District: Warehouse District - Full Control
Owner: Multiple Owners
HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy
Rating: Contributing
Applicant: Stephanie Nevarez
Permit #: 22-06440-HDLC
Description: Retention of installation of EIFS wall cladding system at penthouse of existing Contributing rated four-story, multi-family residential building in deviation of a Certificate of Appropriateness.
HDLC Guidelines:
EIFS Wall Cladding: Section 07, Pages 5, 12 – Guidelines for Masonry and Stucco
Retention Items:
EIFS Wall Cladding Installed in deviation of CofA: No objection with proviso that CofA will not be issued until Safety and Permits confirms wall assembly installed meets all building code requirements
Staff Recommendations:
The original application requested approval to remove the penthouse wall cladding for installation of new wall cladding to match in-kind. The applicant has noted they met with previous HDLC Staff on-site to discuss this work and that verbal approval was granted for installation of new EIFS wall cladding. However, aside from the CofA being issued for replacement with "smooth finish stucco," the applicant has not provided stamped drawings, details, specifications, or other written correspondence to confirm this work was previously approved by the HDLC. As per the HDLC Guidelines, EIFS wall systems are considered problematic and are generally not approvable for installation on Contributing rated buildings because they can trap moisture within the wall thickness and require control joints or grooves on larger areas of wall which would not be necessary with a traditional 3-coat stucco. Zoning has confirmed there is no prohibition on EIFS cladding at this specific property and Safety and Permits has also noted the assembly may be approvable after-the-fact once they verify that correct sheathing was installed, as required by the building code. This particular building occupies an entire city block and is visible in the round with the penthouse walls prominent from a majority of the surrounding public right of ways. If the applicant had requested this scope in advance, Staff likely would have recommended denial based on the assembly's vulnerability to moisture and water intrusion. However, while some of the visual characteristics of the penthouse walls were altered as part of this change of materiality, the previous cladding was a panelized cementitious board product which also featured numerous edges and seams visible from the street. Based on this, and because the penthouse is a non-original addition to the Contributing rated building, Staff has no objection to the request for retention of the wall cladding with the proviso that the CofA will not be issued until Safety and Permits has confirmed the wall assembly as-installed meets all building code requirements.
Case History:
03/07/2022: Application submitted for roof replacement and replacement of existing penthouse cladding to match existing condition. CofA is issued for replacement of existing penthouse cladding with new smooth finish stucco.
06/01/2022: Safety and Permits notifies HDLC that a change order request was submitted for stucco cladding at penthouse - request is dated 02/07/2022.
06/10/2022: Staff confirms with applicant that installation of smooth-finish stucco was previously approved on CofA and forwards applicant copy of the HDLC approved 3-coat stucco formula for reference.
06/13/2022: Applicant confirms receipt of stucco formula and verifies other proposed terrace handrail modifications via email.
01/09/2023: Neighbor complaint received that property is installing inappropriate EIFS wall cladding system in deviation of CofA and building permit.
01/11/2023: HDLC conducts site inspection and verifies that penthouse cladding appears to be EIFS rather than traditional stucco. HDLC Stop Work order is posted.
01/19/2023: Zoning confirms there is no CZO prohibition on EIFS installation at this property. Safety and Permits confirms EIFS installation was not submitted to them or approved, however, can be approved after-the-fact following verification that the assembly as-installed meets all building code requirements.
Previous Penthouse Cladding Condition
Current Penthouse Cladding Condition
Traditional 3-Coat Stucco
Exterior Insulating Finish System (EIFS)