Good morning everybody.

This is the rigorous scheduled meeting of the Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board.

Today is January 29th, 2026.

Present at today's meeting are Trish.

Nicole Fragnito.

Jeff Romano.

Lilie Donegan.

Martha Hertzberg Corporation Council's Office.

Amber Dallan.

And Kate Awitter.

Any excused group board?

Yeah.

Kyle and Julia are up today.

Okay.

May I have a motion to accept the minutes of the meeting of January the 8th, 2026?

I'll motion to accept the minutes.

Do we have a sec?

Probably one change though.

Simple.

I'm sorry.

Could you say sorry?

Just in the members present.

Modifications?

Oh.

Kyle might just be a modification.

Okay.

Yep.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

And then modifications.

We have one for striking out Kyle out of the roll call.

He's listed as excused and present.

Uh and then I just had one modification under um public hearing.

Uh the first one, 2543, last paragraph in discussion.

Um should be architectural, not just architecture at the end of the line.

Stated location of the lift at the rear of the property follow the architectural massing.

Okay, architect.

Yep.

So any other comments or changes to the minutes.

All in favor of the revised minutes.

Aye.

First up, we have a public hearing.

The board will conduct the public hearing on today's agenda.

First, the applicant or the applicant's representative will be invited to describe the proposed scope of work and present any material and documentation regarding the proposal to the board.

Next persons wishing to speak in favor of the proposal will be given a chance to give you an opportunity to address the board.

Then persons who wish to speak in opposition to the proposal will be allowed to address the board.

Finally, the applicant or representative will be given the opportunity to make closing comments to the board.

Following public comment, the board may vote to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application just heard.

The board may also decide to hold its decision until the next public hearing.

That information will be available for public review by with board staff.

It is a certificate of appropriateness for 300-310 Montgomery Street, which is St.

Paul's Church.

And here today are Terry Horst and if you could if you could come up to the mic and uh describe your project.

Hi.

Um so we're proposing to I'm sorry, can you please introduce yourself?

Terry Horse, Terry Horse Landscape Architecture.

Thank you.

Um so we're proposing to repave the existing parking lot adjacent to west of the existing church building.

Uh so currently it is paved, uh and it's kind of uh starting to fall apart.

We're having some sinkholes and potholes, so it is um basically an important um thing to do right now.

Also uh we're looking to create some improvements for circulation on the site.

So right now the main entrance is uh to enter the parking lot is to the um there's an easement to the west of the parking lot that everybody accesses and it is a shared easement with the adjacent building.

Um so that's kind of a congested flow.

Uh but we're proposing a dedicated entrance and exit with a one-way uh parking pattern uh to improve that condition.

So people will be able to come into the parking lot near the building.

There we're proposing a guardrail along the building to protect the building on that end, and then uh be able to circulate through and exit um out a little farther away from the building, um, only to improve site issues.

There's been some site um problems with when exiting on the right-of-way uh because the building, it's right next to the building and the sidewalk.

So what happens if there's pedestrians walking down the sidewalk and a car is pulling out?

Um they they don't always see the pedestrian, so there is a conflict there.

And I think if um is there an aerial photo if you want up to the first page?

I don't have okay.

I thought we had an aerial aerial.

Oh, there it is.

Okay, so and it's hard to see because of the trees.

So basically, when they leave on that right there, right where that gentleman is standing on the left image.

Uh so there's the sidewalk, so there's pedestrians and it's a busy sidewalk down in that area.

So that's one of the reasons why we're proposing to have the dedicated entrance and exit there.

Uh we will be taking down the wall and the two trees and planting uh new trees and having a lower wall, and you know, a similar appearance to that, um, but still low enough so you have visibility over the top of it when you're coming in and out of the parking lot.

Any board?

Yeah, any comments or questions from the board at this time?

Is the sculpture gonna be put back in place when you're done with the work?

Uh Bill, can you I think you've had conversations about the sculpture at the front entrance.

Briefly uh city's property.

Is uh the intention though is you'd the the church would like to ri retain the the sculpture though in that in that location.

Okay, okay, okay.

Um so yeah, we'll have to we'll have to clarify that, but yeah, the sculpture, the sculpture will be retained is what you're saying.

Okay.

Waller Howard, any comments, questions?

Um can you tell us a little bit about um the guardrail that you'll be installing against the the church?

Yeah, so it is uh basically a steel guardrail, you know, a box beam guardrail.

Showing the um section of the new retaining wall, that's all is that precast stone or is that that's uh Hanover Precast.

Handover precast.

Yeah, so it's it's just modular built, it'll be double-sided, so it'll so you don't have a backable retaining wall facing, so it's it's a dual-sided.

The like random ashlar pattern kind of picking up on the building.

Yeah, so and there's there's various colors that color mixes we can select from to work with the building.

