HPC Splits on Midland Avenue Porch Columns, Rejects Sherman Avenue Addition Over Size

The Historic Preservation Commission spent much of its December 7 meeting on a contested application at 192 Midland Avenue, where owners Raviraj and Kamlesh Mehrotra had already replaced their front porch's footings, columns and stoop facing without a permit, after work that began as a simple repair grew into a full rebuild. The commission approved the new porch facing, but on a 6-1 vote (Chair Herrigel dissenting) rejected the new columns as installed, since their placement, size, and capital blocks differed from the originals. The commission asked the owner to find historical photos of the house's original columns before returning for a full vote. Later in the meeting, during public comment, architect George Azrak returned with a compromise -- stripping the capitals off the existing columns and adding stucco and mesh to approximate the historic look -- which the commission approved unanimously, subject to subcommittee review.

The commission also denied, without a formal motion, a two-story rear addition proposed for 104 Sherman Avenue by owners Lee Rappaport and Mario Elizondo, finding the massing too large and the application missing required side elevation drawings. Owner Rappaport returned during public comment to propose pulling the addition farther back from the front of the house to reduce its visual bulk.

A third application, an enclosed second-floor porch at 80 Sherman Avenue for Joanne Cetrino-Westervelt (with her husband Rob Westervelt appearing, and architect Dan Kopec stepping down from the commission to represent them), passed only 6-2, with commissioners Darby and Way voting no.

The remaining applications were routine and passed unanimously: replacing aluminum siding with HardiPlank at 276 Bay Avenue (Donald Dagress), a second-story addition and porch restoration at 45 High Street (Gracious Properties LLC), a small third-floor extension at 248 Forest Avenue (Chris and Julieta Medlar), and new wood front and side steps at 516 Belleville Avenue (Jason and Jeri Gottlieb).

What to watch

• The owner of 104 Sherman Avenue is expected to submit a revised design moving the rear addition farther from the front of the house to address the commission's massing concerns.
• A subcommittee still needs to review and sign off on the finalized column details at 192 Midland Avenue.