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Commission approves COA for 1102 North Avenue after design revisions
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Summary
The commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for 1102 North Avenue after the applicant revised plans to retain the historic corner, demolish a later one‑story addition, revise materials and add screening and landscaping; the approval was by voice vote and staff will publish the decision.
The local commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for 1102 North Avenue following a presentation of revised plans and a discussion of materials, site layout and screening.
The developer Tim Rubin said the project team had incorporated prior meeting comments and an on‑site follow‑up; the presenter summarized the design changes and said, “We're keeping the original corner, 2 story basement restructure, and then demolishing the remaining 1 story portion along with the stair and the tower in the back.” The team explained the one‑story portion does not meet state minimum ceiling height and the project needs to modify the frontage and expand the rear to meet program requirements.
The commission focused on streetscape and material issues that the applicant revised after the previous hearing. The presenter said the revised palette uses a buff textured brick with subtle blue tones, Hardie siding in two tones, a metal canopy at the storefront and dimensional asphalt shingles; earlier proposals that relied on corrugated metal were de‑emphasized. The presenter noted code guidance on glazing ratios, saying the applicable elevation is about 69 percent glazing and that the design aims to remain within the stated 50–75 percent range.
Commissioners pressed the team on several details. Commissioner Adam Kraum asked about window sash operation and material choices for larger bottom sashes; the presenter said some lower sashes will tilt/tilt‑out and that fiberglass frames may be used to achieve required sightlines. Commissioner Karl Bress questioned how the demising wall and rear elements would relate to entry piers and suggested the privacy screen or pergola be integrated with the architectural composition; the presenter said a pergola/privacy screen and vertical landscaping could be explored to improve cohesion.
Landscaping and screening of a red corrugated metal accent drew sustained attention. Commissioner Bress said that from the public right‑of‑way pedestrians would not typically see the entire expanse and asked whether plantings would mask the red panel; the presenter and Tim Rubin said plantings, a pergola and the parking corner would largely screen the material, and commissioners suggested vertical greening rather than additional art panels.
The team also discussed site constraints: bike storage and dumpsters were reconfigured because the lot is small; loading operations will require truck maneuvering into a rear pad and may temporarily impact one accessible space during deliveries. The presenter described the loading ramp as cast, board‑formed concrete and proposed a cast‑stone water table to tie the ramp into the storefront material palette.
When Chair Kevin Walsh called for a vote, the commission approved the COA by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was stated on the record. Chair Walsh said staff will publish the decision. The developer and presenter exchanged brief thanks after the vote.
The commission noted that certain technical verifications (structural review for roof pavers and confirmation that interlocking stairs meet the code section cited for separated rated stairs) remain outstanding and will be resolved through plan review or engineering confirmation before permits are issued.