Are those called out?

I don't I don't recall seeing anything called out for like color changes.

The colors um I I show a picture of it, but I don't know if I uh specify the color of the pattern.

If you could just send that to Kate.

Okay, that would be a good idea.

So we just have it documented at the end.

Yeah, okay.

We'll talk about it.

All right.

Um with the public hearing, are there anybody here in the audience today wishing to speak in favor of this project?

Hearing none seeing none.

Okay.

Is there anyone here wishing to speak against this project?

Hearing none seeing none, thank you.

Uh public hearing is now closed.

Public comment.

Public comment is now closed.

Sorry, thank you.

Um board, any other discussion, questions, issues with uh what is proposed here in front of us.

If not, if we have a motion to move forward.

I'll motion to accept the proposal as submitted.

I'll move to accept the proposal as submitted.

How are you want to second that?

You said uh I'd like to add the caveat that just we'll get the color of the stone submitted via email, whatever to uh staff.

If you're amenable to that amendment, all in favor of the motion on the table as amended.

I closed motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Great project.

Yep.

Um, our our next application actually is uh CA-2602, but that is on hold.

So that is uh those are the um that is that concludes the public hearing portion of our agenda, and we'll move on uh to old business.

Um and the uh first item under old business, first and only item under old business is um minor site plan review 2025-163.

It's for 713 uh through 15 East Genesee Street.

Um this is um for facade alterations, including window replacement.

Um the property is listed in the city's historic uh properties list uh it is national register eligible.

And uh that applicant who's here today uh um had requested uh so the board will see that there is additional materials um in your packet.

It's not uh last at the last meeting, it was uh uh it was a discussion about window replacement.

Uh this packet includes actually the entire uh extent of the uh alterations to the facade that the um uh Hilton Company, if I'm not mistaken, or the uh are are are seeking.

Um and uh the applicants have asked for some preliminary review um uh to be able to take those comments back to um to the owners to the enter the corporation to discuss.

So with that.

So this is just review and comment.

It is just review and comment at this point.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh my name's Manesh Patel, M I N E S H P A T E L Welcome.

Thank you.

So, first I have to apologize.

We had a big mistake, the calendars got crossed up, and we we did not mean to be a no-show on the last meeting, but we had it on the wrong dates, and that's on us.

So apologies for that, first of all.

Um yeah, so we heard the comments, I mean read the comments, you should say heard the comments, read some of the comments, we went back in as a team and saying, look, before we put out a formal proposal, let's talk about what works, what doesn't work.

You know, we're kind of in the middle of you know, trying to balance what our brand's looking for, um, what the town preservation board and speed to market, honestly.

Um, you know, part of this whole project, our acquisition of this hotel was that it doesn't work right now, and the only way it's gonna work is with a national brand on it that gets us to where we need to be on a business side of things, but understanding that we got to address, make everyone try to find a happy medium between all of this.

So that's why we're here.

We thought it'd be more efficient instead of just submitting something to at least get some preliminary feedback and seeing you know what direction we can go, what works, what doesn't work.

So if there's a particular starting point, I mean maybe we can start on the windows.

I know we're showing the elevation now, uh, since that was addressed last time.

Sure.

Uh however you want to go through, but we were just last time we were just aware of the windows and we made comment that we'd like to work with you uh to make this a national register property to allocate uh tax uh preservation tax credit to this project, which would overall help the budget.

So that's what our purview was in those comments.

So if you want to start with windows and work here around the building, so we did before we acquired it, we checked with town.

Uh I don't think we checked with the board itself, but we checked with various officials, and they had me.

Um, and they said it's not currently on the register, it's not on the federal state.

I I don't know if it was local, but we checked, so we were like, okay, because part of again our timing of this is schedule and what we can do, right?

So we were under the impression that we're working with our brand, hey, this is what we're gonna be able to do.

There's no real requirements, there's some maybe input and things like that, but no actual, you know, and maybe not be saying it right, but you know, not a registry or something else that we have strict guidelines that we need to follow.

So that was the original intent, and that's why you know what the windows were submitted where they were.

Hearing what was said, um, we are looking now.

Um, it's I think later on in the your package, but there's a submittal now on the various windows that are being looked at, which is a more line with what is on the building now.

Um I know the board had asked for pictures.

Did we did we get pictures of the existing?

Okay, so it should have been submitted um the existing windows and what's being proposed.

I'm sorry.

Um I did not receive any images of the existing windows.

Uh sorry, but yeah.

No, these are not, this is just um uh proposed changes we were looking to make.

So it it was I know he was trying to, I thought he got it to you guys, and I apologize if he didn't, but um the what windows that are being proposed now are you know in the spirit of what is there, right?

Um it's the split windows, it's not a single just glass.

