Historic zoning commission approves alterations, signage and lighting for 230 Franklin Road building with conditions; courtyard proposal deferred

The Franklin Historic Zoning Commission on Oct. 13 approved a set of alterations, signage and most lighting for Building 1 at 230 Franklin Road (the Factory campus), while deferring a separate courtyard accessory‑structure, fence and lighting proposal for further design review.

The commission approved building alterations — including removal and infill of nonhistoric doors and windows, painting of rear additions, and a replacement storefront assembly on a nonhistoric rear addition — with conditions. That approval excluded one staff condition requiring rear windows to have a double‑hung appearance; commissioners voted to omit that condition after applicants and staff discussed the addition’s commercial character.

Why it matters: The Factory is a distinctive former industrial campus repurposed for commercial use. Commissioners balanced preservation guidelines for residential‑scale buildings against the building’s larger commercial character, ultimately concluding the rear alterations and replacement storefronts were acceptable with conditions but that the rear windows need not be forced into a strictly residential double‑hung form.

Signage and lighting: The commission approved a three‑part sign package for front, side and rear facades as submitted by the applicant, notwithstanding staff’s initial recommendation to deny under residential sign guidance. Commissioners concluded the building’s scale supports the proposed sign sizes for commercial use. The commission did, however, require that sign illumination be downlighting and warm in color; an up‑light proposed for one side sign was denied. For the front façade, the commission amended an initial motion to remove the staff denial, then later approved a front wall sign limited to a 9‑square‑foot maximum placed at the sign’s current height and position.

The commission also approved the broader lighting plan with staff conditions but removed one proposed bar‑style downlight above the “Anthropology” sign on the front facade after discussion; commissioners asked that sign lighting be simpler and, where used, that housings be painted to better blend with the building.

Courtyard proposal deferred: A separate package for a small accessory structure, a horizontal‑board perimeter fence and a set of 20‑foot pole‑mounted lights in the rear courtyard was deferred to a date‑certain (Nov. 10) to allow more detailed design review and to give the design review committee time to examine materials and concealment of fixtures. Staff had recommended denial of the courtyard elements as submitted because the proposed fence and exposed pole lights were not consistent with guidance.

Applicant and staff comments: John Brown (David Lehi Architects) said the building is unusual in the district because of its commercial, factory‑campus character and asked the commission to consider that context when applying residential guidelines. Elizabeth (staff) summarized that staff’s recommended denial of signage and lighting was based on residential standards for wall sign area (4.5 sq ft) and height (max 12 feet). Commissioners concluded the larger sign sizes could be appropriate for this distinctive, larger building if illumination and placement followed the conditions they adopted.

Outcome: Building alterations — approved with staff conditions except staff condition #1 (rear windows double‑hung appearance) removed by motion. Sign package — approved as submitted with conditions on illumination; front sign later limited to 9 square feet at its current placement by motion. Lighting — approved with staff conditions, excluding the front bar downlight which was removed. Courtyard accessory/fence/lighting — deferred to Nov. 10 for further Design Review Committee consideration.