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The Costco warehouse design introduces a new modern structure with sustainability features and an enlivened public realm. A key consideration of the building design is to ensure that operational activities such as the receiving area and tire center are oriented away from the residential community. The pedestrian entrance area is larger than a typical Costco warehouse entrance for two reasons. First, it allows for the creation of an outdoor plaza that enhances the customer experience and highlights the entrance. Second, it creates a safe environment by providing easily accessible and highly visible access to the warehouse. Additionally, the design proposes replacing the 4-foot wall along Graves Avenue with a 6-foot wall set back to align with the Costco building and increase the landscaped area and screen parking.
The floor plan is unique with the inclusion of the vertical circulation component, providing opportunities to create bold and interesting design elements. The vertical circulation element presents an exciting aspect to this location, using both elevators and travellators. Travellators are sloped people movers that safely carry the members and their carts at the same time between the parking on the roof and the warehouse entrance.
The vehicle ramp will utilize a perforated metal screen to help conceal the ramp from surrounding businesses. This enables the ramp to create a design aesthetic with some transparency and visual interest that mimics design elements on other warehouse elevations. The perforated panels will be used at the top of the walls to help screen the parking along three sides to emphasize the massing moves and break up the large elevations. Six-foot solid parapet walls will be used along the north elevation to reduce any light transmission to the residential neighborhood.
The proposed landscape design features a dynamic, bold, and visually engaging planting layout consisting of colorful accent trees, diverse shade tree species, and sweeping drifts (massing) of understory plant species at vehicular and pedestrian entryways, parking lot islands, and street frontages. The planting design consists predominantly of sustainable drought-tolerant species adapted to both local and regional climate conditions. Once established, most selected plant species will require low water and landscape maintenance.
The overall intent is to create a unifying and impactful landscape appearance to the site, as well as to achieve a supportive relationship between the building and landscape. In addition, the proposed landscape design will achieve an overall aesthetically pleasing experience not only for Costco members, but also for the Westgate Shopping Center and community at large.
Large canopied deciduous and broadleaf evergreen trees will be integrated into parking lots, pedestrian walkways, and along the street frontages. These trees will, in time, provide much needed shade and reduce ambient heat during times of the year when solar exposure is intense and soften the northern building facade. Additionally, the plan intends to preserve the 55 beautiful magnolia and olive trees located on Graves Street.
The entire proposed project will incorporate sustainability features to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability. Click here to see some of the significant practices that Costco currently incorporates into new buildings that help conserve energy and other natural resources and are expected to be used in connection with the development of the site.
Costco wants to hear from you whether you’re a resident, a neighborhood organization, or an interested community member! We’ll provide opportunities for questions and feedback throughout the planning process and send out regular updates to keep the community informed.
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