Development in the Harlem Overlay District is subject to the standards in the city Commercial Areas Design and Development Guidelines. The following regulations are applicable in addition to the Design and Development Guidelines.
(A) Facade transparency.
(1) Building facades that front on Harlem Avenue or intersecting side streets shall include transparent materials in accordance with Table 153.54.A below.
Table 153.54.A. Transparent Facade Area Requirements | ||
Harlem Avenue Frontage | Intersecting Side Street Frontage | |
Ground Floor | 70% | 50% |
Upper Floor(s) | 20% | 12% |
(2) Ground floor transparency calculation.
(a) Building facades shall include a bulkhead with a minimum height of 18 inches that separates ground floor windows from the grade of a lot.
(b) The eligible transparent portion of the ground floor facade shall include the portion of the facade between the top of the required bulkhead and a horizontal line drawn seven feet above the top of the bulkhead, and running the entire width of the facade.
(c) The trans parent facade area shall be calculated by dividing the transparent area (including windows, window mullions not greater than two inches wide, and conforming window signs) of the eligible transparent portion of the ground floor facade, by the total eligible transparent portion of the ground floor facade.
(3) Upper floor(s) transparency calculation.
(a) The eligible transparent portion of each upper floor facade shall include the portion of the facade between the interior finished floor line for that story and the interior finished floor line for the story above, and running the entire width of the facade. For the topmost floor of a building, the upper limit of the eligible transparent portion shall be a line drawn 10 feet above the interior finished floor line of that story.
(b) The trans parent facade area of each upper floor shall be calculated by dividing the transparent area (including windows, window mullions not greater than two inches wide) of the eligible transparent portion of the upper floor facade, by the total eligible transparent portion of that upper floor facade.
(B) Facade articulation.
(1) A variation in the facade plane shall be provided no more than every 40 feet for facades fronting on Harlem Avenue or an intersecting street.
(2) Conforming facade variations include changes in the depth of the facade of at least four inches, a structural element at least six inches wide and two inches in depth, or a change in building materials that corresponds to a change in the elevation of the roofline.
(C) Rear building entries.
(1) Businesses with rear parking areas shall provide access to commercial space by one of the following:
(a) Direct public access from the parking lot to a rear building entry to the commercial space.
(b) Direct public access from the parking lot to a rear building entry to a common internal space that leads to individual commercial spaces.
(c) For buildings on corner lots, direct access to the side yard public sidewalk, and corresponding pedestrian connections to entrances on the front or side of the building.
(d) For buildings on interior lots that do not provide direct access through the rear portion of the building, a public sidewalk between commercial buildings that provides access to pedestrian connections to commercial entrances on the front of the building.
( 2) For buildi ngs that provid e direct access from a rear parkin g area to an indivi dual commer cial space or common intern al space, the follow ing elemen ts shall be provided:
(a) A sign identifying the tenant(s) accessible through each public entry point. (This sign shall not count against the total permitted signage for the development.)
(b) Building-mounted lighting providing adequate safety throughout the duration of business hours. Such lighting should be aimed to appropriately illuminate the building entry but not spill over onto or create glare for adjacent residential properties.
(c) A building entry buffer area of 10 feet by 10 feet that shall remain clear of trash receptacles, inventory, or any other objects that may inhibit accessibility to the public entry.
(Ord. O-39-15, passed 10-6-15)