Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alterations 53 John topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
HDC approves 53 John Street renovations, orders restoration of original doors and removal of garage connector
Summary
The commission approved exterior changes at 53 John Street with conditions: keep and restore original double doors in the West bay, remove the connector between the garage and the main structure, and replace rear sliders with French doors; commissioners asked for photos/clarity on door restoration.
Architect Daniel Herkenrother presented proposed work at 53 John Street that included removal of cantilevered decks, insertion of a small rear addition, and construction of a detached garage set well back on the lot. Commissioners expressed concern about visibility and scale of the proposed garage and whether a roofed connector made the garage read as one structure with the main house.
After discussion members said they wanted the home's character‑defining elements protected. Commissioner Rosemary O’Brien urged saving and refinishing the existing West‑bay doors if possible, noting they appeared to be from the 1920s and may have acquired historic significance. The commission imposed three conditions in the motion it approved: (1) preserve and restore the original double doors in the West bay or, if they cannot be restored, replace them in kind with documentation; (2) remove the covered connector/breezeway between the garage and main structure; and (3) convert the south‑elevation sliding door to French doors. The motion passed with the stated conditions.
