HPC Approves Revised Washington Street Addition Over Dissent, Splits on Unauthorized Snowden Place Doors

The Historic Preservation Commission's April 6 meeting centered on a major addition at 134 Ridgewood Avenue (fronting Washington Street) for Michael and Julia Pensak, previously withdrawn and revised after the commission sent nine points of feedback. The commission approved the revised plan, but commissioner Wright voted no. A follow-up vote allowing the applicant to use fiberglass instead of wood windows, subject to a sample being approved later, passed only with Githens and Wright dissenting.

Commissioners also split over an after-the-fact application at 15 Snowden Place, where homeowner Ayanna Bryan had already installed steel front doors enclosing a porch -- work that was never on the original renovation permit. The commission approved the doors on condition they be swapped for single-pane or wood versions, but Githens and Wright both voted no. A separate addition at 442 Ridgewood Avenue (Eliza Perna) was approved with commissioner Kopec dissenting.

An addition and front porch at 307 Ridgewood Avenue for Mark and Ellen Keefe was withdrawn after the commission found the plans incomplete and not drawn correctly, offering to work directly with the owners' architect; a revised version returned and was approved the following month. A deck addition at 93 Ridgewood Avenue (Michael Benke and Daniela Corrales) was also withdrawn pending more information.

During public comment, Lynn Scott of 9 Roswell Terrace and Jenny Dunn of 6 Roswell Terrace thanked the commission for its input on the redevelopment plan for a new Medical Office Building -- which sits outside the historic district -- and asked members to push for a pitched roof instead of a flat one and for windows styled 4-over-1 or 6-over-1 rather than the proposed 1-over-1.

The remaining applications -- additions and renovations at 61 Hillside Avenue, 103 Highland Avenue, 282 Forest Avenue, 55 Ridgewood Avenue, 188 Midland Avenue, 13 Columbus Avenue, 45 Woodland Avenue, 39 Stanford Place, and 22 Appleton Road -- were all approved unanimously.

What to watch

• The commission has not committed to a formal position on the Medical Office Building redevelopment's roofline or window style, since the project falls outside the historic district.