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Historic board approves driveway, drainage and North Tower repairs for 33 South Street (Seward House)
Summary
The Historic Resource Review Board approved a multi-part certificate of appropriateness for 33 South Street that covers interior basement drainage, a temporary blacktop driveway and parking extension, and repair work to the North Tower eave and Juliet Balcony; the board discussed materials and future geothermal work and noted a recusal.
The Historic Resource Review Board approved a certificate of appropriateness covering driveway and drainage work, a temporary parking expansion and exterior repairs to the North Tower eave and Juliet Balcony at 33 South Street (the Seward House).
The applicant described a two-phase approach: first installing an interior drain and sump pump to address recurring water in the north basement, then adding a temporary paved driveway and a roughly 900-square-foot parking extension north of the existing drive to provide two accessible spaces and two to three general-use spaces. The applicant said the driveway would be paved with a single course of blacktop and that the work is intended as an interim solution until a larger geothermal well-field and related HVAC work—planned “in the next 5 years or so”—are completed.
The applicant told the board that past construction disturbed undisturbed clay and created a low area where water pools and enters the stone foundation; in describing basement flooding the applicant said simply, “A lot.” The drainage plan calls for an interior drain tied to a sump pump that will discharge through a buried pipe parallel to the driveway and daylight near the new lot extension.
The board also reviewed repair plans for the North Tower and the Juliet Balcony. The applicant said, “Everything's gonna be any wood that we replace in these areas will be in kind with Western Red Cedar, primed and painted.” Board members debated whether modern materials such as solid vinyl or composite materials would be appropriate; one board member said, “I don't see where you're at a disadvantage in any way by using solid vinyl,” while another urged staying closer to historic materials preferred by SHPO.
Mitch relinquished the chair for this item and recused himself. Members moved and seconded the applications and voted to approve the plans as presented. Staff will issue the certificate of appropriateness and the approvals were recorded by the board.
