HARB Minutes
Historic Architectural Review Board
Meeting Minutes
June 15, 2011
Vice Chairman Elwood Christ called the Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) to order on Wednesday, June 15 at 7:34 p.m. The meeting was held at the Gettysburg Borough building,
59 E. High Street. Those in attendance were: Board members Peggy Gustafson, Colleen Lingle and Dale Gettel, Code Enforcement Officer; Merry Bush, Borough Planner and Historic District Administrator; and Scott Dellett, Planning Director. A quorum was present, although Nancie Gudmestad, Gary Shaffer and Judi McGee were absent.
Others in attendance were: Stuart Christenson, Noelker & Hull Associates, architect, and Jim Biesecker, Gettysburg College, for 339 Carlisle Street; Ernie Kranias, Ernie's Texas Lunch, 54-58 Chambersburg Street; Deborah Gemmell, 162 E. Middle Street; Daniel Small, 65 E. High Street; and Paige Levan, Kilwins of Gettysburg, and Scott Peterson, Awnings and More, for 37 Steinwehr Avenue.
Mr. Christ introduced the Board members and explained the procedures that would be followed during the meeting. He noted that the Board serves as an advisory group to the Borough Council, which makes final decisions concerning Certificates of Appropriateness. Borough Council will make decisions regarding these applications at its July 11, 2011 meeting.
Review of Agenda and Minutes
There were no changes or additions to the agenda. Peggy Gustafson asked that the minutes be revised under Item D. New Construction. 114 Chambersburg Street. The first sentence in the fifth paragraph should read: "Peggy Gustafson expressed appreciation for the selection of a building design that would fit the infill space in scale, massing and rhythm." Ms. Gustafson moved to accept the minutes of the May 18, 2011 meeting as revised. Colleen Lingle seconded and the motion carried.
Certificates of Appropriateness
A. Alteration. Replacement windows. 65 E. High Street. Daniel Small, owner.
Background: The house is one of two known Sears houses located in the Borough. The house was built between 1934 and 1935 by the current owner's great-grandfather. The home has remained in the family since it was built.
Daniel Small, the applicant, wishes to replace all the windows with PVC windows. The left dormer was damaged when a tree fell. A window made of PVC was installed when the repairs were made. The owner said that all the windows have aluminum wrapping. He said that the new windows would be the same size as those coming out with no infill around the windows. The windows should match the existing size within 1/16th of an inch. The configuration of six over one will remain.
Peggy Gustafson asked about the original windows. The owner said they are made of wood and have suffered termite damage, which is partly why the owner wishes to replace them.
Colleen Lingle moved to recommend to Borough Council that a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved for the replacement of the wood windows as submitted. Dale Gettel seconded the motion. When asked about the west kitchen window, which had already been replaced, the applicant said he was not planning to replace that one.
Findings of Fact: The structure at 65 E. High Street is located within the Gettysburg Borough Historic District as determined by ordinance and is a contributing structure to the Gettysburg Battlefield National Register Historic District, which brings the project under the review of this Board. The house is a documented Sears house built between 1934 and 1935. The proposed changes would be highly visible from the street and permanent in nature, making this a critical project.
The motion carried, 4 to 0.
B. Conceptual. Alteration and rear addition. 339 Carlisle Street. Gettysburg College, owner
Background: The structure at 339 Carlisle Street consists of a historic house located on the street with a one-story block section to the rear. The house was built in 1869 for the family of Col. Charles H. Buehler. The Italianate house was modified sometime between 1888 and 1891 with the addition of the round tower and other modifications to reflect the current Queen Anne style. The house become a fraternity, Theta Chi, in 1958 and the rear building was completed in 1960. Students have been housed in the rear block building but the historic house has not been occupied for the last 10 years. The property has not been well maintained.
Stuart Christenson, architect for Gettysburg College, explained that the exterior of the house will undergo restoration while the interior will require complete reconstruction due to damage done by the fraternity. The College also proposes a second floor addition to the rear block building. The property will be used for administrative offices. Currently, parking on the site serves both this building and the fraternity next door. A new stair tower will be built between the two buildings to connect them.
Mr. Christenson noted that there are a number of height differentials between the buildings so the stair tower must be carefully designed to meet those differences. The curved windows will be duplicated. Currently some of the panes are missing and filled in with Plexiglass. Windows are in poor condition on the inside with some nailed shut. The windows in the historic house will be replaced with clad wood windows.
Peggy Gustafson asked about the siding on the exterior of the building. The applicant said that siding will be made to replicate the original siding, making repairs as needed. The both floors of the block building will be covered with siding, probably a fiber cement product. Ms. Gustafson asked particularly about the notation, "varying widths of lap siding." Stuart Christenson said they were planning to break up the siding on the rear building, using broader siding at the bottom and narrower on top.
Peggy Gustafson then asked about the roof of the circular tower. Stuart Christenson said that he was not sure what material would be used but there would definitely be an ice and water shield installed. A question was asked about the new second floor of the block building. The northern side of the building will have two shallow dormers to allow light into the building. One half of the second floor will be an open office.
