The Planning Board recommended approval of a planned addition and renovation to a Harvard Street two-family home, despite some questions about changes to the facade of the building. The homeowner at 49 Harvard St. is looking to construct a rear addition and to raise the third floor attic to create more living space.
Last month, planning board member Sarah Ritch was among the members who did not have major issues with those changes, but did raise concerns about the changes of the front facade which would have decreased the front setback and taken away from the historic character of the front of the house. Project architect Bennie Ber said changes were made to the facade to lessen the setback issues, but Ritch said the proposed changes still took away from the historic character of the building.
“The intent of the comment was to keep the beautiful nature of the house,” said Ritch. “I don’t think most of us had a problem adding third floor living space by adding dormers, that made sense. It’s the dramatic changing of the front facade within a nonconforming dimension; that was the intent, not to make it make it more nonconforming.”
Ber said there would be a loss of green space in the front of the building, but that the design was responding to the owner’s request to create more space for a room in the front of the house. Board member Eric Czernizer, however, said he liked the redesigned look of the turret on the building.
“I’m struggling to understand this obsession with the facade,” said Czernizer. “I thought it was okay in June; I think it is improved; I think it is a cool facade, adding a turret that adds character, and at the end of the day, this is just a homeowner trying to improve his house. I don’t have any concerns with this project at all.”
Board member Mimi Rancatore said she agreed with Czernizer.
“I understand what Sarah is trying to say, but I think this adds a little bit more interest in the street,” said Rancatore. “I’m not a big fan of the color … but I like it, especially when you see it because it is going to be up on a hill, it’s going to look like a little castle up there, it’s kind of adorable.”
The project will be before the appeals board on August 13 for approval of the special permits. Two of the bigger cases on the Planning Board agenda were moved to future meetings. The site plan review and recommendations for special permits for the proposed Energizer battery storage facility at 284 Eastern Ave. was moved to the August meeting.
A request to add two floors and increase the unit count for a residential project at 218-230 Broadway was moved to the September meeting at the request of the applicant.