Salina design board approves facade work and conditioned rooftop plan at Iron and Santa Fe

The Salina Design Review Board on an aye vote approved a certificate of compatibility allowing exterior repairs, new storefronts and a future rooftop structure for a building at the northwest corner of Iron Avenue and Santa Fe.

The board approved the application 3-0 after staff presented plans from Tab 20 22 LLC’s architect and recommended approval with a condition that substantial future changes be returned to staff or the board for review.

Staff said the project responds to exploratory demolition performed in August 2024 that revealed painted stucco applied directly to the original brick, rather than to a separate protective layer. The stucco — largely installed during a 1957 renovation — shows surface chips and hairline cracks; the architect is proposing media blasting, repair and a troweled stucco finish to match the existing stone pattern. Staff concluded the post‑1957 stucco has gained its own historical significance and recommended preserving intact features.

Maggie Gillum, the project architect for Tab 20 22 LLC, told the board the second‑story windows on the south and east facades will be restored while the first‑floor storefronts will be replaced with new aluminum systems. “The storefront will provide entry to a new tenant space as well as the second‑floor loft apartments,” Gillum said.

Owner Jessica Petro Sakuman described intended uses. She said the main level on the east facade will include an indoor children’s playground with a party room and paid public entry; the south storefront will serve as entry to tenant space and access to loft apartments. Sakuman said an elevator will be installed that will serve all floors and the rooftop.

Sakuman also said the penthouse is proposed as a rooftop bar with operable garage doors to link indoor and outdoor spaces, but the rooftop bar would not be implemented before Feb. 19, 2026. “It will feature raised areas for live music,” she said, adding that about half the roof area would be usable for the bar while the remainder would accommodate mechanical equipment.

Board members pressed on safety and historic detail. Staff and the project team said parapet height appears to meet the 42‑inch guardrail standard but that new guardrails would be provided if needed once roofing is removed and final measurements taken. The project architect said a small area of original stone at the southeast corner will be cleaned and repaired, and that missing pieces would be filled with cementitious material to match texture and finish.

Staff noted that because the property lies within the Business Improvement District, design review board approval is required before building permits can be issued. The board’s approval included staff’s condition that any significant changes to materials or the rooftop design be routed back to staff to determine whether board review is required.

The board also received notice that construction of the rooftop bar would require a conditional use permit and subsequent review by the point of commission when plans for that phase are submitted. The project team said the rooftop will include enclosed heated/cooled areas for egress, restrooms and mechanical space; the open portion would use patio heaters and string lighting.

After discussion, a motion to approve option 2 (approval with staff‑recommended condition) passed with all members present voting in favor.

The board had no additional administrative business and scheduled its next meeting in two weeks to consider a downtown sign permit application.