Right, we're gonna get started here.

So welcome to the historic architectural review board meeting of uh February 2026.

Harb is an advisory body to City Council.

Uh City Council renders the final decision of HARB recommendations.

Under the direction of the historic design guidelines, HARB review covers the general design, arrangement, texture, material, and color of a building or structure.

Harb will also examine how these factors relate to similar features around your building.

Anyone in attendance wishing a comment on any of the listed items on tonight's agenda are returned to sign in for records purposes.

Staff will introduce and present the proposal through a prepared report, which was provided to the applicant and board members for review prior to this evening's meeting.

The applicant can then provide additional context to the proposable for discussion.

Presentations are limited to 30 minutes and comments from any interested party other than the applicant are limited to five minutes.

After the presentation, the board will discuss the members of the project among themselves, but will ask the applicant and staff for relevant information to supplement the discussion.

After deliberation, Harb will recommend to approve as submitted or approve with conditions, deny it with explanation or table the project for further discussion.

If the applicant is not present at the meeting or if information provided is not sufficient, the board may table a project until the next meeting to provide the opportunity for the applicate applicant to present and/or supply sufficient information.

A proposal will only be tabled once.

If requirements are not satisfied the following meeting, the board may automatically recommend for denials and require and require the applicant to reapply for a new certificate of appropriateness.

Our recommendations will be forwarded to the next available city council meeting for final resolution.

And meanwhile, no work can proceed on your project until council resolution and certificate of appropriateness is received.

Once received, you will then be able to pull any additional permits associated with your project.

So let's do a roll call.

Philip Hart, here.

And Shar.

Here.

David Hewer.

Here.

Alex Ansel.

Here.

We have six present and we have core.

My role call.

Great.

Thank you.

All right, we'll move on to minutes of January 5th, 2026.

Is everyone had an opportunity to read them?

Any comments or corrections?

Do we have a motion to approve?

No.

So motion.

Philip, second.

No second then.

Second from Alex.

All those in favor of approve without change.

Any opposed?

I'll abstain first since I wasn't here last month.

One abstain from Rob.

All right.

That is approved.

Thank you.

All right, moving straight into new business.

Um applicant for 943-951 West Chu.

Is that you?

Yeah, great.

Uh do you mind stating your names and addresses?

Yep.

Jason Colfer, uh 1202 Hendricks Lane, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Okay.

Uh Paul Dioli.

Um 4436 Mechanicsville Road, Duelstown PA.

Okay.

Great.

And are you uh owners, contractors?

Uh both.

Okay.

All right.

Uh we'll begin with uh recommendations from staff.

So uh 943 to 951 West Shoe Street is located in the old Allentown Historic District.

It's a circa 1900 structure with later additions, um, and it's a two-story brick vernacular commercial building.

It has four entrances on the primary facade, uh one double door, two single doors, and a loading dock.

The front facade has metal framed windows.

Um proposed project uh from the application is a residential conversion of an existing building to result in an increased number of dwelling units, 18 total dwelling units at the time of completion.

Staff observations and comments.

The parcels at 943 to 951 West Chu Street have been greatly altered since the period of initial construction.

The 1911 sandboard map indicates that the structures were a series of attached row houses of the things at back blue street.

The 1932 Sandboard map indicates that at the western end of the row, two dwellings at 941, 949, and 951 were converted into a print shop with additions at the rear that filled the full parcel.

The 1950 sandboard map shows an addition to the print shop at the rear of 947 West Chu.

After this period, it appears that the print shop continued to expand to the current building footprint, converting the remaining dwellings in an interns of industrial and commercial use and architecturally the vernacular commercial structure and style.

The proposed windows are aluminum cladwood windows with mutton patterns that resemble the current configuration of the existing metal framed windows.

Given the industrial style of the structure, metal framed windows would be more appropriate in materiality, frame dimensions, and sight lines.

The proposed drawings indicate modifications to doorways along West Shoe Street.

Since the doorway appears original slightly resessing the brick inflow of the doorway so that the original doorway size can still be perceived would be an appropriate treatment of the opening.

The loading dock door is proposed to be removed and replaced with brick and a pair of windows similar to adjacent pairs of windows.

The door itself is concealed and it is unknown if the original door exists.

The dock bumper does not appear on the proposed drawings.

The loading dock is a unique feature on the facade that was directly related to the former commercial use.

