DDRC grants preliminary Bailey bill certification and design approval for four West Gervais properties

A majority of the Design and Development Review Commission on Wednesday granted preliminary certification under the city’s Bailey bill program and approved exterior design changes for four adjacent properties on West Gervais and Lady streets, saying the project should restore historic storefront features while leaving detailed specifications to staff review.

The commission’s action covers 911 Gervais Street, 919 Gervais Street, 914 Lady Street and the parking parcel at 913 Gervais Street. The motion requires the project to meet or exceed the 20% investment threshold for qualified rehabilitation expenses under section 17-2.5y of the city ordinance and attaches multiple conditions that leave final details — cornices, transom windows, storefront systems, and aluminum-clad wood window profiles, paint configurations and glass transparency — to staff approval.

Staff and the applicant presented plans and historic documentation showing the buildings’ early-20th-century character and a 1930 photograph that guided proposed storefront restorations. The plan would remove an enclosed loading dock at 919 Gervais, reopen storefronts, add windows on upper floors that mirror original openings, reinstate a balcony at 911 and remove paint from a large side wall to accommodate a new mural or painted signage.

City staff described the buildings as retaining historic character and recommended preliminary certification and design approval subject to the conditions. The staff presentation included a recommendation that cleaning methods and signage be reviewed and approved by staff and that aluminum-clad wood windows and storefront systems be specified and approved before installation.

Commissioners raised documentary and design questions during deliberations. One commissioner said the project will “define what the 900 block of Gervais looks like” and urged more documentary research on the balcony and cornice at 911 before detailed reconstruction. The applicant and design team said they had located Sanborn maps and a 1930 photograph that guided the storefront work; the applicant said SHPO staff (State Historic Preservation Office) had done a preliminary review and that final detail work would continue with staff and SHPO.

On the mural planned for the side of 919 Gervais, the applicant and project representative said the design had not been finalized; one representative said the team planned for a mural that would “pay homage to the building and what it was in its history.” Commissioners suggested the owner explore working with the city’s urban design or public art program but did not make that a requirement.

The motion adopted by the commission requires staff review and approval of specific material and design specifications for each building (cornice placement and details for 911 and 919 Gervais; transom and entry door details for 919; window and storefront specifications for 914 Lady) and defers signage review to staff. The commission approved the motion unanimously.

The commission’s resolution also noted two letters of support submitted by local neighborhood groups (identified in the packet as the VISTA Guild and a VISTA homeowners group). The applicant team and the design firm Studio 2 LR will return to staff with additional documentation and finalized details for staff-level review per the conditions in the adopted motion.

Votes at the meeting show each commissioner present voting in favor: Commissioner Jayco — yes; Commissioner Gallo — yes; Commissioner Leedecker — yes; Commissioner McKenzie — yes; Commissioner Salibi — yes; Commissioner Shelton — yes. The commission’s action grants preliminary certification and a certificate of design approval contingent on the staff reviews spelled out in the motion.