Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Context topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
BAR members urge softer palette, context drawings and alternate elevations for Norbo project
Summary
Several BAR members said they wanted the new medical building to better relate to Purcellvilles center and suggested more traditional elements or alternatives to the proposed modern styling; one member noted Virginias 50‑year threshold for historic designation.
Multiple board members said the proposed design reads "very modern" in the context of Purcellvilles Main Street and suggested more traditional references or additional details to reduce perceived height. One member said she would "like to see some other aesthetical options" and proposed exploring less‑modern columns, lintels or a water table to create shadow lines and scale the façade.
Another committee member said the design "feels very large" and asked applicants to show the project in true scale with neighboring apartment buildings. The BAR suggested capping tall window runs with lintels or sills, and adding a more subdued color palette to echo nearby buildings. During the discussion a member noted a point of state guidance: "in the state of Virginia, anything that's older than 50 years is considered historic," and staff and members discussed the difference between that statutory threshold and what the BAR considers "historically significant." Applicants said they would consider masonry details, cornice dimensions and alternate column treatments in subsequent submissions.
