Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Design topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Architect describes façade changes; historic planner supported revisions
Summary
Applicant architect told the board he worked with the city's historic planner to soften facades: cement panels replaced with clapboard, divided‑light windows added, and overhangs reduced; the historic planner told the TRC she was satisfied with massing and material changes.
Architect Jeffrey Moniz explained design adjustments made after TRC review and meetings with the historic planner. Moniz said he and the historic planner favored more residential‑scale details to help the buildings fit Broadway's urban frontage, including smaller overhangs, clapboard on vertical elements previously shown with cement panels, divided‑light windows, and vertical pilasters to break up continuous banding.
"Those have been switched to a simple painted clapboard," Moniz said, describing how the team altered materials to reduce a commercial look and increase compatibility with nearby brick and masonry buildings. He added the team varied color palettes and pulled materials to ground to avoid a monotonous façade. The historic planner's positive recommendation was reported by counsel and incorporated in the TRC memo; board members discussed requiring continued review of final elevation details as part of the administrative approval process.
The board asked staff to ensure final construction documents include architectural details (cornices, window profiles and masonry reveals) and to keep the preservation planner engaged through final plan approval so that final bid documents reflect the aesthetic commitments discussed in the hearing.
