CCP 09-27-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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.. . . . Sasaki Associates Inc. 64 Pleasant Street Watertown Massachusetts 02472 USA t 617926 3300 f 6179242748 .~ 2l a ~ ,~ % ,~ l' '" ~ . September 15,2004 SASAKI Mr. Peter Hellegers City Planner City of Arden Hills 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills MN 55112. 5794 re: Bethel University Residence Hall Stair Extension to Roof SA #14540,02 Dear Peter: On behalf of Bethel University, we would like to propose a improvement to the life safety provisions of the project by extending the central building stair to the roof. Please ensure rhat the Council is copied on this proposal in advance of the September 27'h meeting, As you may recall, the central stair extended to the roof when we first reviewed the project back in the fall of 2003, As a measure of value engineering in the spring of 2004, the srair projccrion above the roof was eliminated and replaced with a ships ladder, The value engineered design \\'as the project that was presented at Council. At the time of value engineering, the University strongly stared that the first item that would be restored to the project if cost allowed would be the stair extension to the roof, The University is extremely concerned about life safety on campus, particularly at this site that is not directly connected to the main campus infrastructure. While the ships ladder is an approved means of access by local code and by OSHA, the minimal provision of roof access for the Physical Plant staff was not acceptable to BetheL The full stair extension to the roof will provide the University staff and contracted service technicians safe and sure- footed access. The project has received approval to exceed the Arden Hills building height limit of35' in three areas: overall building height, the elevator override, and the architectural feature!chimney, Extending the central stair to the roof is a projection of 16',0,1/2", below the maximum height that has previously been granted approval. The central stair is located on the northwest corner of the building that serves as the 'back' entry from the north parking lor. The view from the north toward the northwest corner will be obscured by the preserved canopy of existing trees. The stair extension will be obscured from the 'main' east entry by both the sight lines from the campus road to the south and by the significant amount of existing trees coupled with the proposed landscape plan.