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Commission pushes Hunt House application for redesign after concerns about massing and historic form
Summary
The commission asked owners and their architect to return with a revised concept for a 282‑sq‑ft addition to the 320 Lowell Road (Hunt House), citing concerns that the proposed massing compromises the historic salt‑box form; the application was continued for redesign.
The Historic Districts Commission on Feb. 25 continued review of a proposed addition to 320 Lowell Road (the Hunt House), directing the owner and architect to return with a different concept after commissioners raised concerns about massing and impacts to the building’s historic salt‑box profile.
Jamie Emerson of Emerson Architects — presenting for owner Lawrence (surname variously recorded in the transcript) — described a plan to expand an existing nonoriginal addition to create better egress and modern conveniences for a family. "We’re doing a net 282 square foot addition to the house," Emerson said, adding the design seeks to match existing roof slopes and windows and to avoid removing original fabric.
Commissioners questioned how much original material would be affected and whether the addition reads as a subordinate element. "There’s a massing issue where the roof is sitting on top of a salt box," Vice Chair Tim Whitney said, calling the proposed treatment "an odd Cape Cod addition" that risks overwhelming the original form. Another commissioner suggested setting the addition off the main house with a short glass connector to separate the new work from the historic massing.
Owner Lawrence said structural damage and rotten primary beams limit options: "the structural supports underneath the house are rotted...so the choice of going after that section of the home was because it’s structurally the only piece of the home that you can attach to." Commissioners responded that the constraint is understood but urged exploring alternatives that preserve the salt‑box reading.
Given the design questions, the commission voted to continue the application so the applicants can return with a revised concept (a continuation rather than a denial). Commissioners suggested options such as a setback, a detached addition with a link, or moving new space to the existing modernized rear area to reduce visibility from public ways.
The commission’s continuance preserves the ability to pursue a solution that balances habitability and preservation; applicants and commissioners agreed to reconvene at a future meeting once new concepts are prepared.
