Whitefish weighs City Hall design options
The Whitefish City Council begins the new year with a presentation of design options for the future City Hall and parking structure complex.
During a work session today from 5 to 7 p.m., Mosaic Architecture of Helena will outline four design alternatives for the structure that will encompass a half block at the northeastern corner of Baker Avenue and Second Street, where the current City Hall is located.
• Option 1 has an 8-foot setback from the street, with a large glass wall at the street corner. Translucent tilt-back awnings, monument signs and a curved main staircase inside City Hall are among the features.
• Option 2 has no setback and features a three-arch glass wall, historic detailing, awning and a south wall staircase.
• Option 3 also has no setback from the street but features a curved entry wall that incorporates the three-arch entry.
• Option 4 has no setback and features a 45-degree entry at the street corner, with an interior staircase wrapped around the elevator.
A City Hall committee for the building project has participated in goal setting, concept design meetings and a workshop about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The committee has provided several recommendations to the council over the last year regarding the design preference.
No formal decisions can be made during the work session, but the council will provide direction by consensus for a number of design elements, including the location of the south wall, or front of the building, the south wall openings, the staircase location and the southwest corner entry design.
A letter from George Crandall of the Crandall Arambula consulting firm noted various concerns with the options and advised the council to work with the architect to produce a lobby and entry plan “that is simple, functional and convincing.
“At this time, none of the options qualify,” Crandall wrote in a Dec. 30 letter to the committee. He further suggested the architect refine the parking structure elevations to eliminate contemporary design features and add an additional elevator that is “grandma” and shopper-friendly.
During the regular council meeting that begins at 7:10 p.m., Chuck Wilhoit will give a facility and program update for the Whitefish Community Center, formerly called the Golden Agers Senior Center. Later during the meeting the council will consider a resolution approving a five-year extension of the lease between the city and Whitefish Community Center.
Two public hearings are scheduled.
The first hearing involves a proposed ordinance rezoning 0.17 acres of land at 1016 Park Avenue from county two-family residential to city two-family residential zoning.
The second hearing will consider a conditional-use permit request from Stephanie Elm to establish a health club with a retail shop at 237 Baker Ave.
Both the work session and council meeting are at Whitefish City Hall.