Lowell Historic Board approves rehabilitation and rear addition for 278 Central Street; architect to rebuild failing rear structure

The Lowell Historic Board on April 14 approved exterior rehabilitation and a new rear addition for 278 Central Street, a building dating to 1824 long used as lodging. The board’s approval allows demolition and reconstruction of a failing rear addition and several exterior alterations designed to highlight the building’s historic mansard and storefront.

Architect Anthony Mackey, representing the applicant, described the building as a composite of multiple historic alterations with a front masonry block and a rear boxy addition from about 1906. Mackey said interior demolition exposed widespread structural deterioration in the rear and center floors that required replacing floor framing. “When we fully exposed it, it just it wouldn't be sustainable in terms of safety or meet even today's code,” he told the board.

The project keeps a First-Floor commercial space and retains a central historic stair while reconfiguring upper floors to provide bathrooms for each lodging room. Mackey said the team will reconstruct the rear portion to add modestly larger rooms at the back, step the new addition back about 18 inches in places to reduce visual massing, and use a mansard-inspired roofline on the new volume to relate to the historic front.

Board members praised the design as responsive to the building’s history and to neighborhood context. One board member said the plan “maintains the brickwork and the integrity of what we're kind of familiar with but presents it in a new light,” and another urged preserving the existing slate mansard, a material the applicant confirmed would be retained.

The applicant also described proposed exterior changes to the storefront: larger, historically scaled windows, rebuilt storefront panels and an accessible entry to comply with accessibility requirements for commercial spaces. Mackey told the board the team prefers water-struck brick and custom brick molds to match historic profiles and will submit samples and detailed storefront drawings for staff review.

Mechanicals and rooftop equipment were addressed: the applicant reported roughly 27–29 rooftop HVAC units laid out to remain set back from roof edges and largely invisible from the street. The board asked for continued coordination on the rear mansard detail and fenestration so the new work reads as compatible with the historic core.

On interior work, Mackey said the team retained and stabilized the central stair and jacked up sagging floor sections in the middle of the building; sections of original framing were removed where they were structurally compromised. The applicant emphasized that interior finishes and framing decisions were made to preserve the building’s industrial character where feasible while meeting current code and safety standards.

The board approved the design as presented and directed that final brick samples, storefront details and mansard treatment be supplied during the building-permit and administrative review process. The approval also noted the project’s ongoing coordination with the National Park Service for federal historic-preservation tax-credit review.

The motion to accept the design passed by voice vote; the transcript records unanimous “Aye” responses.