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Board approves reduced, hand‑carved sign for Kepner's Tavern and tables door review
Summary
Hudson’s historic‑district board approved a hand‑carved wood sign for Kepner's Tavern (88 N. Main) with a 6‑square‑foot limit and no vinyl graphics, but tabled review of recently installed doors for further work with staff after members said the front door looked too contemporary.
The Hudson Architectural & Historic Board of Review approved Feb. 11 a revised sign for Kepner’s Tavern and deferred action on door replacements after hearing from the applicant and staff.
Staff told the board the updated sign is proposed as a wood panel with a matte finish but raised a question whether graphics would be routed wood or applied vinyl. Attorney Joe Kernan, representing Kepner’s Tavern, said the sign "is gonna be wood" and that the shop is hand‑worked and will reproduce the original design. Owner Samantha Arnold described the sign as "going to look identical to the sign that was up there before," with only the wording changed.
Board members and staff agreed the sign should be carved wood without vinyl and not exceed the board’s 6‑square‑foot allowance. The board moved and voted to approve the sign with those conditions; the applicant agreed to reproduce the original design rather than the optional red variant presented in the application.
Doors were a separate matter. The applicant said doors were replaced quickly after staff raised security and safety concerns about previously installed residential doors; Kernan said the new doors are "good, strong doors" and commercially sized to address security. Board members said the front door’s contemporary appearance is not compatible with the historic Main Street character, although several noted similar doors exist on Main Street. The board encouraged the applicants to work with staff on trim, glazing patterns and other ways to make the door look more historic and tabled final action on the doors so the applicants can return with options.
Chair closed the item after the board’s voice vote approving the sign and tabling further review of the doors. The applicants said they will work with staff and return to a future meeting.
