61 Willow Street Owner Withdraws Addition After Historic Panel Calls It Too Tall, Top-Heavy

An application to add a second floor over the front porch of 61 Willow Street, a Dutch Colonial Revival home, drew sharp criticism at the December 1 meeting. Commissioners said the resulting massing would be out of scale with the neighborhood, leaving the house roughly three feet taller than its neighbors and looking "top heavy" compared with similar houses on the block; they also flagged window and shutter detailing as inconsistent with the style. Rather than proceed to a vote, the owner withdrew the application.

Commissioners also debated a second-floor addition at 43 Ridgewood Avenue for Conan and Irene Ward. The board had previously approved board-and-batten siding for a one-story kitchen addition there, but felt the material became overwhelming once extended to a full second floor with a standing-seam metal roof; after extensive back-and-forth over whether stucco should be used instead, the application was approved unanimously, with conditions requiring the architect to detail the roofing and work out the material transitions carefully.

Other applications were approved unanimously and without major debate: a dormer extension at 9 Columbus Avenue; a new two-car garage at 30 Douglas Road, lowered two feet in height at the commission's request; a new single-car garage at 2 Brooklawn Road; and a kitchen extension at 1 Douglas Road, from which Dan McMahon recused himself.

The commission discussed adding new members Joaquin Stearns and Gregory Lane, with Stearns scheduled for formal approval in January and Lane's nomination pending a biography for the mayor. Vande Stouwe said she is willing to continue as vice chair but not to serve as chair. Members also floated applying for a state grant to inventory the district's slate, tile, and other non-asphalt roofs.

What to watch

• Joaquin Stearns' appointment to the commission is expected to be finalized in January.
• The commission plans to decide, by January 5, what project idea to pursue for a possible historic preservation grant application.