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Council approves historic renovation and rooftop addition at 130 N. Cortez with conditions; parking remains a concern
Summary
The council granted a special use permit to remodel and add a recessed fourth story to a historic building at 130 N. Cortez Street, allowing seven residential units and ground-floor commercial space; commissioners and public debated limited on-site parking and required preservation review.
The Prescott City Council voted 4-1 on Oct. 14 to approve SUP25-001, allowing a remodel and a recessed fourth-floor addition at 130 N. Cortez Street that will convert the second and third floors to apartments (three units per floor) and add a penthouse unit on the fourth floor while retaining ground-floor retail or restaurant space.
Tammy DeWitt, the city community planner, told the council the building is in the North Prescott National Register District and that the applicant consulted the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the fourth-floor addition and rehabilitation. The Prescott Preservation Commission gave a courtesy recommendation for approval (3-2) with a condition that exterior materials be reviewed and approved by the city’s historic preservation specialist prior to building permit issuance; Planning and Zoning also recommended approval (7-0) with the same material-review condition.
The principal point of debate was parking. The applicant proposes six onsite parking stalls, later revised during plan review to three workable spaces beneath a patio due to required egress stairs, code-required clearances and placement of utility pedestals. DeWitt cited the land development code: off-street parking is not required for permitted uses in buildings constructed before 1968 in the downtown business district. The building dates to the late 1800s, she said, and historic use included apartments prior to 1968.
Councilwoman Freeworth expressed strong reservations about providing so few parking spaces for seven residential units; she and other council members pressed staff and the applicant on the dimensions and constraints that limit on-site parking. Architect Colin Lobdoll of Michael Taylor Architects explained the constraints: two required egress paths, an APS service location and the depth and width under the patio permit only angled parking for roughly three cars. He said the patio is about 48 feet deep and that a 90-degree configuration would not provide safe turning room for vehicles.
Speakers from the public generally supported the rehabilitation. Kathy Rusing, who told the council she had observed construction work on the site, praised the project and suggested the owner could rent nearby parking spaces, including an underground garage at an adjacent modern building. Another resident asked about ADA access; the architect confirmed an elevator will serve the upper floors.
Council approval included the recommended conditions from the preservation commission and planning bodies, primarily requiring submission and approval of exterior materials by the city preservation specialist before building permits are issued. The motion to approve carried 4-1.
The final site plan and building permit review remain subject to staff checks and the preservation-materials requirement before construction proceeds.
