753-759 St Charles Ave.

Description: Changes to previously approved rooftop addition at a Contributing rated, three-story, commercial building. 

Previous ARC & Commission Actions:

04/05/23: At that time the Commission voted to grant conceptual approval with the details to be worked out at the staff level.

03/14/23: The ARC voted to recommend conceptual approval with the final details to be worked out at the Staff level. The ARC agreed that:

• Because the proposed balconies are above a public right of way, there should be an approximate 1.75” space between the balcony deck and the bottom rail to meet code requirements and to maintain a gap to allow water to be shed and small debris to be captured.

• The treatment of the garage door opening bay on St. Charles Avenue to match the adjacent bay openings is successful, but the detailing should be refined to match more closely. The ARC recommended adding stiles to the left and right sides of the horizontal louvered opening and vertical muntins to match more closely with the configuration of the door below. The ARC also recommended the applicant consider aligning the horizontal transom bar more closely with the adjacent openings, since this will be visible below the line of the proposed awning, however, this is not required if it will impact the minimum area necessary for intake-air ventilation.

10/18/22: The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review. The ARC requested further study of the mansard canopies. The columns should have more weight or there should be more columns; the glass enclosure could also be wrapped further around the canopy at the St Charles façade. The ARC stated that the new balconies should not have the decorative brackets to match the existing. Window openings could be reintroduced at the octagonal tower to break up the massing. The ARC requested further detailing of the trellis at the octagonal tower, the guardrail and its relationship to the existing parapet, and the perforated doors at the east and south elevations. 

09/07/22: At that time the Commission voted to grant conceptual approval with the details to be worked out at the staff level.

08/16/22: The ARC recommended conceptual approval with the details to be worked out at the staff level with storefront details to return to the ARC if they are changed from the existing condition. 

Context Photos:

Current Drawings: 

Previous Drawings - 03/14/23: 

Previous Drawings - 10/18/22: 

Previous Drawings - 8/16/22: 

Street View: