Commission offers design feedback on proposed carriage house at 865 Bridal Road; asks for simplified details and site plan

Summary

Conceptual review of a proposed replacement carriage house at 865 Bridal Road yielded guidance to simplify detailing, use materials and window elements that tie back to the main house, check vision-triangle/zoning constraints, and provide a full site plan and material samples; applicant agreed to revise drawings and return.

At Nov. 20’s hearing the commission provided detailed feedback to an applicant proposing a new carriage house at 865 Bridal Road where a historic single-car brick garage was removed after a fire. Commissioners encouraged the applicant to simplify ornamentation, tie window and lintel details to salvaged materials from the house and provide a site plan showing how the new garage would relate to property lines and potential vision triangles.

The design team said they salvaged original brick and limestone lintels to reuse where possible and are evaluating scalloped slate roof options, though budget constraints may favor more economical roofing products. Commissioners recommended interior overhead tracks or historically appropriate doors rather than heavy exterior sliding tracks, and suggested that a simpler, lower-profile design would be more subservient to the main residence. They also asked for a landscape/site plan showing how the new footprint will affect a bluestone patio and circulation.

Because the application was conceptual, no vote was taken; the commission asked for revised elevations, material samples, trim/head/sill/jamb details and a full site plan (to be coordinated with building and zoning).