Red Bank preservation panel approves exterior work at 34 Washington St., asks for design tweaks

The Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission voted Sept. 17 to approve exterior improvements at 34 Washington Street, with commissioners urging design choices that better match the block’s historic character.

Homeowner Dana Burkowitz said she and her husband, contractor Guy Ohana, plan to resurface the house and detached garage, install brick pavers for the driveway and front path, and address existing vinyl and possibly asbestos shingles. "We are looking to resside our facade of our garage, our detached garage and our entire house and pave … brick pavers in the driveway and the path to the front walkway," Burkowitz said.

Commission members asked that the work lean toward the district’s prevailing horizontal siding rather than full vertical siding. Commission member Liam Collins noted the block’s consistent horizontal pattern and recommended limiting any vertical siding to small peak accents: "No other houses are like that in the district…traditionally all go horizontal," he said, adding that a small diamond or scallop at a peak could be appropriate.

Karen (River Center liaison) and other commissioners also urged saving the existing bluestone walkway where feasible or replacing it with a sympathetic patterned material if structural failure requires removal. Burkowitz said the bluestone was "dipping" and structurally failing; commissioners suggested techniques (lifting and preserving) or using a patterned concrete that evokes the original texture.

Commission members also discussed the garage door design; one member recommended adding upper windows to suggest a carriage-house look while recognizing privacy and storage concerns raised by the homeowner. Guy Ohana confirmed he is a licensed contractor and said they would try to balance historic character, privacy and cost.

After discussion, Commission member Anthony moved to take the application to a vote. The commission approved the project "as is with comments." A roll call at the end of the meeting recorded affirmative votes from Marie (Marjorie) Cavalier, Liam Collins, Karen Schmelto, Anthony and Betsy Beler.

The approval carries the commission’s comments about siding orientation, selective decorative detailing at peaks, consideration of garage-door design that reads as a carriage house, and efforts to preserve or sympathetically replace the bluestone walkway. The commission advised the applicants to follow the design guidelines and consult the examples referenced during the discussion. The decision was procedural and requires applicants to follow up with any staff instructions for final documentation.