The Week Ahead…..Historic Preservation Board Decisions Likely to Dismay Capitol Hill Residents

Sticker Art, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

The Week Ahead…..

Historic Preservation Board Decisions Likely to Dismay Capitol Hill Residents

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, June 24

ANC6B Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center to set the agenda for the July 15 meeting of ANC6B.

Wednesday, June 25

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee meets at 7:00pm, North Hall, Eastern Market.

Thursday, June 26

The Historic Preservation Board (HPRB) finds itself at odds with ANC6B on two cases affecting the Capitol Hill Southeast Community:  At its June meeting, ANC6B took no position (by a vote of 5 – 3 – 1) on the request of the owner of 706 North Carolina Avenue, SE, for after-the-fact-approval for erection of a 4 foot 7 inch trash container shed in the front yard.  A majority of the ANC was persuaded by the argument that HPRB does not have clear guidelines regarding structures to hide trash cans and in this case, the structure is hidden from public view by shrubbery.  The Historic Preservation Office (HPO) staff report, however, found that while a roofless screen may be appropriate, the current structure constitutes building on public space and recommends denying the application. HPRB usually follows the recommendations of the HPO staff.

On the other hand, the HPO staff lent tentative approval to a historic preservation application to erect a 16’X14’X15’ two-story Hardie Plank-clad structure at the rear of 1001 South Carolina Avenue, SE, in the place where the report says a stable once existed in the late 1800’s.  ANC6B, responding to the complaints of some 16 neighbors who will be negatively affected by the construction, voted to oppose the application on the basis of insufficient information.

Although the raze permit for the shotgun house at 1229 E Street, SE was on the agenda for the June 26/July 10 HPRB meeting(s), that case did not appear on the latest agenda released for those meetings.  ANC6B grudgingly and conditionally endorsed the raze permit 9-0 at its June meeting (see here: http://bit.ly/1qAicMC).  The Capitol Hill Restoration Society opposed the raze permit.  CHRS Historic Preservation Committee Chair Beth Purcell presented the following options as potential ways to resolve the issue:  the city require the owner to make necessary repairs on the historic structure; if the building cannot be repaired, the city allow demolition but require the owner to rebuild the structure; it that is not feasible, the building be demolished and replaced with a project of “special merit.”

The Historic Preservation Review Board will meet to consider the following items on June 26 and July 10. The meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m. at 441 4th Street NW in Room 220 South.

The Week at Southeast Library:  Zumba Class, Southeast Book Club, Job Seekers Drop In Clinic.  Saturday, June 28: genealogy database demonstration.  For more information, go here:  http://bit.ly/Tm9kPr