Historic Zoning Commission

Market Square H-1: Level III

5-O-08-HZ

Applicant Request

Level III. New construction of primary building(s) or deviation from guidelines

Repair existing brick facades where necessary, with replacement brick and mortar to match existing; repair existing window sills if necessary; install sign board on #16 in keeping with cornice of #18 & #20, smaller in scale and spanning between outer pilasters above storefront and below window sills; repair existing cornice at #18 & #20; install new sign board on #22, spanning between outermost pilasters and filling in space above storefront and below window sills, with signage to be relocated to sign board areas; review in concept one story rooftop addition. Addition has been modified from initial submission (withdrawn at 4/17/2008 meeting) to step back from front parapet walls 19'11". Addition materials have not been determined and will need to be reviewed separately by HZC, but are thought to be like contemporary storefront construction with black metal structure with glass inserts and top cornice overhang of approximately 12" to provide weather and sun protection. The approximate height of the addition on 16-18 and 20 is 11' taller than the roof elevation of 18-20 and 8' taller than the top of the parapet. The rooftop addition height proposed for 22 Market is approximately 3'6" lower than that for 16-18-20 Market for a 4-5' elevation greater than the parapet walls.

Site Info

16 Market Square: Caldwell Building (1910). Neoclassical Commercial. Two story brick building with paired fixed glass windows with transoms and altered storefront. The Caldwell Building was occupied by Caldwell's Department Store, then drug stores and in 1965, Bower's Department Store.
18, 20 Market Square: Biddle & Moulden Building (c.1895). Neoclassical Commercial. Two story brick with engaged Tuscan pilasters forming four bays on second floor. Second story windows are fixed panes with transoms and corbelled brick topping windows. Storefront altered. Following its probable construction in c.1895 as a department store operated by Biddle & Moulden, this building was occupied as a clothing or department store until it closed in the 1980s.
22 Market Square: Flenniken Strong Building (1885). Italianate Commercial. Two story building, with an altered third bay (#26). Arched second story windows, corbelled arched window hoods, corbelled brick cornice. Storefront of #24 altered c.1985, while #33 retains much original material. The first occupants of these buildings were two dry goods stores, S. W. Flenniken and Strong & Co. Various clothing and shoe stores continued occupy the buildings until the 1960s, when they housed a tobacco store and a florist.

For items related to brick, cornice and sign board items, see Market Square Design Guidelines, see II.C.1. Masonry and II.D.1. Signs. Market Square Design Guidelines also contain provisions for New Construction in Section III. III.7. "The height and setback of new buildings shall be consistent with neighboring buildings." The design guidelines are based on the Secretary of Interior's Standards, which in Standard # 9 provide ". . . . Alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural materials, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, materials and character of the property, neighborhood or environment." 16-22 Market Square are two story buildings, as are the buildings on either side of them. There is already a rooftop addition on #18-20 that encloses an atrium and stairs that provide access to the rooftop. The currently proposed addition to the rooftop of these buildings will vary in scale from the surrounding buildings; however, the new addition will be minimized by being located to the rear of the parapet wall of these buildings almost 20 feet.

In guiding projects using the Secretary's Standards, the National Register review staff has sometimes allowed roof additions for buildings taking advantage of the Federal tax credits. Although the additions discussed in this staff report are not intended to use the investment tax credits, the interpretation of the Secretary's Standards is useful in gauging the impact of this project. Generally, rooftop additions would be allowed with two restrictions: first, that the addition must only take place on four story or greater buildings, and second, that the addition must be set back in such a way that it is not visible from surrounding streets. While these additions are not proposed for four story buildings, they are substantially back from the parapet wall, and if the materials are very transparent, will not be obvious from Market Square. The fact that there is already an addition on these buildings, and that the deterioration of these buildings necessitated a complete rebuilding of the roofs and removed historic materials associated with the rooftops also mitigates the impact of these proposed additions.