and Water, provided the location for
the elegant Union Depot tower.

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The importance of the intersection was reinforced with the introduction of another transportation form, the street car system, in 1889.

The introduction of the automobile and the river crossing at the foot
of Chestnut Street formed the southern edge of this formal water
front park.
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The significance of the Myrtle Street axis was further defined with the
construction of the pavilion on the water front in 1923. The Union DeM1 NESOTA-

CITY OF STILLWATER GENERALLPLAN

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pot tower, the pavilion and the sunken gardens in Lowell Park all were part of the epi- center of the public water front. Both the tower
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and the pavilion highlighted and defined this important public space

for nearly four decades before the demolition of the tower in 1960.
Water Street as the north /south axis now defines the northern and
southern limits of Lowell Park and is terminated with the Commander

Elevator on the south and the Desch Building on the north. The interWHICH BUILDING

section of these major axis is currently lacking its historic demarkation.

0
NORTH 60UTM AXIS

Mr WINO

With the completion of the northern portion of the Water Street Inn

we plan to restore the defining components of the water front and the
Myrtle / Water Street axis intersection.
COMMANDER ELEVATOR

Thank you in advance for your consideration of the submittal and we

look forward to meeting with you and answering any questions you may have during the staff meeting and public hearing.

Yours truly,

ogerTo' s'- n
Associate, ARCHNET

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