Historic Commission Denies Porch Window Design at 20 High Street, Then Approves Compromise

The Historic Preservation Commission's June 5, 2019 meeting included an unusually contentious back-and-forth over 20 High Street, where owners Brianna and Noel Christopher proposed enclosing a curved porch opening with new windows and infill panels. The commission voted to deny the design as originally submitted, with Commissioners McMahon and Grisafi voting against the denial (i.e., in favor of the original design). The board then unanimously approved a modified version that keeps the curved shape at the top of the windows while squaring off the sides and using single panes of glass without dividing muntins. A related motion covering a side door on the same porch, with conditions including an enlarged door opening and single-pane sidelights, passed unanimously -- but a subsequent motion to approve that door portion "as drawn and submitted" passed only after Commissioners Switzer and Grisafi voted no.

Three Board of Education projects were approved unanimously, with Chair Herrigel recused from all three for a conflict of interest: new brick enclosure walls for chiller equipment at Central School, relocated electrical equipment and a roof-mounted chiller at Forest Avenue School (conditioned on fire department review of emergency-access impacts), and similar equipment relocation at Linden Avenue School.

Other applications passed without objection, including new composite siding without corner boards at 168 Sherman Avenue for Antonella Cacciatori (using a newer, thicker product that allows mitered corners), a deck and door replacement at 41 Hawthorne Avenue for Dina Medhane and Aregahen Faris (where the commission required reuse of a salvaged historic wood door over a new steel one, and lowering a railing from 42 to 36 inches), and deck projects at 340 Washington Street and 295 Washington Street. The commission also revised its May 1, 2019 minutes to more strongly reflect members' displeasure with how the Board of Education has approached its applications to the commission.