1900 Colfax Avenue Apartments (5 units)

[RailBaronYarr]

The appeal went before Z&P today. They granted the appeal for Certificate of Appropriateness, but with the condition that the proposal be redesigned to that its height is no taller than the peak of the historic home and materials/color/style better match the home. This would require the design go back to staff for approval in meeting these conditions. Interior setback for the Day house to the property line (4'! greedy 1900s developer!) approved.

I was unaware before listening to Z&P, but there was a home that predated the F.E.Day House on the southern lot, demolished in 1916 after the Day house's construction. This is basically the correct *legal* finding given the fact that the empty lot was never separated out from the Day house as a different parcel, meaning the historic designation applies to the vacant lot or new structures on it. Were that not the case, this design may very well have had no problem passing through whatsoever.

[FISHMANPET]

I'm hesitant to knock down any old building, sure, but I'm not opposed on principle. On the other hand, this is a city-designated historic landmark, and we're talking about putting a taller building right next door, on a site plan that would block most of the house's light and sightlines. That might be fine for a lot of old buildings, but this isn't just any old building.

Question: Does the fact that when this house was built there was an existing structure in approximately the same place as the proposed building change your view on this?

Historically speaking, this house was not built with the current access to light and sightlines that it currently enjoys. So on what virtue should historic preservation preserve that which it did not originally have?

[EOst]

Was that house a tall four stories? Wood-frame, I'd guess 2.5 tops. If they want to build something 2.5 stories, go ahead.

Honestly, go take a walk by this house some time. Take a couple minutes to think about the effect this building would have on the Day house. The vacant lot is really quite narrow with the Day house next to it.