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Commission approves demolition COA for front porch at 201 North Lawrence; proposed rebuild tabled
Summary
At Charles Town's Dec. 9 meeting, commissioners approved demolition of a deteriorated front porch at 201 North Lawrence to protect the structure and sidewalk, but they tabled the proposed new porch design pending detailed structural and architectural plans and additional information.
The Charles Town Historic Landmarks Commission voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness authorizing demolition of the unsafe front porch at 201 North Lawrence but tabled approval of the proposed replacement until the applicant provides more detailed structural and architectural information.
James introduced the application and staff report, describing the building as a Gothic Revival lecture room for the Episcopal Church (c.1833–39) and a contributing structure in the historic district. Staff said the existing porch columns are rotted, water infiltration is damaging the stone and basement, and the porch in its current form obscures an original stone arch. The applicant presented drawings for a new gable‑roof porch with exposed truss, wooden 6x6 columns, new guttering and snow guards, and repointing of stonework.
A resident (identified in the transcript as Randy) described archival material and local histories indicating the porch appears in old photographs and may date to the 19th century, urging preservation when possible. Commissioners and the applicant debated whether the porch's historic fabric could be salvaged, how a new roof pitch would affect sightlines to the arch, and how a load path for the new structure would be supported without obscuring the arch. The chair said demolition to remove the unsafe elements was acceptable but that the commission did not have sufficient engineering and architectural detail to approve the new construction.
The commission approved the demolition COA by motion and voice vote and directed staff and the applicant to return with a structural analysis and clearer renderings if they wish to proceed with a historically compatible reconstruction. The facade improvement grant application tied to the project was separately tabled because the application lacked a required second bid.
