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Board upgrades 423 W. San Francisco (Unit A) and garage to contributing status; designates primary facades
Summary
After staff and consultant presentations, the board upgraded the main residence at 423 West San Francisco Street, Unit A, and the garage to contributing status and designated the main structure’s south and east facades and the garage’s west and north facades as primary; one board member dissented.
The Historic Districts Review Board voted on April 8 to designate the residence and garage at 423 West San Francisco Street (Unit A) as contributing resources to the Downtown and Eastside Historic District. Staff recommended the upgrade after historic research and an HCPI (historic cultural properties inventory) by consultant John Murphy showed the building’s core dates to the late 19th century with significant additions by the 1930s and a garage added after 1948.
Staff described character‑defining features on the property: the main structure’s rectangular massing, recessed 3‑over‑1 wooden window on the east elevation, rounded parapets and vigas impressions, and the garage’s west façade and distinctive window openings. Archival maps and aerial photos (1884 Hartman map; Sanborn maps and 1958 aerials) document the building’s historic footprint and later accretive additions, staff said. Staff recommended designating the main structure’s south and east facades and the garage’s west and north facades as primary; staff noted some later portal additions and window storm sash are non‑historic and should be excluded from the primary designation.
Public commenters and neighbors spoke in support. John Eddie, who commented during the meeting, noted the parapet coping and stucco over brick coping are common vernacular treatments in Santa Fe and asked the board to consider the building’s integrity in context. Consultant John Murphy’s HCPI informed staff recommendations; the property owner attended and urged the board to follow Murphy’s recommendation to designate the central south block as primary; the owner also asked that the south block be recognized as contributing.
Motion and vote: Member Aguilar Medrano moved to designate the main structure as contributing with the south and east facades as primary (excluding non‑historic material) and to designate the garage as contributing with west and north facades as primary. The motion was seconded and passed on roll call (Yes: Cherry; Aguilar Medrano; Degnan; Mather; No: Besheide).
