Board OKs exterior changes for Blue Ridge Habitat efficiency at 222 South Ken Street with wood-only stipulations

The Winchester City Board of Architectural Review on an amended motion approved a certificate of appropriateness for exterior alterations at 222 South Ken Street, the board record shows. The application by Greg Schanholz, director of construction for Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity, covers conversion of the small former barber shop into an efficiency rental and includes removal of an interior chimney, new porches, a rear 8-foot deck, shortened rear windows and relocated HVAC equipment.

Why it matters: The house sits in Winchester’s historic district; the board framed its approval to balance preservation guidelines with the applicant’s plan to make the tiny (about 352 square feet) unit habitable. The board attached material and design conditions to preserve the district’s visual character.

Schanzholz said the space is small — “it’s a 352 square feet” — and that the chimney occupies roughly “a 24 inch by 24 inch square” that prevents a full shower in the rear bathroom. He described plans to remove the chimney, repair the roof in that area, add a wraparound porch and an 8-foot rear deck, and reduce two rear windows to allow kitchen cabinets and a bathroom layout.

Board members and staff discussed materials and details. The board required period-appropriate wood for porch railings and balusters (no PVC or vinyl), asked that front porch balusters and rails be painted, and requested the applicant use an all-wood, one-over-one window (the motion references a Marvin all-wood 1-over-1 as the standard). The board also permitted the rear deck to remain unfinished/unstained if the owner prefers, while the visible front porch trim must be painted.

The applicant told the board he plans to move the existing mini-split unit from the rear to the front or side and mount a wall unit rather than place the unit on the ground. He said he will pursue a privacy gate or fence with the neighbor (Oak Crest) where the property line is about 2 feet 9 inches in one location and that he will coordinate the fence with the neighbor and staff.

The board’s motion approved BAR25-254 with the stipulation that exterior materials be wood; shutters, if used, must be louvered, operable and wood; windows be an all-wood, one-over-one style; and the front porch railings be painted. The board voted verbally in favor; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The applicant said he will use wood decking products for the visible porch floor and seeks to keep the rear deck treated wood (the board allowed the rear deck to remain unpainted). The board allowed the applicant to pursue administratively a separate fence application.

The board’s approval cleared the way for the applicant to proceed with building permits and with final material selections that meet the conditions. The applicant asked whether certain finishing choices (for example, composite decking or PVC railings) would be acceptable; board members repeatedly said those materials would not meet the period-material requirement.

A vote to approve BAR25-254 passed after a motion and second; the transcript records unanimous vocal assent but does not list names or a numerical tally.

Looking ahead: The applicant said he will coordinate final materials with staff and follow the board’s stipulations when submitting permit documents.