Historic district commission tables 931 Faulkner Street multifamily proposal after debate over third story and parking

The Conway Historic District Commission voted to table consideration of a proposal to rehabilitate an existing contributing house and build a new multi‑family structure at 931 Faulkner Street, moving the application to the commission's June 23 meeting after extended public comment and discussion.

The property, a contributing Craftsman/Colonial Revival house built in 1935 within the Robinson Historic District, was rezoned from O‑3 to C‑1 on Jan. 14, 2025. The applicant, developer Brent Salter, said the 0.63‑acre site could support up to 15 dwelling units under C‑1 rules and that his team proposes to rehabilitate the existing building and add a new three‑story structure to the south of it.

Salter told the commission he had engaged preservation experts and an architect who specialize in integrating new construction into historic settings and said the National Park Service review is part of the plan: "When you develop something new, you must not try to make it look like the old. It needs to have a differing identity," he said, describing the design intent and the team's experience with National Park Service processes.

Planning staff presented recommended conditions for a certificate of appropriateness that include: repair of the existing Faulkner Street sidewalk to meet ADA standards; retention of at least five trees along the Faulkner…