The following districts comprise the Ludlow Mixed-Use District:
A. Ludlow Mixed-Use (L-MX) District. The L-MX District includes a combination
of industrial, commercial, and residential uses, centered around the
Ludlow Metro-North train station. The area covered by the L-MX District
is shown in Map E: L-MX District. The L-MX District is intended to support existing job-creating
light industrial uses while also allowing mixed-use and residential
buildings, encouraging flexibility to facilitate new development,
and capitalizing on the train station to create a vibrant, transit-oriented
district.
(1) Key streets. The key streets of the L-MX District are shown in Map
F:L-MX Key Streets. The purpose of key streets is to preserve and enhance the pedestrian-oriented commercial environment and promote economic development focused on active uses such as retail, restaurant, service and entertainment uses. To achieve this, regulations require certain ground-floor uses, a storefront design at the street level, and increased transparency requirements.
Table 43-1: Schedule of Use Regulations includes a column that lists principal uses that are permitted
on the ground floor on key streets. The following streets are designated
as key streets in the L-MX District:
(a)
Ludlow Street between Riverdale Avenue and Bridge Street.
The provisions of the City of Yonkers' green building standards
apply to the construction, addition, alteration, enlargement, removal
and demolition of every structure and any appurtenances connected
or attached to such structures and to the site on which the structure
is located, except that these provisions do not apply to detached
and attached one- and two-family dwellings.
New buildings, structures, and uses in the L-MX District must
meet the following design standards:
A. Nonresidential and mixed-use buildings. The following design standards
apply to new nonresidential and mixed-use buildings:
(1) Facade articulation and massing.
(a)
Buildings must be designed with a defined base, middle and top.
(b)
Public entrances must be well defined and visible from the street.
(c)
Blank walls (walls without windows or doors) shall not face
any street in the L-MX District. Any facades that face a street must
be broken into bays, be designed with windows and doors, or otherwise
designed to enliven the streets. Windows are required as part of any
facade facing a street. In addition, facades must have at least two
of the following architectural features to add interest to the building
elevation:
[1]
Change in wall or building plane of varying depths, at least
two feet in depth and 18 inches in width, at least once every 30 feet
for the length of the facade.
[3]
Changes in color, texture and/or material.
FIGURE 6: BASE, MIDDLE AND TOP FACADE ARTICULATION
|
FIGURE 7: DEFINED PUBLIC ENTRANCES
|
FIGURE 8: ARTICULATION OF FACADES FACING A STREET
|
FIGURE 9: ARTICULATION OF FACADES FACING A STREET: CHANGE
IN WALL OR BUILDING PLAN OF VARYING DEPTHS
|
(d)
The ground floor must be designed as follows:
[1]
A minimum ground floor height of 12 feet is required, as measured
from grade to the second floor.
[2]
The ground floor must maintain a transparency of 50% in the
facade facing the street. No more than 25% of any window or door,
if the door is constructed of glass, may be covered with signage of
any type.
[3]
Ground floor windows must be clear, untinted glass.
[4]
A minimum eighteen-inch-high knee wall is required in the facade
facing the street. Knee walls are limited to a maximum height of 36
inches.
FIGURE 10: GROUND FLOOR TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS
|
FIGURE 11: REQUIRED KNEE WALL DIMENSIONS
|
(e)
Upper story facade articulation must reflect a similar rhythm
and proportion to that of the ground floor facade.
(f)
Upper story windows must create a rhythm, either symmetrical
or equally spaced, across the facade and, where appropriate, must
be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the
ground floor. Tinting of upper story glass is limited to 20%.
(g)
The elevation of horizontal facade elements, such as cornices,
belt courses, awnings, sign friezes and canopies, must generally align
with those of surrounding buildings.
(h)
The cornice height of new structures should match the cornice
height of adjacent structures, where applicable.
