106 Royal St.

Staff Recommendations: 

A Certificate of Appropriateness was issued for the installation of a hood vent and new signage for the change of use from retail to a restaurant. A final inspection for these permits was requested and completed by an HDLC Inspector on March 18, 2025. The final inspection revealed that the entire storefront had been removed and replaced without permits. 

While the previously existing wood storefront was not original to the building, it was in keeping with the HDLC Guidelines and had been previously approved by the HDLC. The current storefront is aluminum with floor-to-ceiling glazing.  At the September, 2025 meeting, the ARC recommended denial of the storefront as installed. The ARC cited the inappropriate plywood finish, LED string lights, exposed conduit, and the inappropriate proportions of the new storefront as a few of the reasons the application could not be recommended for approval. The ARC stated that a new storefront should be installed that more closely resembles historic photographs or the storefronts at the left and right sister buildings.

The owner is requesting retention of the storefront as is. However, Staff agrees with the ARC that the current storefront is incongruent with the Guidelines, the streetscape, and the historic building. Staff recommend denial of the storefront as installed.