Historic Landmark Commission tables review of after-the-fact window replacements at 34652 Capel Circle

The El Paso Historic Landmark Commission on Aug. 7 postponed action on an application to legalize after-the-fact window replacements at 34652 Capel Circle (Austin Terrace contributing property). Staff said the property owner was cited by code enforcement and had appealed to the commission to legalize the replacement windows.

Staff presented archival “before” photos and recent staff photos showing that several windows had been replaced with nonoperable picture windows. Staff recommended approval with modifications consistent with the El Paso design guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, stating replacement windows on main facades should match the type, style, operation, configuration and finish of historic windows and that single-pane picture windows and horizontal sliders are inappropriate where originals were divided-light units.

The homeowner (identified in meeting materials as Gwen West) did not appear at the hearing. Commissioners voted to postpone the item to the next meeting and then to the end of the current meeting to check for the homeowner’s availability; when the homeowner did not appear, the commission approved a motion to postpone this item to the next meeting. Commissioners discussed the difficulty of identifying original window types from obscured photos and noted exterior applied muntins can be an expensive compromise to recreate divided-light appearance; the commission said such decisions are made case by case.

Staff said some archive photos from a February survey were available and that Google Street View suggests the windows changed between 2011 and 2015. The applicant or homeowner will need to provide a representative or additional documentation for a future hearing.