518 Gravier St.

District: Picayune Place - Full Control

Owner: WESTCEMS CORP

HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Studio Rise LLC

Permit #: 23-14085-HDLC

Description: Renovation of four (4) Contributing rated, three-story, mixed-use buildings for conversion to hotel use including change of exterior doors and window openings, installation of new dormers and reconstruction of previously existing balcony.

HDLC Guidelines:

Section 5, Page 11 of the Guidelines for Roofing state that Dormers, also known as dormer windows, protrude from the roof surface with a window providing light and additional headroom under roof eaves. Dormers can have various roof shapes but are typically gables. Property owners are encouraged to retain existing historic dormers and reconstruct dormers on buildings where there is clear evidence that they existed. Evidence can be historic photographs indicating a dormer or visible within attic roof framing. New dormers at historic buildings are not always appropriate. Certain building types and architectural styles did not traditionally include dormer windows. For those buildings that historically included dormers, they were often located on certain roof slopes; set back a certain distance from the roof eave; centered or evenly spaced relative to architectural features below; had a standard form, most often a gable roof form; with window types and styles similar to the remainder of the building; and trim complementing the building’s architectural style. When considering a new dormer, particularly at historic buildings, property owners are encouraged to consider comparable buildings of the same style and period including the location, form, spacing, dimensions, proportions, style and detailing. For example, dormers are not typically appropriate on side elevation roof slopes. Similarly, oversized dormers to accommodate egress windows or to capture additional interior square footage are often inappropriate.

Section 9, Page 11-12 of the Guidelines for Porches, Galleries and Balconies state that the HDLC encourages the reconstruction of removed porches, galleries or balconies with designs that are in keeping with the building’s style and are compatible in size and scale to the buildings and streetscape on which it is being proposed.

Section 8, Pages 3, 7-9 and 20 of the Guidelines for Windows and Doors state that the arrangement, size, proportions, patterns and configurations of window and door openings are key components of a building’s style and character. Since all of the components and details of a window are essential to defining the construction period and style, the pattern and configuration of proposed replacement windows should be historically appropriate for each building.

Previous ARC Recommendations:

06/20/23: The ARC voted to recommend conceptual approval with the final details to be worked out at the Staff level. The ARC also agreed that:

The proposed balcony appears too deep, and its depth should be reduced to about 4’-0”.
The proposed dormer closest to Picayune Place should be shifted inward about 2’-0” to 3’-0”.
The second-floor window sashes on the façade should be swapped so they are 6-over-9 to allow for access to proposed new balcony.
Some of the existing doors, horizontally oriented windows, and other first-floor façade modifications are not considered appropriate for the building. While the HDLC will not require this storefront to be replaced, it strongly encourages the applicant and owner to consider including this restoration scope of work into the overall renovation project.