A more appropriate treatment of this opening would be to retain the loading dock bumper and maintain the overall dimension of the door opening by replacing with fixed doors or by utilizing a different info material.

So it does a five percent staff recommend approval of the following conditions.

Replacement windows are metal windows with mountain configuration and operation as proposed.

The single um the single door brick infill is recessed by half inch to an inch from the wall surface of the original door opening size is preserved.

The loading dock bumper and opening size is retained if the opening is infilled a different material a differing material such as five percent is used.

Yeah staff those recommendations um do you all have anything like to add to this composites I mean so in infer metal not aluminum clad well so first of all it's staff recommendation we'll discuss beyond that um I I don't I can't speak for the rest of the board in preference and metal versus clad um but that's recommendations do you have anything like to add on to what was presented no okay and then uh board do we have any questions?

It looks like you have presented some um architectural renderings are there were these prepared by an architect were they self-prepared architecting okay um who prepared them varyl partnership okay I'm not familiar do you have more complete drawings um with you for this project or just these um elevations that you submitted just those elevations right now yeah we we will I think they're probably yeah I mean we have there they're just about finalized the full package what's the building being used for right now is it empty or the residence and so it's empty at this point.

Well it did have five residential units on the second floor and they've been cleared out at this point the first floor was just storage and there was like a book storage uh left on the right side seems like a pretty cool project.

Yeah Easter eggs or is it been pretty straightforward uh hopefully hopefully not uh too many surprises when we get in but the AJ what do you think about the uh the dock door like the loading dock door bumper and that stuff yeah it is a an important piece of history so I'm not sure I definitely appreciate preserving it in some way um and I think as far as like I think we do need some sort of preservation with that but that it's a very defined pretty blank sleep like yeah this I think it'd be character defining and then maybe opportunity to add some kind of cool industrial architectural stylistic thing that we can't prescribe but yeah there's opportunity there.

I agree the line something to the building really the wouldn't be right to if you can attribute to the narrative now the door above it.

The applicant is proposed to add windows and I'm assuming there's a function behind those windows so we we I don't recommend to keep the doors there and closed would probably close off some interior space.

Correct correct um I can't tell whether the doors should be salvage in that way but the bumper yes um also the the double doors the are you are you rehabbing or replacing those just rehab and so those would stay okay wonderful yeah they they look much cheaper on the drawing great that's great to hear Alex and Philos yeah I have seen especially like Lancaster often use as uh have the bumper still on the buildings I can't give any specific examples but redding does it I I think preserving the bumper is is important and uh there's probably various sections like a point two to the bumper but part of me is wondering um if the window of it can be or buried you know I I don't think there's it seems like the attempt is to match that window to the adjacent windows and this is actually an example of a place where could be it should be different.

I I think preserving the bumper is is important.

And uh there's probably various sections like a point two to the bumper.

But part of me is wondering um if the window above it can be more varied.

You know, I I don't think there's it seems like the attempt is to match that window to the adjacent windows, and this is actually an example of a place where it could be it should be different.

Yeah.

Um so I don't know if that's a possibility.

I'm sure we can certainly look.

I mean, uh it's like I said, it's probably the plan for a room or to be there with windows.

Um that because they're planning to replace the they're not doors, but above the bumper with a window, and the window is set to match the window to the right.

So I think that would create an uncharacteristic facade.

If you have the bumper in that window, which is the brick beneath.

Um you think you can keep in the infill wood?

No, no, no.

It would be brick.

So we'd infill the bottom half with the brick and then paint to match the facade, and then the top half with that would be I could see just that window in that section being the wood, the clad wood window.

Well, I mean I don't know if I could recommend it.

Clad wood there.

My my only point is that window can be different.

Right.

Um any way that you can highlight that space with the window, whether it's the same color or making sure you know the material around it.

Um I think it'd be cool if that one window was red and then you have red brick under it, you know, whatever.

Um I I you know we can't design from the board, and that's not in front of us, but um I do think a recommendation here might be if we move forward uh to preserve that um bumper bumper and visual uh doorway in that way.

And the staff is recommending resets the bricks half inch to an inch, I believe there, and on the toilet left in both locations, just to kind of put them with the silhouettes.

Um but I could also recommend you know making it a unique color unique window.

Uh I I don't know if we'd be able to get to a uh condition that allows you to just you know put in whatever.

Uh so if there's not something in front of us, it's hard to approve.

