Kennesaw HPC approves removal of non‑historic addition at 3059 Cherokee and gives conceptual OK to CBD master plan

The Kennesaw Historic Preservation Commission on Dec. 20 approved the removal of a non-historic rear addition at 3059 Cherokee Street and gave conceptual approval to a downtown master plan, CBD 2024-3, that would add mixed-use buildings and 19 residential units.

Commissioner Blandford moved to approve removal of the existing non-historic addition to 3059 Cherokee Street on the condition that the applicant submit full renovation plans for the historic house; Commissioner Gallagher seconded. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Gallagher, Blandford, Bramlett, Butler and Buffington recorded as aye.

Jason Scheidt, the project’s designer, said the removal will allow renovation of the circa‑historic house and enable a multi-parcel plan that includes two plazas, a northern gateway feature and mixed-use buildings. “So the location is just north of Galt Commons … we want to create, like, a gateway statement that you’re arriving into the downtown area,” Scheidt said during his presentation. He described two plazas that would provide public realm space and said the project would keep product types and architecture consistent with previously approved phase 1.

The CBD conceptual approval covers three contiguous parcels north of Galt Commons and proposes 19 residential units, with commercial space on the ground floors totaling approximately 4,450 square feet. Designers said parking will be surface and each residence will receive two reserved parking spaces; stacked-flat condos are planned as three-story buildings with an open stair to front entries.

Commissioner Gallagher moved to approve the conceptual CBD plan (CBD 2024-3) with the provision that the applicant return to HPC with 60% design plans and a final 100% design and a landscape plan; Commissioner Blandford seconded. The commission approved the motion on a roll-call vote, with all recorded commissioners voting aye.

Staff and the design team noted remaining engineering work on terracing and stormwater in the rear parcels and said coordination with the Galt homeowners association would be required if any interparcel connectivity is pursued, per conditions in the rezoning decision. The commission’s approvals were explicitly conceptual: final materiality, massing, elevations and landscaping will return to the HPC for review.

Administrative items reported at the meeting included COA 2024-20, an administrative approval to remove a dead evergreen at 2886 Cherokee Street (applicant: Robert Milaney / Lazy Labrador) and an administrative deck replacement approval at 2081 Cherokee Ridge Trail.