FIGURE 12: RHYTHM OF UPPER STORY WINDOWS
|
FIGURE 13: ALIGNMENT OF HORIZONTAL FACADE ELEMENTS
|
(i)
Buildings located on corners at the intersections of Ludlow
Street and Bridge Street, and Ludlow Street and Hawthorne Avenue,
must use architectural massing to define corners through prominent
decorative features such as turrets, rounded facades, chamfered corners
or other massing characteristics. Buildings located on other corners
throughout the L-MX District at intersections not specified by this
regulation are also encouraged to define corners through the same
type of decorative architectural massing.
FIGURE 14: ARCHITECTURAL MASSING TO DEFINE CORNERS
|
(2) Security gates. Security gates are discouraged in the L-MX District.
If security gates are installed:
(a)
New construction and substantial improvement.
[1]
Security gates must be located on the inside of windows of any
building constructed after the adoption of the L-MX District. For
substantial renovation involving the replacement of the storefront,
all security gates must be located inside of the windows.
[2]
When security gates are engaged, the screening must be designed
to permit viewing into the business. Security gates must be of a lattice-type
design. The lattice-type design must provide a minimum openness of
75% when engaged and allow for viewing inside the building when engaged.
[3]
Security gates must be opened, raised, or otherwise removed
from view during business hours.
(b)
Minor alterations.
[1]
When minor building rehabilitation requires replacement of security
gates, new security gates must be of the 75% open lattice-type design.
[2]
Replacement of any security gates requires lattice-type design.
The lattice-type design must provide a minimum openness of 75% when
engaged and allow for viewing inside the building when engaged.
[3]
When minor rehabilitation includes the exterior storefront,
no new exposed hoods for security gates are permitted on the exterior
of a storefront.
[4]
Security gates must be open, raised or otherwise removed from
view during business hours.
B. Residential. The following design standards apply to new residential
structures:
(1) Two-family.
(a)
Windows or other architectural features are required on all
facades in order to avoid the appearance of blank walls and facades.
Windows must be set into or projected out from the facade, in order
to provide depth and shadow, and be of a consistent style. Porches,
bay windows and special elements are required to vary the articulation
along a street.
(b)
The front entry must be a predominant feature on the front elevation
of a home and be emphasized as an integral part of the building design
with features such as front porches, raised steps and stoops, roof
overhangs, columns and decorative railings to help create a protected
entry area and enhance its appearance.
(c)
The pitch, design and scale of roofs of new dwellings should
be similar to the roof forms of surrounding dwellings.
FIGURE 15: ARTICULATED RESIDENTIAL FACADE
|
FIGURE 16: PROMINENT RESIDENTIAL FRONT ENTRY
|
(d)
Detached garages must be located in the rear yard. Front-loaded
attached garages are limited to a garage door of no more than 22 feet
in width or 50% of the width of the front facade of the house, as
measured along the building line that faces the street, whichever
is greater.
FIGURE 17: PERMITTED GARAGE LOCATION
|
(2) Townhouse.
(a)
Townhouse developments are limited to a maximum of six attached
townhouse units.
(b)
The front facade of townhouses must be articulated through windows,
front porches, raised steps and/or stoops, projected entrances and
overhangs to create substantial shadows and visual interest.
(c)
There must be a unifying architectural theme for a townhouse
development. Each townhouse unit in the development must utilize a
common vocabulary of architectural forms, elements, materials and
colors. The townhouse development shall cause, by means of legal instruments
acceptable to the approving agency and the Corporation Counsel of
the City of Yonkers, there to be an agreement amongst the owners to
maintain the original, approved architectural theme of the townhouses
during the life of the development.
(d)
Windows must be set back into or projected out from the facade,
to provide depth and shadow, and be of a consistent style. In addition,
three-dimensional elements, such as bay windows, should be incorporated
to provide dimensional elements on a facade.
(e)
When the building adjacent is new construction it must respect
the neighboring building.
FIGURE 18: TOWNHOUSE FACADE ARTICULATION
|
FIGURE 19: UNIFYING ARCHITECTURAL THEME
|
FIGURE 20: WINDOWS PROJECTED OUT FROM FACADE
|
(f)
For flat roofs, cornices and parapets should be used to create
architectural relief on the building facades.
