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Ithaca commission approves hardscape and stair changes at 108 Skyler Place with staff‑level conditions
Summary
The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve a certificate of appropriateness for outdoor hardscape and a new freestanding stair at 108 Skyler Place, authorizing staff to approve final gate and stair design details to ensure compatibility with the historic district.
The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission on Monday approved a certificate of appropriateness for exterior hardscape work at 108 Skyler Place, finding the proposed patio and staircase will not have a substantial adverse effect on the East Hill Historic District.
Vice Chair David Greenberg read the commission’s findings and applied municipal code standards and Secretary of the Interior rehabilitation principles in a resolution that the commission approved with conditions. The resolution requires staff‑level review and approval of a proposed gate and of final design plans for the metal stair and ramps.
The property owner, who recused themself from the vote because they own the property, opened the presentation by describing the house as a late‑19th‑century building undergoing renovation and said the project shifted from a new‑construction plan to renovating the existing structure. The applicant said the proposal focuses on cleaning and reusing existing rectangular flagstones where possible and adding a small seating area near the front entrance. "This is a project I took on last year," the owner said during the presentation.
A planning consultant described the design as intentionally simple and noted the existing wooden staircase to the south side is at the end of its service life; the applicant proposes a freestanding black metal stair to improve safety and durability. Committee members asked whether the front picket fence would be removed (the owner said it would remain) and whether there was sufficient salvaged stone on site; the presenter said new matching bluestone would supplement reclaimed pieces if needed.
Members voiced general support for the improvements but asked for staff oversight of detailed elements. Greenberg said the work "will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance" of the property as written in the resolution. The commission approved the certificate with the two staff‑approval conditions and indicated an additional application is expected for a future window change.
