Commission holds Van Fleet Circle new-house application for revisions on glazing and window heights

The Nantucket Historic District Commission held an application for a new dwelling on Van Fleet Circle on May 13 and asked the applicant to return with revisions that reduce the visual scale of large windows and the overall massing, particularly on the west elevation facing Tom Nevers fields.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the house was set deep on the lot but visible from public areas and that the current design included a high degree of glazing (large C-type windows and 8-foot door/window opening heights near 7 feet 11 inches) that made the building read larger than appropriate for its setting.

What the board asked for - Commissioners asked the applicant (presented by Chip Webster) to reduce the height and number of tall vertical windows and doors and to explore alternative window groupings so the facade does not appear dominated by 7'11" openings. - The board noted the zoning maximum height is 30 feet and that the applicant had reduced the ridge line from a higher number to 29 feet 6 inches (a reduction of roughly 2 feet 4 inches), but commissioners still wanted the fenestration to be scaled down so the structure’s mass reads less imposing from Tom Nevers fields and the fairground parking area. - The commission also requested reduced glass sizes and fewer repeated full-height openings on the west elevation; commissioners said the west elevation is the most exposed and suggested using fewer large “connector” windows, or grouping windows to reduce the sense of repetitive glazing.

Result The commission voted to hold the application for revisions so the applicant can return with reworked parts of the west elevation, smaller window heights, and simplified fenestration; the motion to hold for revisions carried unanimously.

Applicant note and next steps The applicant told the commission they had already reduced heights of doors and ceiling plates to lower the ridge to 29'6" and had reduced other dimensions, but the board asked that the applicant return with specific design revisions to the windows and doors before the commission will act to approve the project.