Uh we would like to try to keep these non-operable versus what's there now.

Um, but this you know, more resembles what is there now and the existing windows and more than the glass, the frames are destroyed.

Um they are rotted to the core once we actually peeled one back.

They inside of the frames are just gone.

So it needs some work.

How many windows total are we talking in the building?

Oh does that answer it's under, I think.

Yeah, 330 or so, I think, is it uh three 336.

Yeah.

So it's I mean sharing just the magnitude of how many, you know, how many windows are in this building.

So the other thing is is on the first floor, um, at least street side and I think wrapping around the building.

The existing windows were changed, were just basically storefront windows.

Um, and that was prior to our acquisition, so you know that's kind of what led us to make the last proposal we did.

The new windows that are proposed, can they be converted to operable, or they are actually just fixed panels that resemble double?

We for safety and just energy, um, you know, we really don't want them to be.

Could we?

I'm sure we'd have to have a I know the brand is gonna make them no more than four inches purely for safety.

Um, you know, and then whatever we have to do for energy related is main reasons we don't.

And the other thing is honestly we don't want people smoking in a building and hanging out, and that's even when you have four inches, you know, people want to stick their head out and try to smoke.

So we've really found that keeping them closed, at least will make 90% of the population go outside if you want to have a cigarette or smoke.

But the product you're proposing, like it can operate, right?

It's not they're fixed, the non-operable.

Okay, so it's a double-hung non-operable window.

Okay, but there's an option for a four-inch governor.

You're saying on that?

We would have to put something.

We've done it at other places, different brands than this one, but yeah, there's a device or something you put on the jam that stops it from opening over four inches.

Okay, and these windows are aluminum or what they're currently we have wood windows that are rotting.

So the proposed windows that you're looking to install are vinyl.

Yeah.

And they're shown as black, so labeled as black matte correct for their for the color?

Correct.

Okay.

Uh board, any questions on the on the fixed double hung windows before we move on to then as we move around the building.

Any comments, questions?

They look like what's in line there already.

So I mean I like that.

It's better than the last.

I'm more concerned with this.

Whatever is gonna be ruining the way this building looks with these one color with these colors.

I'm colorblind, so I'm not even sure what they are, but not a fan of the changes to the front of this building.

But on the windows, if windows, I'm concerned with the material choice.

The vinyl doesn't have the same longevity as wood windows or even fiberglass.

Have you looked into other options that would last longer?

We we did not want to create a maintenance nightmare, honestly, for ourselves, and you know what we're gonna be reinvesting in inside and outside.

So we did not want to do wood.

Uh the brand is not a big fan of wood now, and that's why we had looked and opted at and the cost, right?

Budget is a constraint, I mean, for any project.

So that was some of the direction of what we were going with.

Let's try to get at least the colors, let's get the panes and everything correct, and try to find a medium.

One request that I would have asked for is just to have dimensions of the existing windows, right?

So when we do a window application, we ask for a window survey of the building, and there's apparently a miscommunication.

But if we can get dimensions of, you know, you've got five or six different window sizes that you're proposing here.

If we can get the window dimensions of the width of the sash, the width of the styles and the rails and the meeting rails, so we can align with what you're showing here.

Because one component is we we don't want to lose any glazing area.

Right.

And so usually vinyl is a little chunkier to support such a large window, so we like to compare glazing area as well.

Okay, so just good dimensions of the existing windows and what is there now, correct?

Okay.

Yeah, we'll just try to line it up what you see here, and you know, so side by side.

Yeah, you know, just uh a picture and then just dimensions added to it, it's fine.

Okay.

Um any other window comments, are we good to move around?

All right, please continue, sir.

Okay, so I guess since we're looking at it, let's just address it, right?

So the elevations and so this is you know what our brand wants to kind of look at and see, right?

So we're trying to balance, it's not a new build, but it's taking some of the character for what they're looking and what we thought and the brand thought works on this building.

Again, when we originally did all of this, there was no talk about you know um historic building and what does that do and where does it fit?

So this is kind of where we're at.

The brand was kind of okay.

We we we like this, we can see this, right?

It's not you know a suburban hotel, but it's retaining some of the character, some of the elements of the downtown location.

Um, but it is a new eFus, pretty much on I'd say 75, 80 percent of the building and that ethos.

I'm assuming just based on what I'm seeing in the drawings, you the ground floor wall of the limestone would be retained as is, and then the ethos is applied to the upper stories?

Correct.

And then that's band, I believe in the middle.

Oh man, I should have.

Can you scroll down just to uh a little bit to the scale?

Is the second floor?

I thought we that was the existing stone.

If I'm is it P4.

P4 color P4 is called out as IFIS.

