Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2015 08 17

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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes July 20, 2015 Page 6 of 13 taken to ensure the building may remain in good condition. He also believes the property, being located in the commercial zone district, is under - utilized and the addition will make the property a valuable contributor to the vitality of Downtown. Sherri Murgallis, owner, stated she was very happy with the design of the addition. She stated she loves the old building and believes it is important to maintain the structure. She said it is bittersweet to take out the back yard, but she believes it is important to preserve the building so it will stay as a contributor to the community. Public Comments — none heard Commission Questions /Comments Stewart stated this is a fantastic project. He said the new building is respectful of the existing structure. He also supports the landmark request and the grant application. He does have questions about the new construction grant. He stated the biggest question is whether the buildings have to be attached. Johnson stated owner would like to have a connection between the existing commercial space and new structure. They will be sharing the crawl space for storage. He thought it was important to have the connection to be one story, as low as possible, and be constructed with different materials so it appears as a different structure altogether. Stewart asked if the connection could be pushed back 8 feet to expose more of the corner of the building. Johnson stated the desire is to keep the connection as functional as possible. Stewart stated he likes the existing garage because we are trading enclosed parking with surface parking. Johnson stated it is difficult to attain all of the desirables, especially preserving a structure while making the property more usable, with such a small property. Fahey asked if Johnson had looked into putting in a new foundation. Johnson stated the cost comparison between repair and lifting the house for a new foundation is quite varied. Fasick asked why the new addition comes closer to the right of way than the existing structure. Johnson stated the future development of South Street, especially with the pedestrian underpass, makes South Street act more as a frontage road and therefore should have pedestrian oriented design.