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Design board approves exterior repairs at 68 Beekman but orders front doors preserved
Summary
The Design Review Board approved exterior renovations at 68 Beekman Street with conditions: retain and restore the three front doors, replicate beadboard cedar porch railing, and renovate the rear porch to match.
The Saratoga Springs Design Review Board on Wednesday approved exterior modifications at 68 Beekman Street with conditions that preserve front‑facing historic features.
The applicants — Kelly Mallette (Caveman Construction) and owner Zachary Potry — told the board they planned to replace damaged porch decking and rails, remove an 8-by-8 rear shed, and improve door security. Board members recommended restoring the existing front doors rather than bricking over any openings or replacing the entrance doors with modern steel panels.
Why it matters: The building’s front façade retains historic door and porch elements the DRB considers character‑defining. The board emphasized preservation of those elements when granting approval for more limited exterior repairs.
Board findings and conditions Board chair and DRB members cited the DRB’s guidelines that "entrance doors and frames are critically important decorative elements of a historic house" and urged the applicants to restore rather than remove the doors. The board’s motion required that "all existing front doors should remain in place and be restored," and suggested the left‑side door (which the applicants wanted to close for private club use) be infilled from the interior so the exterior facade remains unchanged.
The board also required that the porch decking and rail replacement use cedar beadboard to match the existing detail and that the rear porch be renovated to replicate the front porch rail pattern. Applicants said they would use Douglas fir decking and cedar railing; they also agreed to repair or replace historic posts that remain in good condition.
Outcome A motion to approve the project with the conditions listed above passed (motion moved by the chair; seconded by Mr. Duboff). The board explicitly tied approval to preserving the front‑facing doors and historically appropriate porch details.
Ending The board thanked the applicants for investing in the building and approved the project on the condition that the historic character of the front façade be preserved. The applicants were directed to return with final construction details consistent with the board’s conditions.
