Board requires wood replacement, denies Trex request for 101 West Cork Street

The Winchester Board of Architectural Review on Dec. 4 approved a modified certificate of appropriateness for 101 West Cork Street, directing that porch and stair treads be replaced in wood rather than the Trex composite material the applicant proposed. The applicant was not present at the meeting.

Board members discussed the visibility of the porch from the street and the material's effect on the historic character. Staff noted the porch was rebuilt roughly 20 years ago and said some elements are not original. "It should be replaced all in kind," the chair said during the discussion. Committee member (S2) moved to approve BAR25-320 "with the modification that the Trex material not be used, but like kind materials to be used for any repairs. Specifically, wood," and the board voted in favor.

Nut graf: The board's change requires property owners to use wood for visible porch and stair elements at the 101 West Cork address, preserving the district's material character; the applicant may return with a revised application if they wish to propose an alternative approach.

Board members framed the decision around durability, precedent and visibility from Cork and Braddock streets. Staff clarified that a replacement "in kind" would likely avoid the need for a future application if performed using historic-appropriate wood. No roll-call vote with individual member names was recorded in the transcript; members indicated approval by voice and the chair declared the modification passed.

The board took no additional conditions beyond the material substitution. The item concluded with the chair noting the modified application "passes" and moving the agenda along.