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Commission approves major renovation at 219 South George with design conditions
Summary
The commission approved conceptual Certificate of Appropriateness for multi-part renovations at 219 South George Street — including an expanded widow's walk, dormers to add a bathroom, and two-level rear decks — with conditions on window design, replacement of stucco with shakes in specified areas, and matching slate on the turret.
At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Charles Town historic review body approved a concept-level Certificate of Appropriateness for renovations and additions at 219 South George Street, a contributing Queen Anne–style structure.
Staff and the applicant described three primary elements: expanding the widow's walk to improve roof maintenance access, adding two dormers on the rear roof to create additional living space and at least one extra full bathroom (the house was reported to have eight bedrooms and one full bathroom), and adding two-level rear decks and stairs to provide emergency access. The applicant said the dormers would have standing-seam metal roofs, engineered wood shake siding and aluminum-clad windows; railings are proposed as wrought iron and the widow's walk surface would be replaced with metal roofing and a new, watertight trapdoor.
Commission members pressed the applicant on egress and safety for upstairs rooms and on exact window placement and numbers. The applicant emphasized the intent to research historically appropriate details and to coordinate final materials. The chair spelled out a motion to approve the concept as recommended by staff with an explicit caveat allowing consideration of an oval window on the dormer and with the requirement to replace the existing stucco with shakes where specified and to match turret slate. The motion carried by voice vote.
What to expect next: The approvals authorize the concept; final construction documents and any deviations will return to code review and may require additional administrative approvals or building permits.
