Ellicott Development and Sinatra & Company Real Estate are preparing to move forward with the largest component of its Elmwood Crossing development. The development team is seeking Planning Board approval to repurpose the main Children’s Hospital buildings including Variety Tower, Tanner Tower, Alfiero Center and Building C. Plans call for 94,000 sq.ft. of commercial space on the first and second floors topped by 135 residential units including condominium units on the eight through tenth floors of the former Variety Tower.
Previous Design
Current Design
From the application:
We have been working in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and National Parks Service (NPS) as the project includes the rehabilitation of certified historic structures within the Elmwood Village East National Historic District. After an 18-month review period, we recently obtained SHPO/NPS approval on our Historic Preservation Certification Part 2 Application for the redevelopment plans provided herewith. While the former Tanner Tower and Building Care certified historic structures, the Variety Tower and Alfiero Building are non-historic as they fall outside of the established period of historic significance for the former hospital campus. Despite this condition, given the fact that all 4 structures are connected, both physically and through history of use, all structures must comply with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Structures.
While the Standards limit the degree to which exterior modification can be undertaken on the historic structures (Tanner Tower and Building C), the Standards do allow modification of the existing facades for the non-historic structures (Variety Tower and Alfiero Center). For those non-historic structures, the exterior work will include the removal of existing precast facade components, with the installation of a metal panel rain screen system, the addition of inset balconies on the top 3 floors of Variety Tower, new windows, and a 2-story curtainwall glazing system at the loggia base of the Variety Tower fronting on Bryant Street. Architectural lighting, subtle in design, will tastefully illuminate the Core Campus structures after dark.
Additionally, we propose to install approximately 54 indoor parking spaces in the basement and sub-basement levels of the Variety Tower. To do so, we will be converting the former Emergency Room delivery ramp, located on the west end of the Variety tower at grade, from an up-ramp to a down-ramp to access the basement. New internal ramping will allow additional access for vehicles from the basement to sub-basement level.
Lastly, we are proposing to reconfigure the existing parking lot and drive lanes on the east side of the project site to accommodate the construction of a community-access pocket park. The pocket park will span from Hodge Avenue to Bryant Street and include a little over 1 acre of space in total. We propose to reduce the number of existing curb cuts off of Bryant Street from 2 to 1 and to narrow the existing curb cut along this Hodge Avenue frontage. Drawing from community input, the pocket park will include walking paths, a rain garden, a playground area, art installations, seating areas, covered and open spaces, and more. Additionally, we are working to incorporate a Remembrance Garden theme to be carried through this space in honor of the many challenges endured and lives lost over the WCHOB’s more than 120-year history at this location.
The $45 million project will be reviewed by the Planning Board on Monday.