Commission approves restoration plan for 151 Liberty Street after unauthorized facade removal
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Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness Feb. 1 for restoration work at 151 Liberty Street, requiring material samples, detailed window schedules, preservation-enforcement site verification, and a staff-reviewed informational follow-up about rear-yard landscaping.
The Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 1 to approve a restoration plan for 151 Liberty Street after department staff found that the project sponsor exceeded the previously authorized scope of work.
Alexandra Kirby of planning staff told the commission that the removal of historic material at the primary facade qualifies as demolition under Article 10 of the Planning Code and recommended approval of a reconstructive scope based on photographic and archival evidence. "Staff recommends approval with conditions of the proposed Secretary of Interior standards for rehabilitation," Kirby said, and asked the sponsor to provide material samples, a detailed window schedule and a site visit with preservation enforcement prior to occupancy.
Project architect Arnie Lerner told the commission he had reviewed the site and worked with staff to produce a design that "meets the Secretary's standards for reconstruction because we know what was there before it was documented." Public commenters, including long-time Liberty Hill resident John Barbee, urged strict enforcement and documentation; Barbee said he was "stunned" the work proceeded so far without earlier detection.
During deliberations commissioners asked staff to provide more detailed in-situ trim and window details, to confirm whether a lower-unit change affected the building's legal unit count, and to ensure that the rear retaining wall remain planted rather than paved. The commission added conditions to require detailed construction and trim drawings for in-place review and directed staff to review progress during construction and bring an informational update to the commission; the motion passed 7-0.
Staff also told the commission that the Department of Building Inspection had assessed building-permit fees at three times the normal rate for the associated violation, and that the sponsor had been responsive to enforcement requests.
The commission's approval restores the building's primary facade using historically-appropriate materials and requires the sponsor to demonstrate compliance with the conditions before final occupancy approvals.
