Historic Zoning Commission

Market Square H-1: Level II

12-J-10-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Add rooftop deck approximately 46'7" deep and width of building (19'2"), with 3'6" setback from front of building, surrounded by a 3'6" railing of 1/4" steel cable with 4x4 posts and 2'x6' top and bottom rails of composite decking. Deck floor of composite decking material. Rail of horizontal steel cables with composite top and bottom rails. Also construct at stair on south side of roof a penthouse 20' deep and 4'9-1/2" width, and 11'2-3/4" at tallest point on front elevation, with shed roof sloping from side to side and lower view on north, wall covering of 8" lap Hardiboard and 1x8 Hardiplank trim board, half view door at stairs on north elevation; stairs to access second story of building within penthouse..

Site Info

McBee Trading Company Building. Two story brick building with elaborate corbelling, limestone sills, lintels and cornice and altered storefront.

This building was a dray goods store named the McBee Trading Company, as the first occupant of this building, followed by the Huff Edington department store. In 1935, the building housed a White Store and by 1950 was a clothing store. The building is now known as Preservation Pub.

The proposed railing and penthouse will be visible from Market Square. The addition of the penthouse towards the front of the building and the modern railing are not in character with the overall design of the building. The Standards (see pg. 23and 24, Market Square Designation Report) used in making this determination are #1 (Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure or site and its environment . . .); #3 (All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis or which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.). The National Park Service uses the Secretary of Interior's Standards to determine if projects impacting National Register-listed properties are eligible for preservation tax incentives. Those Standards are the same ones that form the basis for the Market Square Design Guidelines, and are itemized in the adopted Design Guidelines. The determination of whether rooftop structures will be allowed has to do with whether they are visible from adjacent streets, and also consistently finds that rooftop additions will not be allowed on buildings under four stories in height.