(g)
The following standards must be met for the replacement of an
individual townhouse unit within an existing townhouse development:
[1]
The townhouse unit should be built at the established front
setback of the development as a whole, as determined by the existing
front setbacks of townhouses on either side.
[2]
The townhouse unit should match the existing building heights
as determined by adjacent townhouses on either side, with exceptions
for accommodation of grade changes. Where grade changes occur, the
rhythm of building heights within the overall development must be
maintained.
[3]
The townhouse unit should match or complement the roof form
of the group on the front facade. If certain architectural details
are common to the roof design of the street-facing facade of the townhouse
development as a whole, such as cornices or dormers, the townhouse
unit must include this in roof design.
[4]
The cornice height of the townhouse unit should match the cornice
height of the townhouses on either side, with exceptions for accommodation
of grade changes. Where grade changes occur, the rhythm of building
cornice heights within the development as a whole must be maintained.
[5]
The townhouse unit should match the first-floor elevation and
the rhythm of front entrances as determined by adjacent townhouses
on either side, with accommodation for grade changes. Where grade
changes occur, the rhythm of first-floor elevations and entrances
within the development as a whole must be maintained.
[6]
The townhouse unit should match the fenestration pattern of
the development as a whole.
[7]
Architectural features, such as porches, steps and stoops, cornices
and bay windows, that are common to the townhouse development as a
whole should be included and must match or complement the design and
placement of the development.
[8]
Building materials should match those within the townhouse development
as a whole.
FIGURE 21: TOWNHOUSE ESTABLISHED FRONT SETBACK
|
FIGURE 22: TOWNHOUSE MATCHING EXISTING HEIGHTS
|
FIGURE 23: MATCHING BUILDING MATERIALS WITHIN A TOWNHOUSE
DEVELOPMENT
|
(3) Apartment house.
(a)
Structures must be designed with a defined base, middle and
top.
(b)
Public entrances must be well defined and visible from the street.
FIGURE 24: BASE, MIDDLE AND TOP APARTMENT HOUSE FACADE
ARTICULATION
|
FIGURE 25: DEFINED PUBLIC ENTRANCE TO APARTMENT HOUSE
|
(c)
The building mass must be articulated to create substantial
shadows and visual interest by including form-giving elements on all
facades adjacent to a public street such as doors and windows, bay
windows, balconies, terraces, projected entrances and overhangs.
(d)
Facades adjacent to a public street must be designed to be viewed
from multiple directions and, therefore, be designed with consistent
building materials and treatment. There must be a unifying architectural
theme for the entire residential development, utilizing a common vocabulary
of architectural forms, elements, materials and colors.
(e)
Windows must be defined by one or more of the following to provide
facade depth and shadow:
[1]
Recessing windows in from the building wall.
[2]
Projecting windows out from the facade.
[3]
Using window trim to highlight windows.
[4]
Using projecting sills and/or lintels.
(f)
Upper story facade articulation must reflect a similar rhythm
and proportion to that of the ground floor facade.
(g)
Upper story windows must create a rhythm, either symmetrical
or equally spaced, across the facade, and, where appropriate, must
be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the
ground floor. Tinting of upper story glass is limited to 20%.
(h)
The elevation of horizontal facade elements, such as cornices,
belt courses, awnings, sign friezes and canopies, must generally align
with those of surrounding buildings.
(i)
The cornice height of new structures should match the cornice
height of adjacent structures, where applicable.
(j)
Buildings located on corners at the intersections of Ludlow
Street and Bridge Street, and Ludlow Street and Hawthorne Avenue,
must use architectural massing to define corners through prominent
decorative features such as turrets, rounded facades, chamfered corners
or other massing characteristics. Buildings located on other corners
throughout the L-MX District at intersections not specified by this
regulation are also encouraged to define corners through the same
type of decorative architectural massing.
