Proposed second‑story at 98 Caroline draws ARB concern over historic‑district guidelines

Evan Lawson presented a pre‑application concept to the Fredericksburg Architectural Review Board proposing to rezone 98 Lower Caroline Street as a residence and add a full second story to create a two‑story shell, with exterior stairs and materials intended to match the streetscape.

Lawson said the proposal would remove existing roof trusses, install clear‑spanning joists for a second floor and provide second‑floor outdoor access via an exterior staircase that the team plans to screen from the street. "We are hoping to rezone this as a residential property and convert it into a home for the owner operator," Lawson said during his presentation.

Board members, including Dr. Smith and Didi Lecky, pushed back on the concept's visibility and massing. "An addition like this is going to run afoul of a lot of the guidelines," Dr. Smith said, and Lecky cautioned that any addition should be "subservient to the current building as it stands," noting precedent where full‑visible additions were not approved. Staff noted the Virginia Department of Historic Resources currently classifies the building as non‑contributing, and members encouraged the applicant to provide side‑by‑side size comparisons with neighboring properties, livable‑square‑foot estimates and options that would reduce perceived massing — such as a rear addition or staged setback — before a formal application.

Next steps: the ARB invited the applicant to a work session to explore alternatives and asked for more detailed drawings and comparative measurements for a future formal submission. The applicant agreed to return after refining plans.