Application to restore 'Petticoat Row' ghost sign held for paint colors and full board review

An application to repaint a faded "Petticoat Row" ghost sign on Center Street was held Wednesday so the advisory committee could review paint-color samples and consider the full advisory board's view.

Applicant Shelley Lockwood presented historic photographs she located at the Nantucket museum and said she wants to "replace that exactly the way it looks" to restore a century-old painted sign. Lockwood said building owner Bill Congdon supports the project and that she consulted painters who have worked with the Nantucket Preservation Trust. Lockwood described the plan as a historically authentic restoration and said she hopes to have photographs taken for a September magazine feature.

Committee members expressed mixed views. Paul Wolf said he thought restoring the sign was a "good idea" but questioned the lettering quality of the original. Chair Mark Catone and Paul Wolf favored more information about proposed paint colors and a finalized design. Kevin Kuester said the application could set a difficult precedent because ghost signs historically are sometimes preserved in their faded state; he recommended the full advisory board review the item. The committee voted to hold the application for two weeks for paint-color specifications and to allow the full committee to consider the request. The applicant said she will attend the Historic District Commission meeting later the same day to follow up.

The committee noted that it requires final color specifications and documented artwork before making a recommendation. The advisory committee's hold is procedural: the HDC will receive the advisory committee's recommendation and the applicant's materials for the final decision.