FIGURE 26: RHYTHM OF UPPER STORY WINDOWS
|
C. Industrial. The following design standards apply to new industrial
structures.
(1) Facade articulation and massing.
(a)
Windows are required as part of any facade facing a street.
In addition, any facades that face a street must have at least two
of the following architectural features to add interest to the building
elevation:
[1]
Change in wall or building plane of varying depths, at least
two feet in depth and 18 inches in width, at least once every 30 feet
for the length of the facade.
[3]
Changes in color, texture and/or material.
(b)
In multibuilding complexes, a comprehensive architectural concept
is required. Various site components must be unified through the use
of similar design features, construction, building material and color.
(c)
The design of accessory buildings, such as security kiosks,
maintenance buildings, and outdoor equipment enclosures, must be incorporated
into and compatible in design concept with the overall architectural
concept.
(d)
Predominant facade colors should be neutral or earth-tone colors.
Primary colors, high-intensity colors, metallic or fluorescent colors,
and black are prohibited as predominant facade colors. However, building
trim areas may be brighter and include primary colors. Trim materials
are those that are used for architectural elements and accent and
shall not exceed a total of 30% of any facade.
(e)
A minimum ground floor height of 12 feet is required, as measured
from grade to the second floor.
FIGURE 27: INDUSTRIAL FACADE ARTICULATION
|
(2) Siting requirements.
(a)
Public entrances must be well defined and visible from the public
street. The entry to office or guest facilities must have direct access
from public street frontages or parking areas.
(b)
Storage structures must be sited towards the center or rear
of the site to minimize impact on adjacent parcels and views from
the street.
(c)
Service doors are discouraged on the front and side front facades
of structures. Service doors must be integrated into the overall design
of the building, and recessed and screened where possible.
(d)
Large expansive paved areas located between the street and building
are prohibited. Small, multiple lots separated by landscape and buildings,
or placement behind buildings, is required.
FIGURE 28: SITING OF PUBLIC ENTRANCES
|
FIGURE 29: SEPARATION OF PARKING AREA INTO MULTIPLE LOTS
|
D. Mechanical equipment.
(1) The location of mechanical equipment within the building is preferred
and strongly encouraged.
(2) Ground-based mechanical equipment is discouraged. Wherever possible,
mechanical equipment must be contained within buildings or roof-mounted.
(3) Roof-mounted mechanical equipment must be architecturally integrated
into the design of the structure.
(4) All ground-based mechanical equipment, including, but not limited
to, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning units (HVAC), must
be located only in the rear or interior side yard a minimum of five
feet from any lot line. Ground-based mechanical equipment is prohibited
within the front or side front yard. Ground-based mechanical equipment
must comply with the City's Noise Ordinance.
E. Building material restrictions.
(1) The following building materials are limited to use as trim and accent
materials in the construction of the exterior facade of a structure
within the L-MX District. Trim materials are those that are used for
architectural elements and accent, and are limited to a total of 30%
of any exterior facade and as further regulated by the Building and
Fire Code of New York State:
(d)
Vinyl, aluminum or wood-slat siding.
(e)
Concrete masonry unit (CMU).
(f)
Exposed aggregate (rough finish) concrete wall panels.
(g)
Reflective and mirror glass.
(2) The following building materials are prohibited in the construction
of the exterior facade of a structure within the Ludlow Mixed-Use
Area:
(a)
Glass curtain wall systems.
(b)
T-111 composite plywood siding.
(c)
Large expanses of highly reflective wall surface material.
(3) Corrugated metal is prohibited as a facade building material and
a roof material. This prohibition does not include standing seam metal
roofs.
In addition to the parking requirements of Article
X of the City's Zoning Ordinance, all new development in the L-MX District must meet the following parking and access regulations:
A. Off-street parking lots.
(1) Location. Accessory off-street parking lots are prohibited in the
front or side front setbacks.
(2) Required landscape.
(a)
General requirements. The following landscape is required for
off-street parking in the L-MX District:
[1]
Perimeter parking lot landscape is required for all parking
lots and must be established along the edge of the parking lot.
