Commission orders extensive corrective work at 21 Argyle Place after unauthorized renovations

The commission confronted a major enforcement case involving 21 Argyle Place, where it had previously approved only a rear two-story addition but discovered the owner, Heritage Legacy Holdings, had made numerous unapproved changes across the front and side of the house. Chair Herrigel's memo, based on a site inspection, detailed problems including window trim and sills that didn't match what was approved, new shutters added where none previously existed, a switch from clapboard to shingle siding across the entire house rather than just the approved addition, an unauthorized oval window added to the garage, and an awkward roofline transition where the new addition meets the original house. After lengthy discussion with representatives Richard Domond and Nneka Nurse, the commission voted unanimously to require 11 specific corrective changes -- including removing the new shutters, restoring historic window trim and sills, reinstating shingle-to-clapboard consistency, and removing the unauthorized garage window -- before a subcommittee can sign off on the property. The owners, who are trying to complete a pending home sale, asked to be allowed a temporary certificate of occupancy while the corrections are made.

The commission also unanimously approved several more routine projects: a metal-and-glass sunroom at 195 Sherman Avenue, a front landing at 186 Linden Avenue, a one-story kitchen and family room addition at 527 Belleville Avenue, demolition of a frame garage at 32 Edgewood Road, a new warming hut for the Paddle Tennis Association at the Clay Fields at Belleville and Sherman Avenues, a deck and door addition at 2 Washington Place, and a rear addition at 21 Cambridge Road.

A proposed rear addition at 64 Midland Avenue, intended as a nursery and knitting room for owner Timothy Kang, was withdrawn after the commission raised numerous concerns about mismatched siding, window height, and the addition's alignment with the existing building.

What to watch

• The owners of 21 Argyle Place must complete the commission's ordered corrective work before receiving subcommittee sign-off; they have asked for a temporary certificate of occupancy in the meantime.
• The applicant for 64 Midland Avenue is expected to return with a revised design.