Historic board approves demolition and new Mediterranean‑style house at 2916 Washington Road with conditions

The West Palm Beach Historic Preservation Board on July 22 approved the demolition of a non‑contributing single‑story residence at 2916 Washington Road and granted a certificate of appropriateness for a new two‑story Mediterranean‑style house, with conditions addressing detailing and materials.

The board said the application, as revised, met the city's review standards and moved forward with approval after staff and the applicant presented updated plans. Architect Davis Tamperin said, "We have designed a new residence located at 2916 Washington Road in the Prospect Southland Park Historical District." Development services director Maria Aponte told the board staff believed the applicant "has done a good job trying to address the comments" raised at prior hearings.

Board members emphasized that approval depends on specific refinements. The board's motion ties approval to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and to the city's historic preservation ordinance; it also imposed several project‑specific conditions described in staff materials and in the motion. Those conditions include a minimum 1‑inch separation between windows and corner moldings, matching the window schedule to the elevations, glazing and window sample review at permitting, alignment of the first‑ and second‑floor front facade windows, reduction of the first‑floor cornice by about half, refinement of the front portico to a classical Roman order proportion for staff review, and lowering the second‑floor wood pergola so its head height is immediately above the operable doors.

Architect Tamperin said the replacement design incorporates district features including precast stone surrounds, clay tile roofing, a Mission/Bermuda tile roof and window muntin patterns inspired by nearby homes; the house is sited near the center of a 22,139 square‑foot waterfront lot. Staff presented plan comparisons showing several substantive design changes made since the project's first presentation and recommended approval of demolition and new construction with the conditions noted above.

Board discussion focused on scale and detailing rather than massing. Members asked that a single profile be used for cornices and that fenestration be adjusted to create a clearer relationship between ground and second floors; one board member suggested shifting the upper‑floor windows downward by about 1 inch rather than reducing the corner moldings. Following a pair of motions, the board approved demolition and approved new construction with the listed conditions.

The applicant will return to staff with finalized window schedules, glazing samples and details to be reviewed as part of the building permit process. The board recorded its approval as based on the testimony and the written application and staff report, which the board found to constitute competent, substantial evidence.

Although the board approved the project, several members noted remaining design items for staff review, including final window details and the front portico proportions.

Notes: Demolition and new‑construction approvals are conditional and require submittal of specified details at permitting; no additional land‑use approvals were recorded at the hearing.