It is an ethos, and yes, so it is just the bottom limestone was staying, and just and just the south facade on Genesis, the ground floor return walls, that's all efus all the way around the rest of the building from ground to roof as indicated on the drawing.

Yes, yeah.

And I've got this little drawing and my eyes aren't so good.

I guess I need new glasses, but sorry about that.

I feel the pain as well, so just just making sure we see it's just making sure we're seeing what we're seeing here.

Okay.

Uh color choices.

You you're reflecting on brand, you saying?

Like part of the brand.

Yeah, and this is some of the things they want, like that blue, especially if you see that is kind of where you know that that is their Hampton quote unquote accent that people are familiar with and they wanted to see it somewhere on the building.

Um, you know, hey.

Honestly, it somebody says we can't do it, we can't do it, and we go back to the brand, and you're saying there's certain things they would work with us on, they're like, okay, pick a different color, right?

But certain things they do want to see and try to keep.

So it's again a balancing.

What where do we go back with and what do we do?

Where do we pick our battles really?

Right.

Okay.

So what is the main push behind the EFIS?

It's the look, or it's the insulation, like what is look.

The look.

It just seems like a like a huge move that's not reversible.

You know, it kind of destroys the brick exterior of this building for a look.

Look, and then I mean, there are some issues with the brick.

Um, you know, that is gonna it's gonna need to be repointed, re you know, there's some uh window sills, the whole thing just needs a lot of work, right?

So when we're also looking at the budget of this and saying, okay, what are we looking at here?

I mean, just to redo brick with brick and repoint and you know, repair all the lentils and stuff, we're over 1.4 million dollars to do like for like, right?

And that was not in the budget to say, okay, let's just repoint everything and keep it there.

I mean, it's it's I mean more expensive, so that that was one of the reasons.

And EFUS was there, it gave us an extra layer of insulation.

There's still obviously we just can't go over it.

The brick would have to be secured and whatever else to the the base, so it's still secure, but um reasons for it, I guess.

Is this a solid brick building?

Right?

Like solid brick walls, or is it like block with brick facade?

Do you know?

I do not know.

Do you know the name?

You don't know.

I I don't know.

20s, 1927.

You're gonna replicate the park view hotel, put the side of the path off of the uh roof line.

Yeah, so the current, I mean yeah, so the current signs exactly right, have it on both sides of the building, high prominent, and um I don't know if that was original or if it was like when that was added or what there.

I could I mean with 81 now coming down to street level, right?

That used to be a billboard, obviously going down 81.

Anymore, once all of the road work and everything is done, it doesn't really serve a purpose.

So I I would I mean again, like some of the input.

I mean, what would the the board?

This is some areas we have some flexibility, right?

So if it's saying that, hey, can we get rid of it?

Let's get rid of it, right?

Um, you know, part of the whole again, balancing this with the brand.

Honestly, I don't know even what the sign is shown on the rendering is like great, but you know what, it's something the brand wanted now.

If we can come back in and saying, hey, look, that we can't get that approved.

Does it make sense just where the current, you know, overhang is on the front of the building on the bottom center of the building there over the canopy?

It may be just some signage there, right?

Any more the signage isn't the billboard, right?

We're getting most of the traffic through online, and it's just more to identify where you're going.

So right at the bottom, right where uh the hampton may be the only signage we really have.

Are you gonna be is the main entrance for people actually gonna be on the rear of the building?

Yeah, so we're gonna talk about the site plan and kind of the modification in the back, but we can do jump to that.

Um the signage and and that maybe signages later anyway.

How that relates, yeah.

Also, I have a question about the roof.

You it looks like in this drawing you've you've fundamentally altered the the the roof line.

Yeah, that means that's correct.

Um why again it's trying to take like making it this if you just leave the ballast, it doesn't make sense with an efus building with these things on top, right?

It it's like you're mismatching and doing everything else.

So overall direction was okay.

Well, how do you marry kind of all of what's going on and make this work?

I think if the brand cares so much about making a building that looks a certain way, why don't we build a new building that looks a certain way?

I think we're really damaging this historic asset, and yes, maybe there's nothing in place saying, you know, the preservation code says you can't cover the building in EFIS, but it it just feels um wrong to take a historic asset like this and just completely cover it up for the sake of the Hampton brand.

You know, it seems like there's got to be some compromise where we can keep something of our history in this building, and that's so we're here to kind of work through, right?

I mean, again, I'm looking for feedback.

We're gonna look and observe.

I mean, honestly, for me, I think you know, if we can look at this and saying, okay, you know what, with all of the things we have to kind of balance here.

The front facade, I agree with everyone, is the key, it's the main driver, what everyone's gonna be seeing, right?

Regardless, you know, especially as more traffic is going to be driven once 81's down to street level, right?

The sides and the rear of the building, right?

Less relevant.

