Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Commission approves Nicollet Island Pavilion cupola repairs, allowing fiber-cement siding after debate
Loading...
Summary
After debate about historic materials and long-term maintenance, the commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for cupola repairs at the Nicollet Island Pavilion (40 Power Street), striking staff’s required wood-siding condition and leaving the operable-window condition in place; vote was 7–0.
The Heritage Preservation Commission voted Jan. 27 to approve a certificate of appropriateness for repairs to the cupola at the Nicollet Island Pavilion (40 Power Street) in the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District, after a lengthy staff presentation and public testimony.
Rob Skolecki, senior city planner in CPED, told commissioners the applicant proposes to remove deteriorated siding, replace select sheathing, install new weather barrier and install precolored fiber-cement (HardiePlank) lap siding with a false wood grain finish, and to replace four nonhistoric, deteriorated windows with aluminum-clad wood models matching existing divisions. Staff evaluated the proposal against the district guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and recommended approval only if (1) siding is replaced in kind using wood lap (HardiePlank not permitted) and (2) a final plan for an operable maintenance window on the southwest elevation is submitted for staff review prior to permit submittal.
Applicant representative Madeline Sundberg of McDonald and Mack Architects said the owner accepts the operable-window condition but strongly prefers HardiePlank because repeated wood replacements have failed. Sundberg told commissioners the cost and durability factors drove the request: "Replacement in kind is not a cost effective solution for continued stewardship if they have to replace it every decade" and the project team estimates that wood residing and access costs are about $50,000 per replacement and would total roughly $250,000 over a 50-year period; HardiePlank adds approximately $13,000 to upfront costs but offers a substantially longer lifespan.
Commissioners discussed alternatives (metal siding to match historic iron cladding, repairing underlying waterproofing, and the visibility of the cupola). Several commissioners said they sympathized with maintenance burdens and the tower’s non-historic wood cladding; others stressed the risk of creating a false historic appearance. Commissioner Masten moved to approve the certificate of appropriateness as conditioned by staff but to strike condition 1 (the wood-in-kind requirement); Commissioner Wallace seconded. The clerk recorded seven ayes and the motion passed.
The approval leaves the requirement that the plan for the operable maintenance window be finalized for staff review prior to permit submittal; staff will incorporate commissioner comments into permit conditions and follow up with the applicant.
