The Crown Point Historic Preservation Commission on June 23 approved exterior signage and removable window vinyl for a planned restaurant at 115 West Joliet Street but declined to approve painting an additional 18–24 inches of brick up to the second-floor limestone ledge.

The decision approves the proposed externally lit sign and translucent vinyl decals for the windows and transom, but the commission voted not to authorize painting the additional top band of brick as part of this application. Commissioners said the commission can require removal of paint on that added band if a future request alters the top part of the façade.

Commissioner Paul Bremer opened the discussion and asked staff to summarize the petition. Chris Pappas, petitioner for Dillinger Holdings LLC, said the sign would be “externally lit” and that the design aims to help the new restaurant’s signage “pop” from the façade. Blake, a planning staff member, noted the commission’s guidelines generally discourage painting brick that is not already painted because of long-term maintenance and reversibility concerns and recommended that any applied treatments be reversible.

Owner Corey Dedimore told the commission he funded prior renovations to the building and said much of the existing brick had previously been painted under earlier approvals. Dedimore said the proposal would change the brick’s color from black to a hunter green on the additional band, and he offered to put in writing a commitment to remove the paint in the future if required.

Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives to painting, including mounting a removable panel or a cleat-mounted siding product to provide the color background without painting the underlying brick. Builders on the call questioned whether a panel solution could cause more physical alteration to the masonry than a professionally applied and, later, professionally removed paint treatment.

After extended discussion about precedent and enforceability, the commission adopted a motion that approves: the signage as submitted; the translucent vinyl lettering and the transom vinyl decals if they are internally mounted and removable; and defers approval of painting the 18–24-inch band of brick up to the limestone ledge. The commission’s action allows staff (Josh and Blake) to administratively approve final sign details once they meet the parameters agreed by the commission.

The vote on the final certificate of appropriateness was recorded in the meeting roll call as unanimous in favor of the motion to approve signage and window vinyl and to withhold approval of the additional painted band, with staff directed to work with the petitioner on administratively reviewable sign details. The commission also recorded that, if a future exterior change affects the top portion of the façade, the board reserves the right to require current or future owners to remove the additional painted band.