Historic "Parrot House" after‑the‑fact alterations approved with conditions

The Fort Lauderdale Historic Preservation Board on Aug. 4 approved an after‑the‑fact certificate of appropriateness for major alterations to the landmark house at 701 Southwest 12th Avenue, commonly called the "Parrot House," imposing conditions aimed at restoring the front elevation's historic appearance.

Lina, the case planner, told the board the application sought approval for replacement windows and doors and modifications to window openings and that staff found the revised plans "only partially meet the criteria required for the certificate of appropriateness" because the new square aluminum frames and tinted glass alter the building's character. Lina recommended that front‑facing windows match the original in placement, size and divisions and that all muntins have a raised profile and glass be clear, with an option for low‑e coating.

Owner and applicant Gabriel Paladino said the windows were installed after his contractor treated a partial permit as final. "I was not really aware of the situation until after the fact," Paladino said, adding he hired local contractors and is "willing to make changes to make it a lot closer to the original design," including reinstating porch railings and adding moldings so the windows read as the original paired openings.

Neighbors and preservation advocates urged stricter restoration. Estelle Brennan, president of the Riverside Park Residents Association, said the house is "one of the few pieces of history we have left in our community" and expressed concern that dark panes and modern frames would not match archival photos. "It just looks like plain glass, like big modern windows," she said. Mikaela Conca, president of the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation, recalled the house's inclusion in a holiday tour and urged returning the home to its historically significant design.

During board deliberations members praised Paladino for stabilizing a house described in staff materials as in "rough shape" when acquired but pressed for a restoration that more closely follows earlier direction provided in February. Board member Alan moved to approve the certificate of appropriateness under case UDPHP24039 with specific conditions: restore all altered front‑facing windows visible from the right‑of‑way to match original placement, size and divisions; raised‑profile muntins; clear glass (option low‑e); require permitting for all after‑the‑fact alterations; require a separate COA for any fence over 3 feet; and make the approval subject to building, zoning and ULDR requirements. Alan accepted a friendly amendment to include shutters. The motion carried on a voice vote.

The approval requires the owner to revise plans to meet the board's conditions; staff clarified the COA applies to the primary residence only, not the rear addition. The board did not approve any fence in the current application because no site plan was submitted; a separate COA will be required if a future fence exceeds 3 feet.

The board's action restores the authority of the Historic Preservation Board to set appearance conditions for landmark properties and directs staff and the applicant to complete required permitting and follow‑up reviews before work proceeds further.