I get it, maybe that's my perspective, and maybe not the boards, but this is the street side of it.

That if we can do whatever we can and convince the brand, listen, leave us alone here, right?

Let us keep the character, let us repoint, let us do what we have to do on the street side, that makes more sense.

Now, on the sides and rear of the building, again for budgets and everything else, we may not have really an option to repoint and redo all of the work that's required.

And I think you should lose the original building character, but from a visual standpoint, at least when somebody's looking at it, we're maintaining it.

Hampton has um manage other historic hotels across the country without incorporating any EFIS board, and instead they've used branding on awings and other in scale signage.

Is there an openness to considering preserving the look of this building and focusing on other ways to incorporate the brand that are less intrusive and incongruent?

So again, I I go back to what you know, keeping the front of the building what it is, and like just right now where it says Park View Hotel, that would be the branding.

Honestly, that that's what I'm saying would be the branding.

Eliminate the EFUS, eliminate the blues, the different colors, and all of it there.

Even the I'm gonna butcher this, but are they um what's at the top of Ballastrad?

Thank you, balusters.

Keep that there, right?

So the entire front of the building is original, it's two character, and then to balance what we're looking for is allow us to do something else on the sides in the rear of the building, which you know you've got an alley that is maybe six, eight feet away on one side of it, and then you know, there's nothing really on the other side.

Can we just modify to say we'll keep the front of the building as is and the two short sides?

Those are pretty visible when you're driving down Genesee Street.

The four bays.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We can look at it.

The main front massing, yeah.

So it's I mean, it's a one-way there, so you mainly only see this short side.

Um, but when the 81 changes, I'm not sure what the visibility is from the other direction.

I just can't, like I said, I can't the we were concerned about the way the windows look, and then to see this elevation, I just I can't the buttons it destroys the building, it destroys the historic.

That's a that's a very fairly complete historic block, and that will fundamentally alter the way that building looks, and that will fundamentally alter that entire block of the street.

And I just it looks it's my opinion, but it looks terrible.

I just want to point out to the board that even though this is a comment only item, your comment can be that you are absolutely not in favor of the proposal.

Oh, I'm absolutely not in favor of get everything on the record, but the point is that you don't have to go with what's proposed if you believe it's destroying the historic fabric of the building.

Thank you.

So let's hear let's hear what the proposal is for the remainder of the site and the rear elevation and uh the site changes.

So uh when we're saying the front, I mean, just to kind of wrap that up.

If I'm hearing correctly, where the side elevation, the bump out is right there, is what the board would like to try to, you know, ideally preserve what those four windows through that area there.

That's correct.

The the four bays, the front massing of the building, uh, we would look at as as you've heard that we would look at retaining as that's how it was designed, you know, as original the remainder of the building.

Let's hear what your proposals are.

We see what they are, but I think we're more meanable uh to higher definitions of change back there.

And if that's gonna be the rear, that's gonna be your main entrance.

So the the rear entrance.

Um so right now, if you're coming, uh and I'm not sure how many people have actually came through the hotel.

You're walking through a stairwell to get into the back of the building.

You walk down the corridor to get to where the front desk is, as if you're parking in the rear.

Fire code and brand really does not like coming through a stairwell to get to your lobby.

So what they're proposing is on um can I walk over there?

Yeah, yes, absolutely.

We won't hear you as well, but I think you're pretty loud, so hopefully.

But just for the recording on the on the mics, but so the current rear entry is here, right?

And you walk through the city.

That's the rear parking lot.

That's the front.

Yeah, no, it's the rear parking lot.

The building is below the handicap spaces there, ADA spaces.

Okay, so this.

Yes.

So the existing entry is here, right?

Where you come in through the building and you go through and you walk down, and then the lobby is like towards the front of the building.

So this is the main area of change of what we're gonna be looking for.

So on this corner, there's a series of I think three windows right now.

Um looking to build uh cantilever, maybe uh either metal awning or something else there, putting in stairs here, and basically making another entrance here, which would be the primary ways to access then the lobby area.

It won't be a ramp or anything else, ADA accessibility and everything will be maintained through the front entrance.

Um, but this is just the secondary means to get everyone in registered and everything else.

Once I think you're primarily in the building, you're most of the guests are gonna come right through that back door.

It's shorter, I mean it's winters and everything else.

We all know closest point, and that's a big area we really pushed our brand with, and saying this just does not make sense, and they can't get over that.

We're gonna walk people through a stairwell to get to our main arrival entry point.

So that is the main you know, site kind of work that would be going on on the building.

I mean, it's tucked away, it's in the back, I don't think again you see it from the front or anything else.

So that was the plan for this area.

The other thing they're talking about, and this is where we're looking at, is again the rear parking lot area is to build some landscape beds and putting in some different areas to just kind of make it so you know that this is where you enter, kind of where you exit and where we go.

