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Design board approves Franklin Community Center plans but requires storage of removed historic window
Summary
The Design Review Board approved exterior and interior renovations at Franklin Community Center (10 Franklin St.) on March 25, 2026, with a condition that any historic window removed for an ADA ramp be stored on-site for possible future reuse.
The Saratoga Springs Design Review Board voted March 25 to approve renovation plans for the Franklin Community Center at 10 Franklin Street, contingent on preserving a removed historic window on-site for potential future reuse.
Artur Dabrowski of Baldwin Tuck Architecture presented plans that would gut and reconfigure interior storage and pantry space, add an ADA-accessible ramp on South Franklin, and install a walk-in cooler on East Beacon Street to expand the food pantry. "We have outgrown our space," said Carrie Cushing, executive director of the Franklin Community Center, describing plans to relocate the distribution center and to provide "more dignity and privacy for our clients." She added the center serves programs that include a food pantry and holiday assistance for "over 1000 local children."
Board members praised the ramp, the proposed materials and the screening proposed for the cooler, but raised a consistent request to preserve historic fabric. Chris Bennett suggested salvaging any historic window removed for the ramp so it could be reinstated later. Chair (name not stated in the transcript) agreed, and the board conditioned its approval on the applicant storing the existing window on-site "for possible future reuse." The motion was made and seconded; the board approved the plans with that condition.
The board discussed technical details about refrigeration screening, door replacements and ramp materials. Dabrowski said the project would retain the exterior façade except for two limited changes and would use an aluminum-clad wood door, stained-wood decking for the ramp and a painted black round metal railing to match existing stair railings.
Next steps: the applicant will incorporate the storage stipulation into construction documents and proceed to obtain required building permits. The board did not require further changes to the approved exterior elevations beyond the window-storage condition.
