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Preservation commission asks Parsons Table to redesign addition to preserve historic façade
Summary
The Horry County Historic Preservation Commission voted to require a redesign of a proposed addition to the Parsons Table restaurant, saying the current plan would alter the building's historic front. The applicant's representative said changes would require an architect re-draw and re-submittal.
The Horry County Historic Preservation Commission voted to ask the Parsons Table applicant to rework its proposed exterior addition so it better preserves the historic appearance of the former church building that now houses the restaurant.
Staff presented site plans and elevations for an exterior-only addition on Highway 17 at Macosia Avenue. The plans in the packet describe what staff called a 3,370-square-foot addition; the presentation also referenced a smaller 370-square-foot bar expansion in places, an inconsistency commissioners flagged during questioning. Sean Gallagher, the applicant's representative, identified himself as "Sean Gallagher with Procon and Associates." Gallagher described how the new doorway and roof tie into the existing structure but said further architectural work is feasible if the commission asks for it.
Commissioners repeatedly raised visual concerns about the proposal's roofline and how the addition would "wrap" around the front, obscuring the original gabled rhythm of the old church. The chair urged the design team to emulate the left-side gable pattern on the right to retain symmetry; one commissioner said, "I would have no problem taking down the trees to make the building more, you know, so that you could kinda get an idea what the original building." Another commissioner called the proposed L-shaped wrap-around plan "going to totally demolish the view of the historic part of this building."
After discussion a motion was made asking the owner to return to the architect and revise the design to better match the left side of the building and preserve the historic frontage. The commission carried that motion on a roll-call vote. The applicant's team was told re-design would require a new submission to the historic review process.
The commission also asked staff to note, for the record, there was no public input on the COA at this hearing. The applicant was thanked for the presentation and told the commission looked forward to amended plans. The commission did not issue a demolition or permit decision at this meeting; staff said building permits will not be issued until the historic-review requirements are resolved.