[2]
Interior landscape is required for off-street parking lots of
20 or more spaces.
[3]
All planting materials used must be of good quality and meet
the American Standard for Nursery Stock, latest edition, as published
by the American Nursery and Landscape Association, hereafter referred
to as the "ANLA," for sizes, grading, root spread, dimension of root
ball, and quality. The use of native species is encouraged. Size and
density of plant material, both at the time of planting and at maturity,
are additional criteria to be considered when selecting plant material.
All landscape must use noninvasive species.
[4]
All landscape materials must be installed in accordance with
the current planting procedures established by ANLA. Planting material
should be grown in a climate similar to or more severe than that of
the City of Yonkers, typical of its species in branch structure, free
of cultural or mechanical injury, insect eggs or their larvae and
plant diseases, and accompanied by certification of inspection from
authorities having jurisdiction over use and shipment. All plant material
must be installed so that soil is of sufficient volume, composition
and nutrient balance to sustain healthy growth.
[5]
All landscape must be maintained in good condition, present
a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, and be kept free of weeds,
refuse and debris.
(b)
Perimeter landscape. A perimeter landscape yard is required
for all off-street parking lots, and the landscape treatment must
run the full length of the parking lot where it abuts a street, excluding
driveways and access points. The perimeter parking lot landscape yard
must be improved as follows:
[1]
The perimeter landscape yard must be a minimum of five feet
in width.
[2]
A single hedge row is required, planted with one shrub every
36 inches on center, spaced linearly. The shrubs must measure a minimum
of 36 inches in height at planting and a minimum of 48 inches to a
maximum of 60 inches in height at maturity. In addition, an ornamental
fence a minimum of four feet in height is required along the perimeter
landscape yard.
[3]
Alternatively, a low wall the height of which provides effective
screening to a maximum height of three feet may be used instead of
shrubs and an ornamental fence. Where possible, plant materials must
be installed between the sidewalk and the wall to provide a softening
effect on the wall.
[4]
All perimeter parking lot landscape areas must be protected
with raised concrete, Belgian block or granite curbs.
(c)
Interior landscape. For off-street parking lots consisting of
20 or more spaces, interior parking lot landscape is required.
[1]
One parking lot island must be provided between every 10 contiguous
parking spaces. As part of site plan approval, parking lot island
locations may be varied based on specific site requirements or design
scheme, to be approved as part of the landscape plan, but the total
number of islands must be no less than the amount required: one island
for every 10 spaces.
[2]
In addition to parking lot islands, additional landscaped areas
must be provided within the interior of parking lots. All rows of
parking spaces must terminate in a parking lot island or landscaped
area. The minimum landscaped area, including parking lot islands,
is 10% of the parking lot area. Perimeter parking lot landscape is
not considered part of the 10% calculation and is not included in
the area used to calculate the required 10%.
[3]
Parking lot islands or landscaped areas must be at least 125
square feet in area. However, parking lot islands must be the same
dimension as the parking stall. Double rows of parking must provide
parking lot islands that are the same dimension as the double row.
[4]
Parking lot islands or landscaped areas must be at least six
inches above the surface of the parking lot and protected with concrete,
Belgian block or granite curbing, except where designed to apply sustainable
techniques allowing the flow and access of stormwater. Such islands
and landscaped areas must be properly drained and irrigated as appropriate
to the site conditions to ensure survivability.
[5]
Shade trees must be the primary plant materials used in parking
lot islands and landscaped areas. One shade tree is required for every
parking lot island or landscaped area. If the island extends the width
of a double row, then two shade trees are required.
[6]
Shrubs must be planted within the parking island to provide
a second layer of planting for visual interest.
[7]
A minimum of 75% of every parking lot island must be planted
in live ground cover, perennials or ornamental grasses. Mulch is required
to fill in planting areas for early growth protection until the ground
cover is established and covers the planting area. It is encouraged
to mulch bare areas for three to five years, or until the plant material
is fully established in the parking islands.