Upgrade the experience from the parking lot.

That's right.

That's that's fantastic.

Vegetation choices to designate your walkways or make it known this is where you are.

So highly supportive of that.

Um, and I I would just say I'm highly supportive of the changes on the on the back facade with the new staircase and door there.

Um part, you know, as we look at preservation, like that is spot on as we review uh major changes and alterations to buildings, it's not the primary facade.

Um so uh kudos to you for seeing that and finding that and utilizing those niches to allow you the new access into the building that you're looking for to make it operable and work for what you need.

So um I thank you for that.

That's right up our alley.

I think in general, what you're hearing from the board is the south facade elevation, we should treat it as kind of a historic renovation project, and then the remainder including the four bay block, and then the back side of the building.

Um I I don't really have an issue with the Ifus.

I don't that and that's me uh as an individual on the remainder of the back of the building, and uh your your coloring presenting to the rear to your parking lot where your 90% of your your your flow is coming from makes sense to me for branding, but you also have a brand of a historic facade facing the public's uh sphere of of uh Foreman Park.

Right, so kind of hybridized um the project, right?

You you've got the historic component, and then you've got a new element to really signify this as your new building, right?

In the hotel space.

Um generally vinyl windows we don't approve from historic board perspective.

Uh we like to use in-kind materials that are there at the time of the building is built.

So wood, metal, aluminum, steel.

Uh we do look at fiberglass windows because they retain historic site lines uh and they're strong uh and they're durable, they're long-lasting, better a lot better than vinyl.

Uh want to make sure I hit all the notes that I've I've written down here.

Um so would you would the board be again open to what we're talking about on the front and the you know the wing walls, I'm calling it of the building to maintain either the um treat it as a historic preservation project, exactly, but then on the rear sides back of the building, you know, look at maybe accepting a vinyl or you know, more economical material or seeing where it is.

Again, I have not priced out what PVC windows um cost, right?

If there's not a significant difference, it will run them around the building.

Okay.

Um Howard Howard.

Um I want I just want to get a check.

Are you okay with what Mr.

Patella just said with maintaining the front of the building as a historic preservation project, including the four-bay deep?

Yeah, the main changing anything specifically uh street, then the rear of the building, the rear side of the building.

We are open to uh what is shown with the IFIS covering and the coloring pattern to brand the building.

Okay, Nicole, what is your feeling?

What is your sense?

I would be open to the eFIS just on the rear part of the building facing the parking lot.

Just the rear facade?

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, and I agree with Nicole.

That's that's where I'd be okay with it.

Keep the front, keep the roof line as is.

Okay, so just uh clarify Nicole is just saying the north facade only is IPIS.

Yes, and so east and west walls as is so the uh Nicole, you're saying just the just the west, uh the north facing north facing parking lot.

Okay, yes.

And uh uh and Bob, you're saying just the north facing the north elevation, that's fine, that's great.

That'll even spruce up the building.

So this east, this is the west wall, that's the four block that remains as a preservation project.

Exactly.

The remainder of the building as he showed they're showing IFIS.

Yes, what that's Nicole is saying only IFIS on north.

Oh, okay.

See, this is where my colorblindness is a problem with it.

So all this is patterned um to show the color of the new new siding.

I I mean I I'm I'm less concerned about the sides of the building, honestly.

I I would be amenable to to that as is shown.

But yes, but the front, the south elevation for me has got to be left alone.

As it is with the balustrade, it's all gotta be to change that would be a huge error.

Thank you.

I'm on board with Howard and Bobby.

Yeah.

With Howard and Bob.

Okay, okay.

All right.

Um does that make sense to you what we're just saying.

I I can get up and point out to you if you don't mind.

I think I'm following.

Yeah.

No, so three quarters of the board is saying historic renovation project.

Is that okay?

Branding to your uh your brand.

Same thing here on the north elevation, branding, If it's colors, that's your brand.

And then the uh the east wall, same thing, just reverse historic preservation project, branding to the company, historic preservation project, maintaining, balustrade, penetration pattern as it's right, three-point.

Um we just have one board member saying this whole wall section on the east and west should be treated as the front by the public.

Correct?

Does that suffice for comment?

It does if you can take that back.

I think that um we might want to uh then reconsider or consider the signage as well.

I mean that could actually come as uh sort of a separate application or set or a separate discussion, unless this is what you are.

I think if we're going to the historic nature of the building, that sign cannot go there at all.

And then at the top of the buildings, I think I want to just get rid of it.

I mean, it's a big steel structure, it's huge.

Oh, yeah, and then it's actually we think it dates to uh the early 2000s anyway, the park view uh hotels sign.

Um go ahead and sorry.

I just uh the signage component, um the front canopy, Mr.