Um but that's my thoughts based on it.

I I'm leaning that way too.

It's always interesting when you have these kind of uniform facades, how all of the attention goes into one very minor small thing, right?

And so it creates a very interesting opportunity.

Also, like yeah, it's got to be very special because a lot of the focus goes there.

Um but subtlety, I think.

But yeah, I think since that opening, AJ, since that area is sized and mass differently, we want to want to preserve that somehow.

And they're also proposing a puncture another window where that sign, I guess, is um I I do think that should match the windows to the left and right.

I agree, I think that's a good way of fan.

Any other comments on the proposed materiality of windows?

You have a staff recommendation of preference for metal over I agree with the staff recommendation.

Is it a requirement or preference?

A rec is it a is it a condition or a uh just a recommendation?

It just depends what every city feels.

Well, um and and what sections of the guidelines you reference.

Um I I say that because I struggle to see uh the section that like for like replacements.

It's a specific material that replicated with a wood window or a ready to see house.

And that's the recommendation like for like for the entire building.

So the front facade on Shoe Street has aluminum.

It appears that they're all aluminum windows now, and on the on Hazel Street, um, just around the corner, there's also uh metal frame windows.

So no, the metal framing is able to have a that smaller sight line.

So um, you know, in keeping with the current materials that are in the windows, that's how exactly the recommendation to have metal windows in.

I would love to hear the rest of the board's opinion.

I have a question about the uh the door with the uh bump out there.

So if we're saying that they can replace it with a little bit of a recession there.

have a that smaller sight line so um you know in keeping with in the current materials that are in the windows that's how exactly the recommendation to have metal windows in a little half word i would love to hear the rest of the board's opinion i have a question about the uh the door with the uh bump out there so if we're saying that they can replace it with a little bit of a recession there could they put a window in that yeah I think that's what they want to do okay but they can they can do it that way but just not the the center one the the way the sign is correct is that what I'm understanding no so I believe where the sign is would be almost identical to the one opposite that that loading dock um so a smaller narrower window uh the loading dock door there is a proposal to be a window identical to the rest of those and we're just suggesting that that can be a different window because it should kind of force that perspective of more vertical opening um it's the one opening that's different so we want to keep it different gotcha and I personally love adding modern materials to historic structures in places like this so I would love the bright red window there but that's me that's I'm not speaking for the board be the metal glass one as well here I just love when you get those opportunities you know go for it um really more questions there any other questions or thoughts from the board I I still not clear on window material I'd love to hear from everyone perspective there.

No it's no hiding that was industrial building at one time I think the metal windows would actually compliment what you have there I think I'm I think I'm leading metal as well that's the right recommend what's that like window material yes metal that's my opinion yes I'm trying to bring up one on how it street that I I just can't remember that we need if I uh condition of having those windows be uh metal is included is that something that the architect is prepared for I mean yeah that's I mean we can go back to our distributor and get a or deal with Pella so okay yeah it definitely seems like the uh the majority consensus is keeping that light configuration is the narrow buttons and all that that are really admirable on this building which was the plan cool yeah so can I can we go back to the the dock door any so we're okay to infill that and put a window in or that whole opening should be a window I think it can be either or as long as whatever is placed there is receptive like makes it the overall appearance so you're welcome to expand it to a larger window I think that'd be cool.

But if you do choose a another window that is just of a the higher end just kind of feel free to vary it gotcha variegate the material below it I would love to see it red to match that uh but we can't regulate color just create relations there yeah yeah um as long as the bumper is preserved okay yeah we can't make a very prescriptions for that but I'd love to see a couple of different I mean I don't need different different options yeah yeah interesting to get some other people's takes to see what kind of opportunities there are yeah if you're really set against the metal windows for any maybe you could present a very thin profile um clad wood window that's what you're going for anyway with a really thin frame and sort resembles that more isn't that what was presented isn't that what's been presented I'm not sure the exact details on what they were I don't see in the flat one the flat one that in the chat as opposed to the the um profile um well that was kind of my question earlier is is the metal material historic for the purpose of the guidelines and that was kind of my question that I have like four votes of yes and currently like two and a half votes of maybe um so is anybody else debating this okay all right so I think the metal is is kind of winning out there did you have another question about the the function um on the other door the the door at the left that's proposed to be put in and that's also a place where staff recommended recessed brick we're also removing the stoop yeah yeah uh any board commentary on what's proposed there

Okay, all right.

