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Commission approves rooftop stair and roof-deck access for 111 Portage (200 East Michigan)
Summary
The Kalamazoo Historic District Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for a metal stair and rooftop access at 111 Portage (200 East Michigan) following roof fire damage and a decision by the owners to refinish upper floors.
The Kalamazoo Historic District Commission voted to approve a certificate of appropriateness for installation of a metal stair and rooftop deck access at the building referenced as 111 Portage (also cited at the meeting as 200 East Michigan).
Beth Johnson of Bosch Architecture represented the project and said a fire on the roof in August of the prior year required water to be applied to the roof; the volume of water migrated to lower levels, prompting a decision to refinish the second and third floors. Johnson said the owners want a new enclosed stair from the third floor to the roof so the roof can be used as a resident deck and to provide better access for firefighters. “The owners decided that they'd like to put in a staircase that goes from third to roof and so that the residents can, again, have a deck on the roof, and then also make it more accessible to firemen,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the new stair and roof-deck elements will be on the rear and east sides of the building and will not be visible from the Michigan Avenue frontage or the Portage Street frontage; they will be visible from Bates Alley. She said final decking and railing materials had not been chosen but that the fire department requested noncombustible materials and that the stair will meet current building codes.
A commissioner moved to approve a certificate of appropriateness for work “as described in the application meeting Secretary of Interior Standards 2, 9 and 10.” The motion was seconded and passed on roll call: Katie — yes; Christie — yes; Dana — yes; Dan — yes; James — yes.
Staff said the applicant had a site-plan meeting scheduled the next day and that staff would issue the certificate of appropriateness and communicate the approval to site-plan reviewers.
The approval covers the stair and associated roof access on the rear/east elevations; commissioners emphasized that the work will use noncombustible materials to meet code and firefighter access concerns.
