Coldwater panel approves replacement windows for 50 West Chicago Street

The City of Coldwater Downtown Historic District board voted to approve a certificate of appropriateness for replacement secondary windows at 50 West Chicago Street during its Jan. 14 meeting.

Staff recommended approval after reviewing shop drawings and color samples and concluding the proposed work would preserve the building’s historic appearance. "I have a favorable recommendation for approval," said a staff presenter (Unidentified Staff, Speaker 4), who cited consistency with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the City of Coldwater historic design guidelines.

A contractor who attended said the proposed frames are wood construction, not full aluminum, and noted prior local installations of similar windows. Board discussion focused on material and color matching and on longevity and maintenance of wood frames in the downtown environment.

An unidentified board member moved to approve the certificate of appropriateness, citing the motion language read into the record that tied the decision to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and the City’s guidelines. The motion was declared approved by the chair after a voice vote; the transcript records two members saying “Aye” (Speakers 6 and 2) and one member saying “No” (Speaker 3). The transcript does not record a roll‑call tally or the identity of every voter.

The board’s approval allows the applicant to proceed with the historically compatible replacement frames and color matching described in the application packet. Staff and the applicant indicated they will follow the shop drawings and color sample that were presented to the board.

The board moved on to other business after the vote; no appeal or conditions were recorded in the meeting transcript.