So I think the metal is is kinda winning out there.

Did you have another question about the the bump?

Nope, I'm good.

Um on the other door, the the door at the left that's proposed to be put in, and that's also a place where staff recommended recessed brick.

We're also removing the stoop.

Yeah, yeah.

Uh any board commentary on what's proposed there.

So the only difference between what was proposed, I mean, because the the plans proposed removing the stoop.

So the only difference in what what we're adding is that rather than a B flush that it be recessed slightly.

So right.

That's some good recommendations there.

And yeah, and um there's gonna be a lot of infill here because that door has a translate, it has a light above it, it's got a stoop below it.

Um right now it seems like we're just proposing to put brick in all of that.

Okay, and you're proposing to remove the light fixture and break it up.

So any other conditions that need to be included with all those repairs?

How the recessed door meets the ground.

We're just gonna leave it open to whatever they want to do.

Okay.

Now the doorway on the the right half of the building is just straight down to the ground.

So I don't personally feel the need, see the need to call that stoop historic in any way and try and frame that out.

I'd be comfortable with just keep that recession down the ground and one day.

Yeah.

You're talking about slash one.

The left door.

We're gonna remove the stoop, remove the door, remove the transfer light, but uh we're recommending that the to preserve the recession.

Um it's it's pushed back half inch to an inch, and then that vertical line just goes all the way down to the sidewalk.

If it if it does go down already, yeah, if not whatever goes down.

We care about the brick and the painted, like what's is this just gonna be naked brick or is it gonna be painted?

What's the we would put brick in and then paint paint the brick?

Like it would the whole that whole facade would be painted.

Remain painted.

Yeah.

West door to the western.

Wait, is this on the north side of the street?

Uh you were right, south elevation, south side of north side of trees.

Okay.

So yeah.

Okay.

Any other questions or comments?

Um are we feeling confident enough that we can approve with some conditions or or are you feeling like you need to take this, go back and table it among to double check everything?

I mean, I'm I think we're okay.

Yeah, I think we're good.

Okay, yeah.

Um anybody else?

I think that recommendations just case just about on.

Yeah, probably.

Well, did we modify something?

I mean, that'll be staff.

There's a breathable paint for the uh brick and mortar.

What's that is it going to be a breathable paint for brick and mortar?

Um I mean it can be.

Okay.

No.

Oh, no.

It would probably clean it and then paint it.

Uh down to the sall add down to the sidewalk on that.

The loading bumper and opening size retained.

The opening is in pill to different material such as fiber cement.

Uh so the staff recommends a different material such as fiber cement.

Um, we can leave that recommendation or just leave it more open.

It could be open.

I think open.

Uh so a different material uh to fill the void as well as maintaining a one-half to one inch recession there.

Um yeah, okay.

Uh any anything else?

Should I should I make this one?

So they wrote it all down.

Great.

All right.

Uh so I'm going to uh move to approve with conditions, the application presented on February 2nd, 2026 for window replacement and opening modification at 943 921 West Chu Street with the following conditions agreed to by the applicant.

Uh that the replacement windows are metal windows with mutton configuration and operation as proposed.

Uh single door brick infill is recessed.

That's the single western door brick infill is recessed by one half to one inch from wall surface that the original door opening size is preserved.

That the original door opening size is preserved.

And vertical elements uh continue to sidewalk.

The loading bumper and opening the loading dock bumper is preserved and opening size is retained.

If the opening is infilled, a different material or end-or window configuration can be used.

Um do you mean to add a breathable paint?

And uh any uh uh any painted elements should use a breathable thing.

Yeah.

Is there gonna be any lighting on it?

I didn't see anything.

So the removing one fixture remove, okay.

Uh but we're not adding new light pictures.

Okay.

All right.

Um that's it for me on the service.

So that uh I find compliance with the following sections of Guidelines Brave Historic Districts, chapter three, section 3.5, windows, and section 3.6 doors, and find that there are circumstances unique to the property.

Um that concludes my motion.

Sorry.

Sorry.

There are circumstances unique to the property, and that this is an historic uh um commercial structure that is being converted.

That concludes my motion.

I'll second.

Second from Rob.

All is in paper approval with conditions.

All right.

Uh posed.

Great.

Thank you so much.

I'm excited.

What's your proposed contract on this?