Patel said, but that just rebranding that I think is sufficient.

Um, that's your only sign on the front of the building.

I mean, if you want to accentuate with a flag or you know, something like that, I see no issue, but having that as your only fixed sign on the front of the building and the removal of the park view off the top balustrade.

So that that is my opinion and what I would push for, right?

Um again, we will take this all kind of to the brand rework what we kind of hear between here, come back in then with a formal submission, um, and saying, okay, here's what I was able to get with the brand.

Here's what they really push back on now.

Where do we land?

Um, I I think that's how I see this progressing.

Um, just a question if we're what what does this do with timelines and everything else?

Um so the board approves and then so we have another meeting in three weeks.

If you have the opportunity to go in and uh uh discuss with your brand and able to submit uh revised plans, the board can make its final comment in three weeks, uh which it will supply uh supply to zoning.

And uh presuming that we're you know, the the board is able to get positive response um at some minor site plan review, correct?

So that that can be quickly administered.

Um thank you.

Any other questions?

Appreciate everyone's feedback.

Thank you again very much.

Thank you for coming in.

Greatly appreciate it.

Good luck with the project.

Thank you.

Okay.

That's my turn next.

I buried my hold on here.

It is okay.

Uh so the next item is new business.

It's uh also in minor site plan review.

Um 911, it's um minor side plan review number 2026 number uh dash five.

Excuse me.

Uh the address is 911 North Slina Street.

These are uh front facade alterations, and the property is located in the North Salina Street Historic District.

Are you ready?

Yeah, hi, I'm Tom Bitulio, architect of Thomas J.D.

Leo Architects.

I'm the poor guy and treasure this one.

How are we doing today?

Great, good morning, thank you.

So the only scope of work we have right now is we're replacing the existing aluminum frame door in the front with more of an artistic design with a lot of raw iron.

That's more for security purposes because our front windows are secured by interior rolled grills, so that we're going to deploy it at night so we can keep them safe in this dispensary.

And then our sorry, could you say that again about the windows?

The the grills.

The grills are on the interior.

Interior.

And they're just deployed at night.

Okay, okay, thank you.

Um the rest of it is just basically cleaning, painting, and repairing the existing windows.

We're gonna change the color from the god awful red on the top floor to a matte black.

That's just my personal opinion that it's ugly, but and then the other repair work is going to be replacing all the any kind of damaged brick.

Um the owners have gone over to um paragon supply to find bricks that can match it, so we can historically match the colors of the brick that have to be pulled out, which are only about a dozen or so, but it needs some severe repointing in the front of it, and they have uh grout matched for the existing grout there, and we'll add a little more line to the ground because they don't know that, but I'm gonna tell them to do that anyways, because type S and M mortar is gonna be a little bit too strong and may cause shearing in the brick.

That's my experience of doing historical repairs.

You need a little softer grout.

Um the existing canopies are there, we're just gonna clean and paint them or clean and just repair them, leave them the way they are at the present time.

And we have a new sign going in.

There's a sign diagram because my AutoCAD sits there and blocks out all the brick.

So it's just aluminum letters over existing brick matching the 1911 1919, that's above it.

You want to keep the same character with this, what's there already?

And um just to clarify too that uh zoning does allow the second story signage in this case because they will be occupying both floors.

I was gonna ask if occupancy of the whole building or not.

So both floors.

Um is the sign lit?

Illuminated channel sign.

Okay.

And is it pretty big sign?

I'd uh just make sure it's not our purview, but making sure that it meets zoning requirements.

Okay, thank you.

General reporting of the front facade, that's that's good.

Maintaining the historic nature and trying to match brick.

That's positive.

Um I think this was an auto showroom or something when it was built.

Okay, so a little bit of homework was done on this one.

So we'll is the last legal uh occupant of this was basically um a furniture store in a cafe, and that's circa 2002.

It's had multiple 2002.

Well, did it?

So ask me prior to that then.

It was a dollar store.

I will file.

I thought about it in 1995.

Any questions or comments from the board?

I like the door.

I think the door is a nice addition.

We're trying to find something that looks pretty unique, yeah.

Aesthetically pleasing and still being secured.

It beats the hell out of having aluminum doors with bars on them.

You know, it's cool.

I mean, this is just comment, so top windows are wood or the top windows are wood.

Uh right.

We're just gonna repair them and repaint them.

We looked at this building five years ago.

Someone had a project here for apartment conversion.

That was you?

See?

I'm not I'm not losing my marble.

Yes, what a memory line.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, I'm looking because I'm like, those used to be garage doors on either side, and then we're looking at the the windows on the third floor to remain to return them to uh three windows, three units instead of the the two big units that were cut in.

I like I'm looking at this building and I'm going, there's something else going on here.

