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Commission approves alterations and variance for Roost House at 3500 Jackson Street
Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness and acknowledged a zoning variance for work on the Roost House (3500 Jackson Street). Staff recommended conditions including retaining decorative porte-cochere posts and requiring mock-ups for chimney work; the motion passed unanimously 5–0.
The Historic Preservation Commission on July 17 approved a certificate of appropriateness and supported a rear-yard variance associated with proposed modifications to the Roost House at 3500 Jackson Street (landmark #56, listed on the National Register).
Planning staff summarized the project scope: demolition of a 1982 rear garage and construction of a larger garage with a roof deck, expansion of the west elevation with set-backs to maintain the view of the carriageway, a fourth-floor infill connecting two volumes, stair modifications at the porte-cochere, and interior alterations limited to non-public rooms. Staff found the proposal largely compatible with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and Article 10 of the planning code, but recommended conditions: avoid truncating historic porte-cochere columns and require a mock-up and staff approval for chimney reconstruction.
Project sponsors and design team described responsive changes after an Architectural Review Committee meeting: wood railings replaced glass, window openings and fenestration were adjusted to better match original Maybach profiles, and the team agreed to a chimney mock-up for staff approval. The project architect explained that the new garage footprint would be larger but lower in height and that construction will be blindside on the project side of the existing party retaining wall to minimize impacts to the neighbor at 3505 Jackson.
Commission discussion focused on size, retaining-wall impacts to adjacent property, and chimney preservation. Public comment included a letter submitted by counsel for the Young family raising concerns about the retaining wall and potential impacts to 3505 Jackson; the attorney requested that the zoning administrator consider the variance impacts or consider continuing the case so variance and COA could be evaluated together. The zoning administrator noted that staff typically does not issue case reports or recommendations on variances and closed the public hearing with standard conditions.
The commission moved to approve the certificate of appropriateness with staff conditions and the motion passed unanimously (5–0). The zoning administrator closed the public hearing on the associated variance and attached standard conditions.
