Wheatley Place commission approves new house plan with conditions on porch, foundation and detailing

The Landmark Commission on May 5 approved a certificate of appropriateness for new construction at 3627 Havana Street in the Wheatley Place Historic District, attaching conditions intended to align the design with neighborhood character.

City staff and the Landmark task force recommended approval of the proposed single‑family house with an accessory rear‑yard carport, and listed several conditions: extend the front porch gable to space four porch columns evenly, extend the freeze board across the full porch, make the porch depth a minimum of 6 feet, use cast‑stone caps on porch column bases and wing walls, add vents and brackets as typical in the neighborhood and ensure foundation height of 15–18 inches above grade. Task force suggestions included recommended window types (white aluminum 1‑over‑1), exposed rafter tails, craftsman‑style lighting and novelty siding.

A resident and the applicant spoke in support. Archie Cano (project stakeholder) emphasized compatibility with neighborhood scale and materials. Commissioners asked for additional minor changes to improve the appearance from the street and to ensure the porch and cheek walls align with traditional proportions. The commission’s motion approved staff recommendations and added direction to the applicant to consider moving utilities or reconfiguring interior layouts so that…