HDC holds 8 Federal Street gallery addition; commissioners seek lower second‑floor plate and fenestration refinements

The Historic District Commission received a detailed presentation from the Artists Association and its design team on a proposed second‑floor gallery addition at 8 Federal Street and held the application for revisions after commissioners and preservation reviewers questioned roof and facade proportions and the visual impact on the Federal Street streetscape.

Applicants said they need increased wall height on the second floor for usable gallery walls and that the new work would create a more accessible and public gallery. Preservation advisors cautioned against raising the secondary ridge and recommended telescoping mass down from the primary roof rather than raising secondary ridgelines. Commissioners consistently asked the team to reduce the perceived height by lowering the second‑floor top plate where possible (one solution suggested: thicken wall assemblies/knee walls so the clear interior wall height is preserved while exterior plate heights are reduced), to provide a mock‑up or close‑up 3‑D view of the cupola (to confirm it will be visible only from narrow alley and not dominate the street), and to refine the first‑floor fenestration with stronger horizontal banding or structural cues to better balance the larger window openings.

The HDC voted to hold the application pending revisions that address: (1) second‑floor plate/roof proportion reduction or design alternatives that retain interior gallery wall height without increasing exterior plate height; (2) a cupola mock‑up and 3‑D street view showing visibility from Federal Street alleyways; and (3) refined horizontal/structural elements on the first‑floor façade to integrate the enlarged windows with the historic front.