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Historic board upgrades two Plaza Del Monte properties, keeps others as noncontributing and denies Don Gaspar pergola
Summary
At its meeting the Historic District Review Board upgraded two Camino Santiago properties to 'contributing,' maintained several other listings, denied a built pergola in the Don Gaspar district, and handled multiple window and status cases with mixed votes.
Santa Fe — The Historic District Review Board took a string of formal actions on property status reviews and alteration requests during its January hearing, approving staff recommendations on several cases and denying one high‑visibility built element.
Status upgrades: The board voted to upgrade the historic status of 123 and 125 Camino Santiago (Plaza Del Monte) from noncontributing to contributing on staff’s recommendation, citing association with the overall compound and mid‑century character‑defining massing.
Status and facade designations: In separate rulings the board maintained contributing status for 521 Calle Corvo (south facade designated primary, excluding clearly nonhistoric garage door/yard wall) and approved staff recommendations for 424 San Antonio (designating primary facades and accessory structure per the staff report).
Pergola denied in Don Gaspar: At 800 Gildersleeve the board reviewed an already‑built pergola with a black metal trellis roof. Multiple members said the structure as built reads as a kit and is not harmonious with the Don Gaspar Area historic district. The board denied the pergola application; staff noted the applicant may resubmit a new design or appeal to City Council.
Window and exception decisions: The board required repair (instead of wholesale replacement) for several historic windows on primary facades in the 527 Agua Fria project and ordered in‑kind treatment for the main arched entry door. In another case at 412 Camino Cabra, after hearing testimony on thermal loss and alternatives the board granted an exception to allow replacement of a primary‑facade steel casement with a closely matching aluminum‑clad wood product approved by staff, noting the possibility that replacing a character‑defining window may affect the building’s contributing status.
Other approvals and process notes: The panel maintained noncontributing status for 665 West San Francisco Street because of extensive 1984 alterations and approved the status/recommendations for other items on the agenda. Several board members emphasized that cost, hardship and full consideration of alternatives are relevant parts of exception requests but do not automatically guarantee an exception.
Outcome: The board’s votes reflected a case‑by‑case balancing of preservation standards against practical constraints (repairability, cost, occupant hardship). Applicants denied on specific elements were told they can resubmit revised designs or seek appeal.