Colleen Lingle asked for confirmation that the College plans to restore all the detail work. Stuart Christenson said yes, with wood or a fiber cement product where necessary. The goals is to make the building look new or better.
The college plans to submit a zoning application in July on two parking issues with a land development plan to be submitted in the fall.
Someone commented on the front doors. Mr. Christenson said that the front doors do not look right or appropriate for the building; It was suggested that someone put in a larger front door than was there originally. The Adams County Historical Society may have photos from the 1960s. It was also suggested that applicant search the archives of the college for photos taken when the building was used as a fraternity.
Elwood Christ said that the conceptual drawings for the rear building show a front gabled roof. He suggested that a gambrel or mansard might be more appropriate so that rear building does not dominate the view from the street.
The general consensus of the Board was that the project was heading in the right direction. The applicant will return at a later date with a final application.
C. Alteration. Replacement windows. 54-56-58 Chambersburg Street. Ernest and Linda Kranias, owners.
Background: The two-story, shed roofed, brick building was built in 1888 for J. William Garlach, a furniture dealer and undertaker. The second floor served as his home. The structure's distinguishing features include the decorative frieze and brickwork, slightly altered vintage storefronts and the stained glass windows. Elwood Christ said that looking at the lintels, the rear portion of the building may have been built between 1830 and 1840. A project for the front façade was considered in May.
The owner proposes the replacement of eight double-hung wood windows on the rear and side with double-hung, vinyl-clad wood windows. The replacement windows will be the same size as the originals. After some discussion, Elwood Christ moved to recommend approval of the replacement of eight double-hung wood windows with vinyl-clad wood windows of the same size and glazing pattern. Mr. Kranias was asked to let the Planning Department know if any portion of the windows are to be clad with aluminum, in particular the sills. Dale Gettel seconded the motion. The motion carried 4 to 0.
D. Alteration. Awnings. 37 Steinwehr Avenue. Sweet P's, Inc. Paige Levan, applicant.
Background: The building at 37 Steinwehr Avenue is a frame building, once a residence but now houses Kilwins, a commercial business.
Dale Gettel complimented the applicant on the quality of the drawings. He said that a Uniform Construction Code (UCC) permit would be required for the installation of the awning and that the drawings in the HARB application would be sufficient for the UCC application.
Peggy Gustafson complimented the application. She asked where the awning would attached to the building. The awning will be attached to the front corners of the one-story portion of the building, supported by metal framing and two poles locates at the top front of the steps. The awning will slant downward over the two windows and be curved over the entry way to protect those entering and exiting. The poles will not be embedded into the concrete according to the contractor but instead be inserted into brackets, which are then bolted in the steps.
All exposed aluminum including the poles will be painted black. The Kilwins logo will be written on the center section of the awning with "chocolate, fudge, ice cream" repeating around lower edge of the side portions of the awning.
Findings of Fact: The building at 37 Steinwehr Avenue is located within the Gettysburg Borough Historic District as annexed in 1989. The building is a contributing structure to the Borough Historic District. The age of the building is not known but the design suggests that it was built between 1880 and 1910, according to Elwood Christ. This Folk Victorian house retains a mixed degree of architectural integrity.
Dale Gettel moved to recommend to Borough Council that a Certificate of Appropriateness be issued for the addition of an awning with signage to the front of 37 Steinwehr Avenue. Colleen Lingle seconded and the motion carried, 4 to 0.
E. Addition. Pergola. 162 E. Middle Street. Deborah Gemmell, owner.
Background: The owner began to build a pergola attached to the house at 162 E. Middle Street before coming before this Board and before getting a UCC building permit. The pergolas was attached to the house before the work was stopped.
Peggy Gustafson expressed concern that a portion of the porch molding under the roof has been removed or obscured by the wood of the pergola. The owner said that some of the molding had been removed and she was planning to use the molding on the second story porch on the west side of the house. Ms. Gustafson said that without the molding the section looks unfinished, particularly on the return at the corner of the porch and recommends that the molding be reinstalled to the outside of the corner boards.
Findings of Fact: The house, likely built between 1875 and 1885, is located in the Gettysburg Borough District as set by ordinance. The house is a contributing structure to both the local district and the Gettysburg Battlefield National Register Historic District.
Elwood Christ moved to recommend to Borough Council that installation of a pergola be permitted with the stipulation that the molding removed from the porch be restored, at least from the corner to the first rafter of the pergola but preferably to the second rafter. Dale Gettel seconded and the motion carried, 4 to 0.
Reports
Peggy Gustafson gave a report on the Lancaster Historic Home Show that she had attended on June 12. She spoke with several of the vendors and exchanged tips. The owner of the Protective Coating Company expressed his willingness to make a presentation to the Board sometime in the fall. The company is the maker of PC-Woody, an epoxy paste formulated to replace missing and rotted wood, and many other epoxy products.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Merry V. Bush,
Planner and Historic District Administrator