Design Review Board approves updates to Needham Service Center facade with paint and canopy-column conditions

The Needham Design Review Board on July 14 approved exterior façade updates for the Needham Service Center at 1401–1417 Highland Avenue, represented by Jay Dorenzo Properties LLC. The board approved changes that the applicant said are intended to modernize an existing gas-station building and unify its colors, and attached conditions that address a deteriorated planter at the site and peeling canopy columns.

Applicant Jay Dorenzo described the project as an update to a long-standing service station: "it's a gas station I've been in for over 30 years, and we wanna update it to the standards of, 2025," he told the board. The work the applicant described includes painting existing red brick and gable areas in a James Hardie color (described in the application as JH 70-10 Light Mist), replacing the aluminum storefront and exterior doors with bronze aluminum and energy-efficient glass, installing clear glass garage doors, and replacing rotted gable trim with HardiePlank and new AZAC trim.

Board members focused on two visible site elements. The triangular brick planter at the front of the site is deteriorated; the applicant said he may remove it and replace it with precast block later if budget allows. The board adopted conditions to avoid the applicant returning for a minor amendment if the applicant chooses not to remove the planter immediately: the board required that the existing planter be painted to match the approved building color now, with the applicant allowed to return in the future if he replaces the planter. The board also required that the canopy columns (four columns between the canopy and ground) be painted to match either the building body color or the trim, at the applicant's choice, so the site will read as a unified color scheme.

The applicant confirmed the canopy structure itself will not be altered; only the columns will be repainted or otherwise refinished. The motion approved by roll call included both conditions (planter painted to match building; canopy columns painted to match building). The vote was unanimous: Millie Bridal, Steven Dornbusch and Felix Zemmel voted yes.

The board asked the applicant to coordinate with Alisa Litchman (town staff) to receive the written approval and deliver it to the building department for the project record. The applicant said he will return to the board if he later proposes to remove and replace the planter with precast material.