Historic Preservation Commission approves multiple certificates of appropriateness; Trinity School parking and neighborhood garage disputes draw public comment

Oklahoma City — The Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday approved several certificates of appropriateness (CAs) for work across Midtown and the Paseo, including a two‑lot parking expansion at Trinity School (the former Edgemere Elementary), a new garage and addition at properties in Mesta Park and Heritage Hills, and a covered side balcony at a Shepherd neighborhood house.

The commission front‑loaded action on projects with the most public interest: a proposed parking expansion and two curb cuts onto a 15‑foot alley for Trinity School at 3200 N. Walker Avenue, and a proposed replacement/relocation of a historic garage at 425 NW 16th Street that prompted a neighbor dispute over surveys and property lines.

Why it matters: the commission balances preservation of historic materials and neighborhood character with property owners’ requests to adapt older buildings for modern uses. Several applicants said the work is required for safety, habitability or to make a property functional for a growing household or school program; neighbors warned that some changes could increase traffic, alley congestion and impact small businesses that rely on alley deliveries.

Trinity School parking expansion wins CA after public concerns about alley use and deliveries

The commission approved a multi‑part CA for Trinity School (3200 N. Walker Ave.) to add two parking areas and related site work, with staff conditions on landscape screening and verification of required parking‑lot trees. Mark Zitza of Johnson & Associates, the applicant’s designer, said the school — which serves students with learning differences and is expanding into additional grades — needs more staff and student parking.

“We tried to design a parking lot in what we believe to be the most minimally invasive way into the site,” Zitza said, describing one new lot wrapping an existing drive and a second lot on the northeast corner. He told commissioners the project adds about 54 parking spaces and that engineers will provide a cross‑section of the terrace grading shown in the materials.

Neighbors and nearby business owners urged care in how the project affects the alley that runs behind the commercial buildings on Walker. Scott Spreidling, speaking for Citycorp LLC (property owner immediately south of the school), urged the commission to limit curb cuts onto the alley so school drop‑off queuing would not spill into the narrow passage used for deliveries and business access.

“We have to block out almost an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon,” said Joy Reidbelt, building owner and business operator in the alley. “We do have food‑service trucks. We have trucks that come…