America’s colonial-era cities often struggle to balance preservation with growth. Among the tactics available to preserve historic character are building height and density limitations, but these can make it extremely challenging for owners, developers, and designers of multifamily housing to create projects that are economically viable. Park Place Annapolis, a mixed-use development being built in Annapolis, Maryland, illustrates the challenges and strategic solutions involved in bringing 21st-century luxury condominium housing to a 17th-century colonial city.
Annapolis, which was settled in 1649 and received its charter from Queen Anne of England in 1708, is the oldest incorporated city in Maryland and one of the oldest in the United States. It is also home to the U.S. Naval Academy and is nestled on a seven-square-mile (18-sq-km) peninsula bordered by the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, earning it the title “America’s Sailing Capital.” The Old World charm of the city’s harbor, narrow streets, and colonial architecture is undeniable.
At the same time, the city is located within 30 miles (48 km) of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, making it attractive for commuters, residents who live and work in Annapolis, and companies doing business in the city and region. Six “business neighborhoods,” each with a unique character, constitute the city’s local and regional economy.
In the 1980s, with smart growth as its goal, Annapolis created in certain areas of the city a mixed-use zoning category with retail and office space, higher-density residential development than the surrounding area, and a height limit of 65 feet (20 m). Park Place Annapolis, being developed by locally based Jerome J. Parks Companies with the Washington, D.C.–based Carlyle Group, was the first project to gain approval under the new category. The creator of the project master plan, McLean, Virginia–based Davis Carter Scott Ltd. (DCS), worked with the developer, city, county, and state officials to create a project that would meet the needs of all parties.
The project, which broke ground in February 2005, includes two five story office buildings with 100,000 and 125,000 square feet (9,290 and 11,600 sq m) of space, 60,000 square feet (5,575 sq m) of street level retail space, the 225-room Westin Annapolis Hotel, a proposed performing arts center, and a 208- unit condominium building.
The project is in the Uptown District, described by the Annapolis office of economic development as the city’s financial and commercial center, blending commercial, professional, cultural, and residential elements. It also is the focus of a revitalization and redevelopment program. In February 2005, the city provided an essential financial boost for Park Place with the sale of $25 million in special obligation bonds to finance the public portion of a parking garage.
Still, planners and designers faced a significant challenge: how to maximize the components of the 12.1-acre (4.9-ha) site within the required 65- foot (20-m) height and the density parameters. Indeed, the implications of these parameters compelled use of virtually every square foot of the site for the building components and a fairly consistent roofline among the residential, hotel, and office/retail elements. Yet, DCS planners and designers were sensitive to the need to create a streetscape with a human scale, especially for condominium residents, while not overpowering the smaller two- and three-story single family homes in the existing neighborhood to the east.
The site’s topography was one key to a successful planning strategy. The parking garage platform was placed to take advantage of a downward slope to the north of the site, placing the top level of the three-story garage platform essentially on the same elevation as West Street. In turn, the elevation of the buildings was taken from the platform level, allowing compliance with the 65-foot (20-m) height limit while maximizing density.
The condominium building was placed at the north end of the site to take advantage of the rising topography, which reduced the apparent height differential between the new and existing residential rooflines and placed the residential units at the quieter part of the site. At the same time, designers created large public spaces—including a courtyard with a fountain at the entrance, a grand plaza with a clock tower at the hotel entrance, and an entrance plaza with a fountain at the residences—as well as small green spaces and tree-lined pedestrian walkways. The grand plaza and the main street, Park Avenue, are designed so that they can be closed off for street festivals and other events.
During the planning phase of the project, rather than echoing the colonial Annapolis vernacular, the architects were inspired by the French Renaissance style of the Naval Academy and the small-scale cobblestone streetscapes of Paris, Rome, and other European cities. As a result, the architecture and placement of buildings close to the curb give the project the character of a small European neighborhood.
Park Avenue terminates at the entrance of the Residence at Park Place, an electronically secured, seven-story building with 208 residences. The Y-shaped footprint comprises 206,000 square feet (19,138 sq m) of residential space, with units ranging from 900 to 1,700 square feet (84 to 158 sq m), plus 4,000 square feet (372 sq m) of amenity space. The north wing comprises 58,000 square feet (5,388 sq m) of residential space, with units ranging from 800 to 1,700 square feet (74 to 158 sq m). The combination of precast concrete and masonry plus the use of Juliet balconies and mansard roofs creates a European flavor, enhanced by the paved courtyard and fountain at the entrance.
As of January 1, the developer reported having sold 65 percent of the units, which range in price from $500,000 to $2 million, with the first residences completed in May.
Office, hotel, and retail components have mutually beneficial effects in mixed-use communities. However, truly successful mixed-use projects include a residential component to create an environment that is lively 18 hours a day. The residences at Park Place Annapolis will provide this important catalyst for the community.