Historic commission demands fewer, better-proportioned dormers on Ridgewood Avenue Tudor; Herman Street owners withdraw over roofline dispute

The Glen Ridge Historic Preservation Commission spent much of its May 3, 2023 meeting pushing back on oversized rooflines. At 155 Ridgewood Avenue, architect John Monchak's plan for AD Properties to add three new front dormers to a steeply pitched Tudor Revival slate roof drew sustained criticism: commissioners including Nicholas Colello, Joaquin Stearns, and Robert Deacon said the three dormers looked too crowded and out of proportion, with Deacon suggesting a different design direction entirely. The owner and architect agreed on the spot to reduce the number of dormers and rework the interior layout, and the commission approved the revised concept with conditions requiring the changes be reviewed by a subcommittee before work proceeds.

At 21 Herman Street, owners Maggie Wedemeyer and Chris Corbin withdrew their application to raise the roof and add attic living space after commissioners, including Chair Geoffrey Darby and Colello, said the roof raise would erase the house's Dutch Colonial Revival character and would look out of place since the house is narrower than its taller neighbors. All commissioners present agreed there should be no changes to the front of the house.

The commission also approved four more modest projects as submitted or with minor conditions: new stone driveway piers and a fence at 169 Forest Avenue; a new porch railing and gutter at 518 Ridgewood Avenue; a rear second-story addition at 24 Hamilton Road, on condition the addition be finished in stucco rather than the wood shingles originally proposed; and interior reconfiguration of dormers at 8 Ridley Court. Separately, the commission formally adopted minutes from its February, March, and April meetings, and several members volunteered to staff the commission's table at the Eco Fair.

What to watch

• The commission's table at the Eco Fair, scheduled for May 20, 2023, with a May 21 rain date.