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Design board gives guidance, not approval, for major renovation at 9 Spa Circle; members urge preservation of historic windows
Summary
Board members and neighbors discussed a large renovation at 9 Spa Circle — the last historic house on a modern street — and the DRB advised keeping remaining historic windows and supplying more accurate drawings; no formal vote was taken.
The Saratoga Springs Design Review Board on Wednesday reviewed a substantial renovation and addition at 9 Spa Circle and provided detailed guidance to the owners but did not issue a final approval.
Owners Melissa and Michael King described plans to reorient the historic 1860 house toward Spa Circle, add windows and connect a newer garage structure to create a defined entrance. The board and members of the public raised detailed questions about window types, preservation of original openings and the accuracy of the applicant’s drawings.
Why it matters: 9 Spa Circle is a surviving historic house sited within a modern subdivision; revisions risk removing or obscuring remaining historic fabric. The DRB told applicants to preserve the two remaining original window assemblies and to return with consistent, accurate elevations and materials samples.
Board feedback and public comments Board members repeatedly stressed that windows and doors are character‑defining features: "Every effort should be made to maintain and preserve these important features," the chair read from the DRB guidelines. Multiple members said any original or historic window openings that remain should be preserved in their current positions rather than permanently removed or replaced by modern configurations. Several board members suggested double‑hung windows would be more appropriate on the historic portion of the house than casement windows proposed in some drawings.
Neighbors joined the discussion in force, expressing concern about scale, loss of green space, and the overall compatibility of the proposed changes with the house’s historic fabric. Several speakers urged retention of the arched top windows in the brick First Floor opening; others asked the applicants to document existing conditions with more accurate drawings and to consider alternatives that preserve fenestration proportions.
Applicant response and next steps The Kings and their team said the house already has many non‑original vinyl windows and that the team’s priority is to increase daylight and solar gain in interior rooms. The applicants proposed relocating some window openings, enlarging others to accommodate counters or living space, and repurposing stained glass from an interior bay into a new location.
The board asked the applicants to return with corrected, consistent elevations and clearer window schedules showing which windows will be retained, which will be new, and the proposed materials (double hung, casement, sliders, etc.). The chair summarized DRB priorities: maintain the two remaining historic window assemblies and supply accurate drawings before the board can take final action.
Ending The DRB did not approve the project at the meeting. It offered a path forward: retain remaining historic windows where feasible, provide corrected and consistent architectural drawings and material samples, and then return to the board for a follow‑up hearing.
