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BAR defers Vienna Town Green pier proposal amid concerns about aesthetics, drainage and budget
Summary
The Vienna Board of Architectural Review deferred a proposal to add concrete piers and exterior modifications at the Town Green amphitheater after members raised concerns about visual impact, water splash/drainage at column bases and whether the modest repair budget would produce an acceptable long-term restoration.
The Vienna Board of Architectural Review voted Feb. 19 to defer consideration of a proposal to cut off deteriorated timber column bases and install small concrete piers at the Town Green amphitheater, citing unresolved aesthetic questions and drainage concerns.
Parks and Recreation staff presented the application, explaining engineers documented significant section loss at the bottoms of multiple timber columns and recommended replacing damaged bases with compact concrete piers and staining the structure to better match the existing wood. Dave Donahue, project manager, said the work is intended as a repair and that funding currently allocated was for remediation rather than full restoration.
Board members pressed staff on how the concrete footings would look and how the new bases would be integrated with the aged cedar posts. “It seems like we’re putting boots on beautiful columns,” one member said, arguing the proposed piers would be visually prominent without additional design work. Others agreed the structure is an iconic town image and urged the town to consider a more comprehensive restoration if funds permit.
Members also raised technical concerns about water splash and trapped runoff at the column bases. A staff engineer explained some columns are exposed to roof splash and that keeping wood off direct contact with the slab — or adding base plates or short piers — could reduce rot, but several members asked for an analysis of drainage and possible splash-block or base-plate solutions that would be less visually intrusive.
The board debated options ranging from piecemeal replacement of only the worst columns to a larger design effort that could require added budget and a council-level funding decision. Several members recommended a work session with Parks and Public Works and suggested the BAR prepare a recommendation to the Town Council about funding and scope.
In the end, a motion to defer was made and approved unanimously to allow staff to return with refined options addressing aesthetics, drainage mitigation and budget implications. The board asked Parks staff to provide samples, clarified whether full re-staining of the structure would be part of any proposal, and invited staff to arrange site visits for members to view existing conditions in daylight.
