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Architecture board conditionally approves removal of remaining Weber Building wall pending city structural review
Summary
Stallings and Sons asked to remove a freestanding wall at the former Weber Building on North Perry Street. The architecture review board approved demolition of the wall but conditioned final work on a city structural engineer's review and required that any future development return to the board for design review.
The Montgomery City Architecture Review Board voted to allow the demolition of the remaining exterior wall of the former Weber Building at 39 North Perry Street, but the board made approval contingent on a city structural engineer's assessment and city permitting.
The board's decision matters because the wall adjoins a city-owned building and has been exposed to the elements since at least 02/2018, prompting city staff to hire a structural engineer to evaluate whether removing the wall would damage the adjacent property.
Rick Stallings of Stallings and Sons, the contractor seeking the demolition permit, told the board he submitted drawings and a 2018 structural engineer's schematic showing options to either "marry up" the two walls or remove the Weber wall. Stallings said the city, which now owns the adjacent building, elected not to join the walls and asked for the wall removed.
Board members and staff discussed whether the architecture review board's purview includes structural safety. Several members said the board's role is to grant a certificate of appropriateness for demolition and to require that any new development come back to the ARB for design review. Robert Smith, Montgomery City planning director, told the board the city is hiring an updated structural engineer's report to determine the potential impact of demolition on the adjacent city-owned building.
Board member comments recorded concern that demolishing the wall without the city's structural review could risk damage to the neighboring building. Board members agreed to approve the COA for removal of the wall with conditions: the city must complete its structural assessment and issue any necessary permits before demolition work begins, and any design proposals for the site will return to the ARB for review.
Stallings said he did not object to a short delay while the city completes its study. The board voted in favor of the conditioned approval by voice vote; no opposition was recorded on the agenda audio.
The board noted that site plans and building permits remain the responsibility of the city building department and that any required repairs or sealing of exposed masonry would be addressed through city permitting and the forthcoming structural report.
Board and staff directions included the city's immediate hiring of a structural engineer and the requirement that demolition not start until the city issues its permit following the engineer's review.
The board's conditional approval resolves the ARB step of the process; the permit timeline now depends on the city engineering department's findings and the building permit process.