Yeah, I mean, I guess once permitts come in.

Uh four to five months, five months, so nice little scheme yet.

Uh I not that I'm aware of, yeah.

I think something lighter, right?

Like on the outside you're referring to.

Yeah, like something.

Light.

Dark windows.

I believe so, yeah.

Nice.

Yeah.

I remember that was a print shop.

It doesn't seem that long ago.

It was probably the 80s or not.

That's fine.

I actually didn't know how long ago it was.

I knew it was a print shop, but I I heard early way earlier in the 19th or uh 1900s.

But it was there for a long time.

Yep.

So normally we this is the condition we didn't this time.

Um when you choose that window, if you wouldn't mind just sending it to staff just to get a thumbs up.

We appreciate it.

We left it very open to anything, but you know.

Absolutely.

Okay, thank you.

Great project, guys.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you guys.

Great improvement.

Thanks.

All right.

That concludes the new business.

Moving on to other business that we have other business.

Do we have another business uh annual report reorganization of the board?

And we have this gentleman right here that would like to speak to us after.

Sorry, all right.

And a report.

The annual report is one of your tablets.

I wanted to know if you guys had anything that you guys want to discuss on the annual report.

And denials throughout the year.

So approvals include staff approvals.

Okay, that's why there's so many approvals.

Name tricks.

Official elected names.

All right.

So what if it's official electron name is Matt?

That's interesting.

Matt.

And then we said Matthew, and I said, Oh, I think it's Matthew.

My sister just sent me her will this last week with me in it, and then she spelled my name on it.

You can go back to a lawyer.

I'll just mention looking at this report.

It seems like most of the deliverables were all things that Amy did.

So I appreciate you thank you.

And yeah, kill it.

Thank you for all your recommendations.

I know it takes a lot to get in there.

It's always been really, really helpful.

Thank you.

You know, this through your work, nobody's no more.

So is Joe is not still officially.

No, he's not fighting with City or I think they just have to list all of the uh he wasn't allowed because you know you have to do the financial disclosures of all the ones that were on the board at any point in time.

You and I are killing it on those training hours every yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I appreciate uh Patty for joining me and not doing any training this year.

I got enough training.

Uh-huh.

How many credits do we need each year?

Nine?

In the beginning.

Yes.

That was ridiculously long.

Okay.

When is that effective?

January 1st.

My gosh.

What?

Wait, well, see it again.

It's on Allen phone.

We have that oh.

The zoning ordinance bake that in.

Okay.

Which actually allowed this property to add because they're right next to a high capacity transit station.

There's a BBS station across the street.

The new code allows EBS.

The enhanced bus service, our rapid transit system.

Oh across the street?

Yeah, it's at 9th and 2.

That's the old that's the old Allentown.

Is that 9th and 2?

Oh, okay.

So it's currently just a bus stop, but there's plans to build a structure there, but it's it's already part of our EPS system or code.

Anyway, that's not what we're discussing, and we're on the record, so you are then just for the record after our official meeting.

We do have one pre-app meeting left after our meeting.

I don't have any comments on the report.

Nor do I.

Anybody else?

Thanks for putting this together, Brandon.

All right.

So moving on to reorganization of the board.

The organization of the board.

So currently AJ Me is the chair.

Dave Hubert is vice chair.

We are here to uh confirm or deny whether or not you guys would still like to be in that position, or if you guys like to change your positions.

I'm happy I forgot to lobby on my behalf though.

How do y'all feel?

You good?

I'm good.

Yeah.

AJ you're good for another year.

Yeah.

All right, great.

Rob?

I think that's great.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

We're a full year behind in doing this.

We were supposed to do this last year.

Yeah.

All right.

So is that complete the reorganization?

No, just it's part of it's part of one of the motions for the second meeting of the year.

But we have to discuss the reorganization of the board.

So now that it's confirmed that you would like to still be chair, he's going to still be vice chair for great great.

Re-uh character defining roof discussion.

Would you like us to discuss that off record or on record?

I don't know.

We can wait till off the record.

Great.

All right.

Um so we can move on to other business.

This includes other business, so we are off the record after that we're sweet for record.

All right.

Um anything else before adjournment.

All right.

I want to move to adjourn at 6.34.

Race to the bench line.

Somebody's second.

Second from Alex, great.

All right, we're adjourned at 6.34.

So moving on post-meeting.

You're off the