The Architecture Review Board on July 17 granted a certificate of appropriateness for a premanufactured exterior elevator shaft at 247 Parkview, approving the installation with a condition that final drawings be reviewed by the design consultant and shared with board members.

John Anderson presented the application, describing a modular premanufactured elevator (Civis 5000 in the applicant’s examples) that would be installed outside a rear service stair to provide wheelchair access between floors. He said the proposed solution was chosen after reviewing multiple vendors and that the modular shaft would be assembled on site; he also noted a lead time for procurement.

Karen, the staff member, summarized the application and described the location chosen to minimize interior penetrations: "the location was determined because that was the place where you could punch through at all the different floor levels without having to change locations for elevators." Board members discussed the product’s modularity and materials. Several members asked for more consistent panel rhythm and elevation details; others suggested making the tower more transparent and aligning colors to the house’s existing metals or gutters rather than leaving a bare aluminum finish.

After discussion, the board adopted findings and moved to approve the application with the condition that "the final drawings be reviewed by the design consultant and shared with the board members." The motion to approve with that condition passed.

Why it matters: the approved exterior elevator addresses accessibility needs for a resident who uses a wheelchair and represents a case in which a modern prefabricated component will be added to a historic or traditional house. The board conditioned its approval on additional detail work to ensure the assembly’s rhythm and materials are compatible with the main structure.

Next steps: the applicant will submit final shop drawings and panel/glass choices to the design consultant and the ARB; staff will circulate those documents to board members for review prior to installation.

(Ending) The board’s conditional approval allows procurement and further shop drawing development to proceed while preserving an opportunity for final design oversight.