[8]
Plant materials must not be installed to create visibility concerns
for automobiles and pedestrians.
FIGURE 30: PARKING LOT LANDSCAPE
|
FIGURE 31: RAISED CURB DESIGN
|
B. Parking structures.
(1) Ground-floor uses.
(b)
FIGURE 32: PARKING GARAGE GROUND-FLOOR USES
|
(2) Parking ramps.
(a)
On parking structure facades that front on key streets, the
exterior articulation of internal vertical vehicle circulation, such
as ramped portions of the structure used to access higher parking
levels, are prohibited. Where internal ramps front on public streets,
facade design and screening shall be required to mask the internal
ramps.
(b)
On parking structures that front other streets within the L-MX
District, the exterior articulation of internal vertical vehicle circulation,
such as ramped portions of the structure used to access higher parking
levels, are discouraged. Where internal ramps front on other public
streets, facade design and screening is encouraged to mask the internal
ramps.
FIGURE 33: SCREENING OF INTERNAL PARKING GARAGE RAMPS
|
FIGURE 34: GROUND FLOOR PARKING STRUCTURE SCREENING
|
(3) Facade design.
(a)
The design of the facade that fronts on a public street shall
include horizontal design elements, such as knee walls and cornices,
which reflect the design of other structures in the Ludlow Mixed-Use
Area.
(b)
On portions of the ground floor facade where parking spaces
are visible, a decorative screen shall be required above the knee
wall to screen traffic and pedestrians in the public right-of-way
from headlight glare. The total height of the knee wall plus the decorative
screen must be a minimum of four feet.
(c)
A parking structure accessory to a principal building shall
be constructed with materials and design elements that reflect the
principal building.
(d)
For parking structures with rooftop open-air parking, a parapet
wall of four feet shall be required. Additional screening of rooftop
open-air parking is encouraged in addition to the parapet wall.
C. Mechanical parking. All mechanical parking shall be located completely
within a structure and meet the design standards for parking structures.
D. Curb cuts and access.
(1) Any new curb cuts proposed after the adoption of the L-MX District
require site plan review and approval. Site plan review will consider
the following site design standards in the review and approval of
new curb cuts:
(a)
The location of new curb cuts will minimize potentially dangerous
traffic movements and will not create a hazard for pedestrians.
(b)
The property owner has considered the use of alternate methods
as a means to minimize curb cuts, including, but not limited to, cross-access
easements and shared parking.
(c)
New curb cuts are discouraged on key streets (Map F) and may be permitted only after proof of efforts at access
by curb cuts on other streets has been considered.
(2) Single-family and two-family detached and attached dwellings located
on corner lots must provide parking access from the side front setback.
For the purposes of this provision, the side front setback is defined
as the longer front setback. Access must be designed to minimize curb
cuts along the front setback along the block face.
E. Cross-access easements.
(1) Uses with adjacent parking areas are encouraged to provide a cross-access
to allow circulation between sites. Joint-use driveways are encouraged
where feasible. If cross-access is provided, as a condition of its
approval, the approving agency requires a legal instrument satisfactory
to the Corporation Counsel of the City of Yonkers assuring the continued
existence and use of such cross-access with the uses and structures
that it serves.
(2) Cross-access easements must incorporate the following:
(a)
Internal circulation allows the smooth circulation of traffic
between both parking lots and safe access to and from the street.
(b)
Driveways shall meet City standards. No driveway may exceed
24 feet in width.
(c)
Bump-outs and other design features are required to make it
visually obvious that the abutting properties are tied together.
(d)
A site plan is required for coordinated or shared parking areas.
(3) Property owners who establish cross-access easements must:
(a)
Record an easement allowing cross-access to and from properties
served by the joint-use driveways.
(b)
Record a joint maintenance agreement defining the maintenance
responsibilities of each property owner.
FIGURE 35: CROSS-ACCESS EASEMENTS
|
All signs in the L-MX District must meet the requirements of Chapter
47 of the City Code.