Lebanon historic commission approves facade renovation for 115 West Main with condition to fill select openings

The Lebanon Historic Preservation Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for a facade renovation at 115 West Main Street at its recent meeting, voting to require that certain east- and south-side openings be infilled to match the building exterior.

The approval covers a set of changes to the building in the Lebanon Courthouse Square Historic District: adding a second storefront entry to serve a new second-floor apartment, removing and replacing second-floor wood windows with aluminum-clad windows finished in white, repainting the entire façade, restoring two first-floor window openings on the east façade, installing a recessed brick infill in a former door opening, and replacing an awning shingle surface with a standing-seam, matte-copper-colored metal roof. The applicant also noted new mini-split HVAC units and said the roof is in good condition and will not be altered.

Commission staff advised the project is compatible with the district and recommended approval. Robert Crawford, the property owner and applicant, told the commission the second-floor units are intended as "extended stay luxury suites, marketed towards the business traveler," and said the proposed palette and materials are intended to brighten the building and harmonize with adjacent storefronts.

Public comment included Missy Krulich of Heart of Lebanon, who cautioned against permanently bricking over historic window openings: "When you board up a window because it's gone forever. And then when that building use changes and that new building owner wants to reconfigure the First Floor, that window is bricked in." The project architect, Andrew Anderson, recommended a detail that would avoid permanently bonding new brick to existing masonry: he said the infill should be set back a half inch and "not toothed in" so the brick could be removed in the future and the original opening retained.

Commission discussion focused on a cluster of rear openings that are currently covered with siding or boarded. One commissioner moved to approve the COA with a provision that the applicant revise the plans to show that the specific openings (the motion identified two or three on the east side and one on the south side) be addressed consistently with the project; another commissioner seconded the motion. The roll call showed the motion carried unanimously.

Derek (staff) recused himself from the item at the start of the presentation, saying the project is one he is "bringing to the commission, in partnership with the owner." Jennifer (staff) took the roll and handled the recording. Earlier in the meeting the commission also approved the minutes from its last meeting and elected officers: George Piper as president, Andrew (first name only in the record) as vice president, and Scott Allen as secretary.

The commission's approval included a direction that the applicant coordinate the final material selection and detailing with staff, and that the east- and south-side openings identified in the motion be filled or otherwise treated to provide continuity for the exterior; the architect indicated a preferred detailing that would retain existing sills and lintels and allow future reversal of the infill.

The commission said it will expect revised drawings showing the required infill and material continuity before staff issues any COA certificate. The commission's next scheduled meeting is June 5 at 6 p.m.