By Dan Murphy
The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission approved as submitted a new roofdeck for the Union Club on Park Street at its monthly public hearing held virtually on Thursday Oct. 17.
Timothy Burke, the project architect, said the proposed roofedck would look out west over the Boston Common, and that it would be only “minimally visible” from the park. The deck wouldn’t be visible from Park Street whatsoever, he added.
Burke had previously presented preliminary plans for the proposed roofdeck during an advisory hearing at the commission’s Feb. 15 virtual public hearing. Since then, the railing has been pulled back 2 feet, 8 inches, and the size of the deck has been reduced, said Burke.
In making his motion to approve the application, Chair Mark Kiefer noted that the proposed roofdeck would be only minimally visible from one pathway on the Common and even then obscured by the buildings or mechanical features behind it, among other mitigating factors.
Chair Kiefer also noted that the commission had recently approved two other minimally visible roofdecks proposed at 54 Pinckney St. and on 7 Chestnut St., respectively.
Chair Kiefer’s motion to approve the application as submitted was unanimously supported by himself, in addition to Chairs Maurice Finegold, Annette Given, and Ralph Jackson. Commissioner Edward Fleck recused himself from this matter.
(The application had previously appeared on the agenda for the commission’s Sept. 19 virtual public hearing, but the matter wasn’t heard at the time due to a lack of quorum.)
In another matter, the commission unanimously approved as submitted an application from the Club of Odd Volumes – a longstanding, self-described ‘private social club and society of bibliophiles’ located at 77 Mount Vernon St. – to install an iron handrail to the front of the property, spanning the length of the sloped sidewalk from the gate to Mount Vernon Street.
During his presentation for this application, Jeff Makholm, a club member, told the proposed handrail would be largely for the benefit of the club’s many elderly members who wish to enter the club through the front door. The club also has a handicap accessible entrance in back, which is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, he added.
The motion to approve this application as submitted came with several provisos, including the posts be installed to the left of the stone curbing, with the foundations fully covered by topsoil; that the ‘volute’ option is selected for the endings of the rail; and that the handrail be constructed in accordance with ADA accessibility standards, specifically an elbow joint that positions the rail away from the vertical supports and towards the path of travel.
The commission also unanimously approved an application from the American Meteorological Society at 45 Beacon St., with proposed work including replacing the existing manual gates with a pair of motorized gates; resetting pavers in driveway; and removing a small portion of the garden wall at rear of property, among other changes.
The motion to approve this application, put forth by Chair Kiefer, came with several provisos, including that the existing gate be retained or repaired; that an existing guard stone be retained; that the swing arms and mechanicals be located so as to minimize visibility; that the gate control-box be installed within a curved section of the wall and perhaps painted black to reduce its visibility; that the paving stones and brick pavers be reset in their original locations; and that drawings be submitted to staff, among other stipulations.
In making his motion, Chair Kiefer noted that the removal of the garden wall would only be visible from a small portion of Beacon Street; that the garden wall isn’t an original feature; and that its proposed alteration doesn’t constitute creating a new façade opening.
An application for 2 Byron St. also came before the commission, with the proposed work including a 20-inch increase to the 7 foot, 3 inch ceiling height on the third floor at the rear of the building to provide more habitable space for a proposed dining room; the addition of new balconies at the rear of the property; the installation of new door hardware and an intercom panel, as well as the restoration of an existing lantern, on the front façade; the addition of new shutters at the front of the property; and the repainting of the door with Hale Navy, among other changes.
On this application, Chair Kiefer made the motion, which was passed unanimously, to deny the proposed balconies and intercom panel without prejudice to give the applicant time to explore alternatives while approving the balance of the proposed work. This motion came with a proviso that the new shutters aren’t ‘bi-folded,’ and that they reflect the scale of the windows above.
The commission also approved an application as submitted to install new HVAC equipment at the rear of 34 Myrtle St., which would be minimally visible only from a high-walled, dead-end public alleyway next to the Myrtle Street Playground.
This motion, put forth by Chair Kier, came with a proviso that per the applicant’s suggestion, they explore finding a cover for the condenser, which would be black, or a color to match the brick, to further mitigate its visibility.
Besides himself, Chair Kiefer’s motion on this application was unanimously supported by Commissioners Finegold, Fleck, and Given. Commissioner Jackson recused himself from this matter.
In another matter, the commission heard an application for 94 Mount Vernon St. – a property undergoing a “gut renovation,” according to the project architect, Mark Van Brocklin of Embarc Design.
Proposed work per this application includes repainting the entry surround using Benjamin Moore HC-87 ‘Ashley Gray’; replacing the mail slot in its existing location; replacing the keyed deadbolt hardware; replacing the address numbers; adding a new pendant light; and at the rear garden wall facing Acorn Street, replacing the window with four-lite wood casement window; installing new rear door hardware and a new wall mounted lantern; and replacing the screen on top of the garden wall with a new, decorative metal-railing.
The commission voted unanimously to approve all of the proposed work, besides the replacement of the screening fence on the garden wall at the rear façade; this motion also came with provisos that the fence extension be made of wood, rather than metal; and that the lattice design be used and finished with a dark finish, with details to be delegated to and approved by staff prior to the start of construction. Shop drawings would also be provided to staff per another proviso.
Regarding an extensive application for 15 Temple St., which entails the replacement of all of the varied windows on its front façade, the commission voted by a majority to allow all but the second-floor, ‘left-most’ window, which staff deemed to be “old, if not original.” A one-over-one window configuration on the top floor would also be replaced with two-over-twos while the other windows would be retained per the motion.
Provisos for this motion included that the balance of the windows not use low-e glass, or dark spacer bars, and that the muttons used be no wider than 7/8 inch. The applicant would also need to submit drawings to staff prior to the start of construction.
Commissioner Finegold, who expressed a strong preference for having the window configuration match that of the neighboring building, cast the sole dissenting vote on this motion.
In regard to a violation issued to The Sevens Ale House at 77 Charles St. for the unapproved rebuilding of its existing storefront, the commission voted unanimously to deny without prejudice its ratification and asked the applicant to return with a new design that better reflects the original conditions of the storefront.
Regarding a violation at 10 Joy. St., the commission voted unanimously to ratify the unapproved Pilaster paint color change and unapproved tree guards, and to dismiss the violation.
An application to replace storefront windows at 210 Cambridge St. also appeared on the hearing agenda, but that matter ultimately wasn’t heard because the applicant, who was present, had to leave beforehand.
An application to install new planters at The Whitney Hotel at 170 Charles St. was again slated for design review, but that matter wasn’t heard due to the applicant’s failure to appear at the hearing as scheduled for the second month in a row.