Pensacola ARB approves accessory dwelling at 520 North Spring with revised gable and simplified ornament

The Pensacola Architectural Review Board on Jan. 15 approved a one-story accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 520 North Spring Street, provided the applicant moves the proposed gable to the southwest corner facing Spring Street and submits simplified ornament details for abbreviated staff review.

Nanette Chandler, owner and principal of Chandler and Company Construction, told the board she designed the three-bedroom, three-bath ADU to read as a smaller version of the main house, using matching materials and Sherwin-Williams historic paint colors. "I wanted this to feel like a smaller version of the main house in detail without taking away the glory of the main house," Chandler said, adding she planned interior tours to demonstrate preservation approaches.

Board members praised the restoration work on the main house while urging restraint on ornament for the ADU so the smaller structure remains visually subordinate. One member recommended calling out the Spring Street entry with a gable or comparable roof element so the unit reads as an accessory rather than a primary frontage. The board and applicant discussed how the lot’s slope—where foundation height varies—from nearly 4 feet on one side to 12 inches on the other—affects porch elevations and the visual relationship of rooflines.

A board member moved to approve the final design with the modification that the gable be relocated over the southwest corner facing Spring Street and that the bay-window gable integration and simplified ornamentation be submitted for abbreviated review; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The applicant indicated she would adopt the simpler arch portion of the fretwork and submit the abbreviated-review details.

The ARB’s action requires the applicant to file the revised gable placement and the simplified ornament details for abbreviated staff review; no formal conditions beyond the revised submission were recorded at the meeting. The board’s guidance focused on preserving the main house’s character while allowing compatible accessory construction.