520 Church Street Feedback Included "There is nothing unique nor signature about the building design from the ground to the top."

A 3-phase, 3-block, 3-building project in the South Eola Neighborhood that stretches from 420 E. Church Street (MAP) to 520 E. Church Street had one of its phases, Phase Two, submitted for an ARB Courtesy Review for the June 16th Appearance Review Board meeting.

The name of the project is 520 Church Street.

The 3-phase project is a partnership between the Jefferson Apartment Group (Website) and Baker Barrios (Website).

The board did hold hold back on its feedback about Phase Two (520 Church Street). Below is the initial feedback:
  1. "There is nothing unique nor signature about the building design from the ground to the top" the board said.  
  2. The proposed architectural elevations were judged as "mundane" and "repetitive of the 420 East, Nora and Crescent Central Station projects." 
  3. The board said "There is nothing distinctive in the exterior design, not at the flat parapet top where the building touches the sky, nor along the single surface material façade."
  4. The proposed 5, 7 and one 10-foot wide pedestrian clear zones around the properties are not wide enough to accommodate pedestrians, outdoor retail uses and sidewalk cafes.

Baker Barrios went back to the drawing board and brought back new renderings of 520 Church to the board. They seem somewhat pleased but not entirely. Below is the general feedback:
  1. The building "still lacks a signature element to distinguish it from it from its neighbors..."
  2. The architecture is "more refined."
  3. "Instead of being a big brother that mimics the adjacent 420 East building, 520 Church is now more of a cousin: bigger, bolder and a little better."
  4. Building materials better defined & varied especially at ground level
  5. Variety & durability added to the base of the building via ceramic wood tiling and several variations of an architectural masonry block
  6. Parapet better organized & coordinated with massing and façade modules
  7. Building's body unified via simplified color scheme and new architectural accents 
  8. Some additional streetscape width is desired by ARB Staff
  9. The conditions of approval will address reducing the planting zones on E. Church Street and S. Eola in order to provide additional sidewalk width in the pedestrian zone.


Renderings AFTER the 
Feedback from the City: 






Before & After: each side of the building



SaveSave