Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing - April 9, 2026

The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) held a public hearing on April 9, 2026, at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, commencing at 7:02 p.m. and adjourning at 9:08 p.m. Acting Vice Chair Zandian presided, joined by Members Miller, del Ninno, Robinson, Adams, and (later) Spencer. Chair Scott was absent. The board considered six docket items and approved minutes from the March 18, 2026 meeting.

Consent Calendar

• BAR2026-00053 – Signage at 106 North Lee Street. Approved 5-0 as submitted.
• BAR2026-00061 – Modifications for an addition at 109 Duke Street. Approved 5-0 as submitted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• 623 South Royal Street (Items 5&6): The applicant’s agent, Jonathan Parsons, answered board questions. No public testimony was offered.
• 1126 Prince Street (Items 7&8): Three speakers:
  • Chris Corfield (1118 Prince Street) requested a deferral to explore alternatives to demolition and understand traffic implications.
  • Mark Lamb (1130 Prince Street) expressed concerns about the loss of historic fabric, impacts on his property's windows and natural light, and the scale of the proposed new construction.
  • Steve Roberts (Historic Alexandria Foundation) urged the board to require documentation of existing historic materials and retention of a rear brick wall and early‑19th‑century smokehouse structure.
• 220 & 224 South Peyton Street (Item 9): Steve Roberts spoke in support of the design and asked that archaeological conditions be included in the approval (later clarified as already addressed through the site‑plan process).
• 732 North Washington Street (Item 10): A member of the public (speaking on behalf of “Gallizander Panich”) expressed general support but noted concern that the proposal did not address the Washington Street standards, particularly regarding balconies on the primary facade.
• 724, 726 & 728 North Patrick Street (Item 11): A neighbor (Patrick, of 728 North Patrick) requested that nearby property owners be kept informed throughout the development process, citing past communication gaps.

Discussion Items

• 623 South Royal Street (BAR2026-00025 & BAR2026-00050): The board asked the applicant to revise the roof of the proposed porch so that the slopes on both sides are parallel, aligning with the existing structure. The board then approved the request as amended (5-0).
• 1126 Prince Street (BAR2026-00042 & BAR2026-00043): The board heard staff’s history of the building (constructed 1893–1896 as a temporary grocery, later converted to residential, largely mid‑20th‑century interior). Board members discussed the proposed new building’s height and massing relative to the two‑story neighbors. A motion to approve the complete demolition (of the front building only, excluding the historic rear wall and structure) carried 5-0 (Member Spencer abstained). A separate motion to defer the new construction application (at the applicant’s request) carried 5-0 (Spencer abstained), with the understanding that the applicant would return with revisions addressing massing, materials, and the building’s rear elevation.
• 220 & 224 South Peyton Street (BAR2026-00051): The applicant (Stephen Kulinski) presented a revised design for a new apartment building on an irregular lot, improving column proportions, window scales, and masonry detailing. Staff and board members praised the design. A motion to approve with staff recommendations and a request to study lowering the privacy wall between roof decks carried 6-0.
• 732 North Washington Street (BAR2026-00055): The applicant (Kenneth Wire) presented a proposal to convert an existing five‑story office building to residential, adding a mansard roof, balconies, and window modifications. Board members raised concerns about attached balconies on the Washington Street elevation (violating Washington Street standards), the roof‑level dormer design, and the horizontal muntin pattern on ground‑floor windows. A motion to defer to allow the applicant to address comments carried 6-0.
• 724, 726 & 728 North Patrick Street (BAR2026-00054) – Concept Review: The applicant (Stephen Kulinski) presented a concept for new townhouses. The board offered design feedback, including suggestions to add depth to the central recessed portion of the facade, vary brick color on end units, and provide material samples at the next review. No vote was taken at this concept‑review stage.

Key Outcomes

• Approved minutes of March 18, 2026 (5-0).
• Approved Consent Calendar items BAR2026-00053 and BAR2026-00061 (5-0).
• Approved BAR2026-00025 & BAR2026-00050 (623 South Royal Street) as amended (5-0).
• Approved BAR2026-00042 (demolition at 1126 Prince Street) as amended (5-0, Spencer abstained).
• Deferred BAR2026-00043 (new construction at 1126 Prince Street) at applicant’s request (5-0, Spencer abstained).
• Approved BAR2026-00051 (new construction at 220 & 224 South Peyton Street) as amended (6-0).
• Deferred BAR2026-00055 (alterations and addition at 732 North Washington Street) at applicant’s request (6-0).
• Concept review for BAR2026-00054 (724, 726 & 728 North Patrick Street) received without a vote; applicant to return with revisions.

Note: The meeting date appears as April 8, 2026 in the agenda and minutes, but the user instruction specified April 9, 2026. This summary uses the user‑supplied date.