PRESENTER: Presenter
Katie Totman, HPO
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SUBJECT: Title
HLC Case HST24-033: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to perform exterior alterations to the building located at 214 W San Antonio, located in the Downtown Historic District.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 5
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 - Historic Preservation
Sec. 66-57. Alteration certificates for alteration or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, new construction, removal or relocation of any city designated historic landmark or on any property within a city designated historic district which may affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any historic landmark or any property within a historic district without first obtaining an alteration certification authorizing the change.
Sec. 66-58. Criteria for approval of an alteration certificate.
In considering an application for an alteration certificate, the commission shall be guided by any adopted design guidelines, and where applicable, the following from the secretary of the interior's standards for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Any adopted design guidelines and secretary of the interior's standards shall be made available to the property owners of historic landmarks or within historic districts.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired.
FINDINGS:
a. The building located at 214 W San Antonio is a one-story commercial structure with a traditional storefront system at the street level. It is in the Downtown Historic District.
b. AWNING - The applicant is requesting to replace the flat metal awning with a canvas awning above the storefront system. Per Criteria 2 and 6, the distinguishing original qualities of a building shall not be destroyed when possible, and the removal of historic material should be avoided when possible. Additionally, when deteriorated architectural features require replacement, the new material should reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, and other visual qualities. Staff recommends that the flat awning be re-installed to be consistent with the criteria for approval.
c. TRANSOM WINDOWS - The applicant is requesting to expose the transom windows above the storefront system that were previously covered and replace them with new transom windows. The previously existing transom windows are wood with multiple lites. It is uncertain whether they are original to the building. The proposed transom windows will be single lite and similar to those commonly found in the Downtown district. Per Criteria 3, buildings shall be recognized as products of their own time and alterations that have no historical basis shall be discouraged. Given that the evidence suggests transom windows historically existed on the building, staff finds that restoring them is generally consistent with the criteria for approval. Staff encourages maintaining the multi lite transom windows where possible, though architecturally the introduction of a single lite transom may also be appropriate.
d. STOREFRONT DOORS - The applicant is requesting to replace the existing contemporary storefront doors with antique wooden doors. Per Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for alterations to existing properties shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and is compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. And if they are reversed to not damage the integrity of the building. The storefront system appears to be a contemporary addition and staff finds that generally the addition of the wooden doors does not detract from the overall architecture and appearance of the building.
e. SIGNAGE - The applicant is proposing to install one (1) wall sign and one (1) projecting sign above the storefront system. The wall sign will be 3’11” tall and approximately 16’ wide. The letters will be made of 2” black coated aluminum and backlit. The projecting sign will be 5’x 5’ and will also be back lit. Per the applicant the signs are to scale in the submitted rendering. There are examples of other projecting and wall signs within the Downtown historic district and staff finds that the proposed signs are consistent with the current Criteria for approval, specifically 1, 9, and 10.
f. LIGHTING - The applicant is proposing to install one (1) antique lantern above each entrance door, totaling two (2) lanterns. Staff finds that this is generally consistent with Criteria 9 in that the addition of the lights is reversible and will not produce a significant change in the appearance of the building or district as a whole.
g. ROOFTOP PARAPET WALL - The applicant is proposing to add a 42-inch-tall clay tile parapet wall on the rooftop of the building. Per Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and is compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. And if they are reversed to not damage the integrity of the building. Staff finds that the introduction of the wall is in a location not easily visible from the public right of way and will not otherwise negatively impact the building itself.
h. EXTERIOR TILE INSTALLATION - The applicant is proposing to install decorative tile at the area below the storefront system and on the floor at the entrance threshold. Per Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and is compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. And if they are reversed to not damage the integrity of the building. Staff finds that the introduction of the tile is in a location not easily visible from the public right of way and will not otherwise negatively impact the building itself.
i. STUCCO REMOVAL - The applicant is requesting to expose the brick above the transom windows. Sanborn maps indicate that the exterior of the building was historically brick. According to Criteria 3, alterations that have no historical basis shall be discouraged. Staff finds that with the historic evidence, the proposed restoration work may be an appropriate treatment in this instance.
j. STEEL WALL - The applicant is proposing to install a steel screen wall on the NW side of the building, adjacent to N Castell Avenue. The screen wall will be located on a secondary wall and is meant to enclose a previously approved exterior staircase and side door opening. According to Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for alterations to existing properties shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
Wherever possible, alterations to buildings shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired. Staff finds that generally the proposed wall is consistent with these criteria as it is reversible and will not negatively impact the historic material of the building.
Recommendation
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Based on the scope of work that is proposed, staff recommends approval with the condition that a flat awning is installed to match the awning that was previously in place.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GIS Location Map
2. Pictures
3. Renderings