Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
HDC approves exterior alterations, garage and door changes at 53 John St. with conditions
Summary
The Newport HDC approved exterior changes at 53 John Street: removal of a cantilevered deck, rear addition, new garage and several door/window changes, with conditions to restore original double doors, use French doors on the south elevation and remove a connector between the garage and house.
The Newport Historic District Commission voted Aug. 12 to approve proposed exterior changes at 53 John Street, including a detached garage and multiple alterations to the rear and side elevations, subject to three conditions.
Architect Daniel Herkenrother presented the project, which would remove a cantilevered side deck and exterior door, take out a rear egress stair and construct a detached single-story garage set back from the street. He told the commission the garage would be about 14 feet wide and 15 feet tall, set well back on the lot and screened by vegetation and an eight-foot fence.
Commissioners asked about visibility from Memorial Boulevard and requested the garage be visually separated from the main house. Several members asked the applicant to remove the proposed covered breezeway linking the garage and main structure; the applicant agreed. On the main house, commissioners sought to preserve historic material when possible. The commission required three conditions: keep and restore the existing double doors in the west bay (the application originally proposed relocating openings), replace the south elevation sliding door with French doors, and remove the proposed connector between garage and main house.
Jillian, the preservation planner, and staff advised that final materials and exhibits be submitted to staff for the record. With those conditions, the commission moved, seconded and voted to approve the application, citing Newport HDC standards for contributing and non-contributing properties.
Why it matters: The decision balances the applicant's plan to rehabilitate a multiunit property toward single-family use while requiring key exterior features be preserved or restored. The commission's conditions reflect its standard practice of favoring repair and retention of historic fabric and limiting new accessory massing that affects streetscape compatibility.
