Chanhassen, MN Architectural Design LetterO R G A N
711 N. Fielder Road ■ Arlington, TX 76012 ■ T: 817.635.5696 ■ F: 817.635.5699
October 23, 2020
City of Chanhassen
7700 Market Blvd
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Reference: Christian Brothers Automotive
8941 Crossroads Blvd (Lot 3, Block 1, Crossroads of Chanhassen)
Chanhassen, MN
To whom it may concern:
The proposed new Christian Brothers Automotive on Lot 3, Block 1, of the Crossroads of
Chanhassen has been designed to complement the architecture of the neighboring buildings in the
Crossroads of Chanhassen Planned Unit Development.
The building has been designed with horizontal and vertical articulation to break up long expanses of
wall surfaces. The office entry is accentuated with prominence by creating a front porch with an
arched opening and the tallest roof parapet. Awnings over the windows on the office side of the
building create interest at the pedestrian level. The wall planes move in and out across the facade.
This horizontal articulation is highlighted by the vertical articulation of the roof parapets with a
stepped cornice that matches the shape of the neighboring buildings. This changing of the building
shape creates the look of a collection of smaller buildings placed together.
To unify the building's changing shape, the proposed new Christian Brothers Automotive uses
coordinating masonry materials on all four facades. The masonry includes a decorative CMU at the
base in some planes, three colors of brick, and E.I.F.S. (exterior insulation finish system) at the top
of the walls that also creates the stepped cornice around the building. All the materials specified for
the proposed new Christian Brothers Automotive are the exact specification of the materials on the
retail development across the parking area in the Crossroads of Chanhassen PUD.
To balance the different building shapes created by vertical and horizontal articulation, the
coordination of material colors ties the building together. Brick color M-8 `Toasted Fine Art Velour'
is used as the main field color in sections and then used as an accent band at doors and windows in
the adjacent sections, on all four facades. Brick color M-9 "White Velour' is used as an accent band
at the front porch entry, doors and windows, and coordinates with the E.I.F.S. M-12 at the top of the
building. The E.I.F.S. colors at the top of the building wrap around all four facades to create a
cohesive building design. All the windows and doors on all four facades will be a light gray color.
The light shade of gray is similar to the car wash on the neighboring lot and allows the overhead
doors to blend into the site paving. The selection of building material colors is an important
connection of the proposed new Christian Brothers Automotive building to the neighboring
buildings.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need any more information.
Sincerely,
Cortland Morgan, AIA