Courthouse Area Design Review Board

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Courthouse Area Design Review Board met on February 8, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at the LFUCG Center, 200 East Main Street. Luther Andal presided over the meeting, which included six agenda items and resulted in four motions and votes. The board approved the minutes from its November 9, 2016 meeting and heard three public comments during the session.

The board took action on three cases during the meeting. Case No. 1-2017 concerning 249 W. Short Street (Parlay Social) was approved, and an amendment to Case No. 6-2016 at 135 W. Main Street was also approved. Case No. 3-2016 regarding 111-113 Cheapside (Centro) was postponed. The board also received an informational report on postponements and withdrawals before adjourning.

Attendance

The following 16 individuals were present at the meeting on February 8, 2017:

• Luther Andal
• Graham Pohl
• Martin Summers
• Kevin Atkins
• Jordan Parker
• Brandi L. Peacher
• Andrea Brown
• Donna Lewis
• Betty Kerr
• Amelia Armstrong
• Steve Albert
• Oliver Winn
• Angela Forsee
• Amie Lanza
• Xavier Lanza
• Jackson Osborne

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Case No. 1-2017: 249 W. Short St., Parlay Social – Decorative Light Pole 23:34

The board unanimously approved the installation of a decorative light pole at Short and Market Street. The motion was made by Graham Pohl and seconded by Martin Summers, with all five board members voting in favor: Luther Andal, Graham Pohl, Martin Summers, Kevin Atkins, and Jordan Parker.

The approval includes two conditions: (1) The applicant must work with staff to confirm light design and specifications in coordination with the LFUCG Old Courthouse Design and Development Team to ensure streetscape consistency along Short Street; and (2) Once a light solution has been determined, the applicant must resubmit to the design review officer for final authorization permit.

Case No. 3-2016: 111-113 Cheapside, Centro – Postponement 1:19:35

The board unanimously voted to postpone this case to allow the applicant to regroup and reconsider the design. Jordan Parker made the motion and Martin Summers seconded it. All five board members voted in favor of postponement: Luther Andal, Graham Pohl, Martin Summers, Kevin Atkins, and Jordan Parker.

Case No. 6-2016: 135 W. Main St. – Air Intake and Exhaust Fan Amendment 1:30:02

The board unanimously approved an amendment to the authorization permit to install an air intake and exhaust fan on the rear elevation. Martin Summers made the motion and Jordan Parker seconded it. All five board members voted in favor: Luther Andal, Graham Pohl, Martin Summers, Kevin Atkins, and Jordan Parker.

Adjournment 1:31:12

The meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote. Graham Pohl made the motion and Martin Summers seconded it, with all five board members voting in favor.

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the meeting regarding proposed modifications to Centro.

Xavier Lanza 1:08:08 spoke about the removal of the center pilaster at Centro. He stressed the importance of removing this structural element to create energy and an open-air feel for the space. Lanza emphasized his commitment to preserving the building's facade and structural integrity while making this change. He expressed concern that the $300,000 investment in the project was not yielding a "wow factor" for customers.

Aimee Lanza 1:07:03 addressed the business justification for an open-air design. She highlighted the need for an open-air concept to attract customers and generate revenue. Lanza noted that the project would create 12 new jobs and pointed out that the city responds positively to such designs. She also emphasized that Centro has already contributed significantly to downtown vibrancy.

Angela Forsee 1:16:21 suggested exploring design alternatives for historic preservation. She recommended investigating window manufacturers and design options that could achieve open-air functionality while preserving the building's historic integrity. Forsee emphasized the need to reconvene with the applicant to find a viable compromise between the proposed modifications and preservation concerns.

Contested Items

Removal of Central Pilaster at Centro

The board was divided on a proposal to remove the central pilaster at Centro. Historic Preservation and staff opposed the removal, citing concerns about architectural integrity. The applicant argued that removing the pilaster was essential for achieving their open-air concept and ensuring business viability. This disagreement resulted in a split vote among board members, indicating unresolved consensus on the matter.

Timing and Coordination with Old Courthouse Design

A heated discussion arose regarding the timeline and coordination between the Centro project and the Old Courthouse design work. The applicant expressed concern that delays in the courthouse lighting design could negatively impact their project schedule. The board countered by emphasizing the importance of coordination between the two projects to maintain consistency in the streetscape. Rather than allowing the projects to proceed independently, the board reached a compromise: staff would be tasked with facilitating collaboration between the applicant and the courthouse design team to ensure both projects could move forward in a coordinated manner.

Approval of the November 9, 2016 minutes

9:10

Martin Summers presented the minutes from the November 9, 2016 meeting for approval. A motion was made to approve these minutes. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously without dissent.

Postponements and Withdrawals

9:41

The Design Review Officer, Brandi L. Peacher, reported that there were no postponements or withdrawals to present at this meeting. The board confirmed that no items required postponement or withdrawal at this time.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no further discussion or action required.

Case No. 1-2017, 249 W. Short St., Parlay Social

10:11

The applicant sought approval to install a decorative light pole at the corner of Short and Market Streets. Staff recommended approval with conditions to ensure alignment with the upcoming Old Courthouse lighting design.

Key Speakers: - Steve Albert - Brandi L. Peacher - Luther Andal - Graham Pohl - Martin Summers

Presentation and Discussion:

The application centered on the installation of a decorative light pole at the prominent corner location. Staff analysis indicated that while the proposal had merit, coordination with the Old Courthouse lighting design project was necessary to ensure visual and functional compatibility between the two installations.

Outcome:

The board approved the application with conditions. The approval required that the applicant collaborate with the courthouse design team before receiving final approval. This conditional approval ensured that the decorative light pole would integrate appropriately with the broader streetscape improvements planned for the area.

Case No. 3-2016, 111-113 Cheapside, Centro

24:58

The board reviewed an application for modifications to the second and third-floor windows at 111-113 Cheapside, Centro. The applicant sought to modify these windows to create an open-air feel in the building.

Key Speakers: - Aimee Lanza - Angela Forsee - Betty Kerr - Luther Andal - Martin Summers - Kevin Atkins

Concerns Raised:

The Historic Preservation office raised significant concerns about the proposed modifications. They objected to the removal of original windows and expressed concerns regarding the central pilaster, which appears to be a historic architectural feature of the building.

Board Decision:

Following discussion of the application and the Historic Preservation concerns, the board decided to postpone the case. The postponement was intended to allow the applicant time to regroup and reconsider the design in light of the feedback received regarding the historic elements of the building.

Amendment to Case No. 6-2016, 135 W. Main St.

1:22:05

The board considered an amendment to an existing authorization permit for 135 W. Main St. The amendment sought approval to install an air intake and exhaust fan on the rear elevation of the building.

Key Participants

The discussion involved Brandi L. Peacher, Andrea Brown, Martin Summers, and Jordan Parker.

Presentation and Decision

Staff determined that the proposed modification constituted a minor change to the existing permit. Based on this assessment, the board concluded that the amendment did not require a full rehearing or public notice process.

The board approved the amendment and authorized staff to review and approve the modification to the permit.

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made and seconded by Graham Pohl and Martin Summers. The motion passed unanimously, and the meeting concluded at 3:24 PM 1:31:12.