Board approves exterior alterations, partial encapsulation at 518 South Fairfax Street with chimney condition

The Board of Architectural Review on Feb. 19 approved exterior renovations and a partial demolition/encapsulation at 518 South Fairfax Street, asking the applicant to work with staff to retain a portion of a chimney and to verify the feature’s age.

The project, presented by Architect Robert Gwynn on behalf of property owners Joseph Crosby and Lauren Torogazy, would relocate the front door one bay to the left, infill the original opening with masonry, replace the home’s windows with putty-set, true-divide single-glazed sashes, rebuild shutters and make other exterior repairs and aesthetic changes including a stained mahogany front door and blue shutters. “We are proposing to do some exterior renovations,” Architect Robert Gwynn said during the presentation, noting examples from nearby houses and historic precedents the team used to guide the design.

The Board’s discussion focused on two issues: the proposal to move the entry from the south/alley side to the street-facing façade, and the fate of a large chimney on the north side. Board member Adams praised the submission and the approach to preserving the building’s layered history, saying, “I couldn’t be more pleased to see this project come to us,” and noting the property’s evolution and the precedent for asymmetrical entries on similar houses. Several board members also said the door relocation was supported by the interior plan and by other historic examples the applicant supplied.

On the chimney, members and staff debated whether the existing stack is an early historic element or a later utility/boiler chimney. Staff and board commentary described the chimney as likely a mid-20th-century addition with cinder-block construction and a boiler flue, and therefore not clearly original. Still, one board member urged retaining some visible portion so the house’s roofline continues to reflect the building’s layered history. The board settled on a condition that the applicant work with staff to retain portions of the chimney (or a visible remnant above the roof) and to verify its date and construction before final approval.

The board approved the application with the staff recommendation for the partial encapsulation item and the additional condition to coordinate with staff on the chimney’s retention and age verification. The architect said the project team could retain the chimney’s upper portion and work with staff on details.

Clarifying details captured in the hearing record include the applicant’s description of multiple historic alterations (encapsulation in brick around 1936 and subsequent additions), staff observation that many existing windows appear to date to about 1961 and are not original, and the presentation’s note that the building previously contained a north-side commercial use (an ice cream shop) that accounts for some non-original work. The applicant also said portions of the rear elevation will be shielded from public view by a private alley and that exterior mechanical units and window security bars would be removed or improved.

The motion passed on a roll call with no recorded opposition.