So how close is this weed store to the Biscotti Cafe?

Two blocks and 700 blocks.

700 for the 900s.

They're gonna be happy.

Yeah, they're gonna be okay.

Very good.

Comment in the positive here for support on this project?

I I didn't hear, uh just want to make sure you're going in the right direction.

Um, this is a rendering, not actually what the building looked like right now.

No, that's actually a photograph of how the building looks right now.

With the sign, yeah.

The sign is the running.

Yeah, the sign is the sign is the rendering added to it.

Just make it sure.

Yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, so I mean, I submitted if the the sign is compliant with zoning and you're allowed on the second floor.

Um that works.

That's correct under the law.

Uh our purview from my perspective, you're repointing the facade, you're you're rematching matching the existing brick, you're doing that.

We're gonna take any of those like all the wood nailers that were there for any kind of post-signage and any kind of electrical equipment that may have been abandoned there.

We're gonna remove like there's a gong there from the old sprinkler system.

That's there's two of them now.

So we're gonna take one of the old ones off and then patch the whole.

So you're doing a facade renovation.

We're doing a repair.

Repair.

Let's use the correct words.

Well, repair, that's fine, but you're doing it with uh with an eye towards renovation to protect the historic facade.

We're gonna protect the existing materials and uh color and pattern of the block.

So the doors fit the existing opening, so there's no modification there than paint.

We're gonna paint the aluminum to a flat black.

Everything, sounds like a good investment does new life.

Yeah, yeah.

All right, comment in the positive, so cool.

Good luck and thank you very much.

We need to come back for any kind of public hearing or anything like that.

Well, you're you'll convey this over the zoning board so we can get the planning and zoning all happy now.

Are you there?

You go.

Okay, it's working now.

Okay.

Um I will um provide that comment back to zoning, minor site plan review, and can be there is a special, yeah.

You were yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm gonna blame that on the software for the city because it shows I tried to download it in the case.

You're submitted it's it's submitted in our portal.

So it's a special term.

It was done prior to the change in zoning too, and your software didn't take it.

Oh, let's not go there, right?

Yeah, whatever.

So uh around two weeks ago you submitted it.

Um we have yet to review it in full, um, but it will go to a city planning commission um when we deem it ready to go.

Okay, so it's one more public meeting for you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Okay.

Up next.

Okay, up next, uh final uh uh item of business is actually we have two national register nominations.

Um the state preservation office has asked for LPB comments uh regarding these nominations, they'll be going up uh in front of the state review board next month or maybe or in March.

Um the the first one we are well aware of know quite well 1010 East Washington Street, the Fiesinger House.

Uh and uh that has been nominated uh both for its architecture as well as uh its historic associations.

Um I think we all know the house really well quite well, so um it's great to see that I know they are looking to use the tax credits, and I'm presuming that that is also the case for the factory building as well, which is the other one.

Um the Coughlin Brothers Babson Brothers factory.

Uh uh I enjoyed reading uh about the it's uh the candy factory and if and the fact that it uh they the Coughlin brothers really made their name um manufacturing or making salted peanuts, yeah.

Um but they so the building was built in 27, I believe, yes, and then uh World War II era rationing put the confectioner business uh to bed, and in came um uh the uh the second uh business, Babson Brothers and Brothers, and uh they were doing uh farm products, so uh uh they the application did also talk a lot about the flexibility of the design of the property uh of the of the building, the factory design.

So it was a it was uh interesting uh application.

I did notice that they had put the wrong spelling for the address for that one, belled in rather than belled in the I didn't catch that on the I know that was I did because I put it in the map so it didn't come up.

Is this the building?

No, no, no, factory yeah, the popcorn factory, yeah.

Oh, and also it does include the quonset hut that's right next door, which is which is pretty cool.

Is this um is this a project coming through?

That's why it's being submitted, or is this being submitted just it's being I would think it's in anticipation of uh of a future project.

I imagine the the board will be seeing.

I've been I've been waiting for something for 20 years on this building.

Yes, you reached it.

It's a vital link to the inner harbor to the Park Ave neighborhood, like it's it's just sitting there, so it's fantastic to see.

It's well written.

I learned a lot uh reading this, and it's the the wallier company and the north connection, yeah.

Yeah, their connection and their houses are still on Kirkpatrick Street.

So yeah, that's pretty cool.

700, I think 706 Joseph Wallier.

Um I do have additional photographs of them if you're interested, but um if if everyone, if there are no other comments, I will certainly let the state preservation office know that the board is in support of the nominations.

Yes, great emphatically yes, enthusiastically.

Yeah, great.

That's it.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Kay.

Can we get a motion to adjourn?

Motion to adjourn.

Seconds.

All in favor?

Aye, aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Good job, everybody.

All right.

That was a tough discussion.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you for the support.