Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-12 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF June 12, 2014 MINUTES Commission Members Present: Donald Lewis III Marie Grady Sonia Mallar Reese Perkins Elizabeth Rettenmaier (associate) City Staff Present: Jennifer Boothroyd Paul Nicklas Chairman Lewis called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 1: Approval of HPC meeting minutes from May 8, 2014 meeting Chairman Lewis initiated the reading of the meeting minutes for review. Ms. Boothroyd began to read the minutes. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to forego the reading of the minutes and approve them as written. Commissioner Mallar seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. Item No. 2: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness approval for new lighting at 80 and 100 Broadway, John Bapst Memorial High School, applicant Mel Mackay, director of John Bapst Memorial High School, approached the podium and summarized the proposal for the Commission. The applicant plans to add lighting to the front of the school building, and lights to the exterior of the girls’ dormitory next door. Mr. Mackay noted that there are safety concerns relating to recent incidents, and additional lighting should prove to make the area safer after dark. Commissioner Rettenmaier asked if the proposed lights are downcast. Gary LeClaire of LeClaire Electric, who will be doing the lighting installation stated that the fixtures are 2 downward-facing. He showed the Commission a sample of the proposed fixture for the school building, an LED bar light. Commissioner Mallar asked how the lights would be attached to the school. Mr. LeClaire responded that they would be bolted to the concrete façade of the building. Commissioner Mallar asked if the bolts would be visible, and Mr. LeClaire said that they wouldn’t be visible from street level, they will be too high up. They will be placed on top of the existing ledge on the building façade. Commissioner Perkins asked if the lights would be lit all night, and Mr. Mackay said that they probably would not be. Commissioner Mallar asked what type of siding is on the exterior of the girl’s dormitory. Mr. Mackay confirmed that it is clapboard siding. Mr. LeClaire confirmed that the fixture proposed for the dormitory building will be white, to match the building’s exterior, with a white motion sensor. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to approve installation of the lighting and sensor as proposed at 80 and 100 Broadway, with the condition that damage to the buildings be minimized, and that work be started within six months and completed within a year, and that photos of the completed work be submitted to the Planning office. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously with Commission members Lewis, Grady, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Item No. 3: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness and Design Review approval for painting, door replacement, and a sign at 25-27 Broad Street, Robert Perry Builders, applicant Robert Perry, owner of Robert Perry Builders, approached the podium and summarized the proposal for the Commission. The applicant plans to repaint, replace front doors, and install a new sign as part of ongoing renovation work at 25-27 Broad St. Chair Lewis noted that the Commission has reviewed changes at this building in the past, when it was under different ownership. Wayne Mallar asked a question as a member of the public. Mr. Mallar wondered if the original doors are still in the building. Mr. Perry stated that they aren’t. Mr. Mallar noted that in a previous review of renovations at this building, the original doors were available, and the Commission had said that they should be repaired and used. Mr. Mallar asked if the granite threshold that is currently at the street level on the building remain in place. Mr. Perry said that it would. Sara Martin, consultant to the commission, stated that the original appearance of the doors should be matched, if possible. Mr. Perry showed the Commission a current photo of the existing exterior of the building, and noted that there are no interior walls between the buildings at 25 and 27 Broad St. He is currently proposing to use aluminum replacement doors that match one existing door. Ms. Martin inquired how the sign would be attached. Mr. Perry stated that the granite block sign will be attached to masonry, through the mortar. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to approve the painting and sign installation as proposed in the application, but not the door replacement at this time, with the conditions that the sign be installed through the mortar of the building’s masonry, and that photos of 3 the completed work be submitted to the Planning office within six months of completion. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion, which passed unanimously with Commission members Lewis, Grady, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Mr. Perry indicated that he will do some research about the original appearance of the doors, and will return to the Commission for door replacement approval. Item No. 4: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness approval for a new deck at 91 West Broadway, Nick Giudice, applicant Elizabeth Barry, approached the podium representing the applicant and summarized the proposal for the Commission. The applicant plans to construct a new deck at the rear of the residence at 91 West Broadway. The new structure has been designed to harmonize with the building, and only a small portion of it will be visible from the front of the building or the street. Commissioner Mallar asked if any railings are proposed. Ms. Barry stated that no railings are proposed. Commissioner Rettenmaier noted that in the sample photo a fabric overhang is shown, and asked if the applicant is proposing a fabric overhang. Ms. Barry stated that she does not believe the design for this deck includes fabric. Commissioner Perkins made a motion to approve the construction of a new deck at 91 West Broadway as proposed. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with Commission members Lewis, Grady, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Item No. 5: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness approval for an addition at 120 Park Street, Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, applicant Evan Richert, Bob Kelly, and Charles Boothby introduced themselves as representatives of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Maine. Mr. Richert approached the podium and summarized the proposal for the Commission. The applicant plans to add an addition to an alcove area of the church building to accommodate an elevator and bathrooms. He noted that the applicant will probably require two years to complete the project. Ms. Martin asked if the fenestration will be matched. Mr. Kelly responded that it couldn’t be due to the elevator. Commissioner Mallar asked if the “brick veneer” proposed would be real brick. Mr. Kelly stated that it is real brick, and that the dimensions of the brick would match that of the existing building. He also noted that the new window muntins will match the originals. Commissioner Perkins asked if the existing light on the exterior church wall will be on the exterior wall of the new addition. The applicant was not sure at this time if it would be. Ms. Martin asked if the new upper window would have a flat arch and cast concrete sill like the current window. Mr. Kelly stated that it would. Ms Martin asked if the window would abut the cornice as it does now, or if it won’t, as suggested in the architectural sketch. Mr. Kelly stated that he thinks it will need to abut the 4 cornice. He also stated that the cast concrete band design element will be maintained throughout the building. Commissioner Perkins asked how close the new wall would come to the existing left-hand window. Mr. Kelly stated that it would be about 2 or 3 feet away. Two existing windows will be lost when the addition is built. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to approve the addition as described with the following conditions: 1) the new window maintain a flat brick arch, 2) the concrete sill be maintained throughout the building, 3) that the proposed window be moved to the cornice, and 4) that construction begin within a year and completed within two years, with photos of the completed work submitted to the Planning office. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion, which passed unanimously with Commission members Lewis, Grady, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Item No. 6: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness and Design Review approval for sign changes at 40 Harlow Street, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, applicant Seamus Higgins, a representative of EMDC, approached the podium representing the applicant and summarized the proposal for the Commission. EMDC intends to change the lettering on its existing sign to represent a new business being housed at 40 Harlow Street, and also to update their logo on the sign. Ms. Martin asked what the sign is made of. Mr. Higgins stated that the sign is aluminum and the letters are vinyl. He noted that only the vinyl lettering will be changed. Commissioner Rettenmaier asked if the existing letters on the sign are made of the same vinyl as the proposed letters. Mr. Higgins said that they are. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to approve the sign changes as proposed, with the condition that work be started within six months and finished within a year. Commissioner Mallar seconded the motion, which passed unanimously with Commission members Lewis, Grady, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Additional Business: Chairman Lewis made a statement regarding projects being done on buildings and in districts under HPC jurisdiction that are not being brought before the Commission for review. Other Commissioners voiced similar concerns. Chairman Lewis asked that his concerns be brought to the City Council. Ms. Boothroyd stated that she would pass along the statement to the City Manager with his request. Ms. Martin stated that August will be her final month serving as consultant to the Commission. There being no further issues for consideration or discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 P.M.