HPC Rejects Coolidge Avenue Dormer on 5-2 Vote, Splits Again on Ridgewood Avenue Garage

The Historic Preservation Commission's February 3 meeting opened with a rare outright denial by vote rather than withdrawal: a proposed dormer addition at 22 Coolidge Avenue, sought by Callam Venture Investments to gain access to a third floor, failed 5-2, with Darby, Githens, McMahon, Kopec, and Chair Herrigel voting no and only Way and Wright in favor. The minutes explicitly note "the application was not approved based on the vote." A subcommittee report later in the meeting noted commissioner Wright had already begun meeting with the homeowner to work through alternative dormer designs.

A separate application to replace a 20-by-18-foot shed with a 20-by-20 prefabricated two-door garage at 36 Ridgewood Avenue (Nihat and Funda Kilincoglu) was approved with conditions, but Chair Herrigel voted no.

A second-floor bathroom window replacement at 40 Sherman Avenue (Pascale Brunet and Brian Hart) was approved unanimously.

What to watch

• Commissioner Wright is working with the 22 Coolidge Avenue homeowner on a revised dormer design after the commission's denial; no new proposal has been scheduled for a vote yet.