2127 Esplanade Ave.

District: Esplanade Ridge - Full Control

Owner: Anthony D Mackie

HDLC Staff: Wendy Cargile

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Zach Smith Consulting & Design

Description: Appeal ARC recommendations for material details of the renovation of a Contributing rated, 1-1/2 story, residential building.

Staff Recommendations:

The first application for the raising of the structure for conditioned space on the ground floor, was heard by the ARC at the July 2021 meeting. At that meeting the ARC recommended maintaining the look of a raised-basement at the proposed ground floor, including materials and fenestrations, if the raising of the building was approved. The drawings were updated to meet this recommendation and were subsequently approved by the ARC at the September 2021 meeting. The raising of the structure for conditioned space on the ground floor was approved by City Council in December 2021.

The applicant is appealing the ARC recommendation for the new ground floor to maintain the look of a raised-basement, including materials and would like to go with the original proposal that was submitted. The proposal uses weatherboards on the ground floor, giving the building the appearance of being a two-story building. The ARC and Staff feel that this is not appropriate, as the historic building was not a two-story building but a one-story raised basement. The materiality of the new ground-floor can significantly alter the character and building type, due to this reasoning Staff recommends denial of the appeal.

Recommendation: Denial of appeal request

Previous ARC Recommendations & Commission Actions:

12/01/21: City Council approved the raising the structure for conditioned space on the ground floor.

10/06/21: The Commission voted to deny the application to raise the structure for conditioned space on the ground floor.

09/21/21: The ARC voted to recommend conceptual approval with the details to be worked out at Staff level, provided that the raising of the building is approved by the Commission. The ARC recommended that the existing picture window in the front bay should be updated to be a more historic condition.

07/20/21: The ARC voted to defer the application for further study. The ARC recommended maintaining the look of a raised-basement at the proposed ground floor, including materials and fenestrations. The ARC suggested that the applicant verify the BFE and lower the proposal as much as possible while maintaining livable space on the ground floor. The picture window in the bay at the front of the house should be replaced with a more appropriate historic condition.