Council approves rehab and fourth-story addition at 130 N. Cortez; parking and historic-compatibility questions linger

The Prescott City Council voted 4-1 on Oct. 14 to approve SUP 25-001, a Special Use Permit for a rehabilitation and four-story addition at 130 N. Cortez Street that converts upper floors into residential units and restores a historic-style façade.

The project proposes a remodeled first-floor retail/restaurant space, three residences on both the second and third floors (six units) and a recessed fourth-floor penthouse unit, for a total of seven residential units. The developer will install an elevator, rebuild portions of the façade to approximate an earlier historic appearance and retain the building’s “ghost sign.” The proposal was reviewed by the Prescott Preservation Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission; PPC recommended approval 3–2 and Planning and Zoning recommended approval 7–0, both with the condition that exterior building materials be reviewed by the city’s historic preservation specialist before a building permit is issued.

Tammy DeWitt, the city’s community planner, told council the building was constructed before 1900 and that, under the Land Development Code, “off-street parking within the downtown business shall not be required for permitted uses within buildings constructed prior to 1968.” The applicant is nevertheless providing on-site parking, but engineering and building-code egress requirements reduced final on-site capacity to three spaces in the rear.

Colin Lubdahl of Michael Taylor Architects said the combined egress, required stairways and utility/service pedestals constrained the garage area. “That patio is about 48 feet deep,” he said, and “parking at an angle ... consume[s] that entire area,” leaving space for three angled stalls. He said other configurations were not practical once required egress paths and APS service access needs were included.

Council members pressed the applicant and staff on unit counts and parking. Councilwoman Freeworth asked how many residential units would be created; DeWitt responded that the second and third floors would each contain three apartments and the fourth would be a penthouse, for seven units total. Several council members and public commenters asked whether residents would have reasonable parking access. Tammy DeWitt and the architect said the project team explored potential off-site rental of parking and noted the downtown code exemption for pre-1968 buildings.

Public commenters who supported the project said the building has sat vacant for decades and commended the owner for preservation work. Ralph Hess asked about wheelchair access; the architect confirmed the plan includes an elevator. Some residents and at least one council member objected to the small number of on-site spaces. Councilwoman Ferworth (alternative spelling recorded in the record) expressed the view that approving residential units without more parking was “unacceptable,” though the majority of the council approved the permit with the historic-materials condition.

The developer will be required to submit final exterior materials to the city’s preservation specialist for approval prior to issuance of building permits. The council’s motion to approve included that condition.