APPROVE Certificate 2-A-17-DT subject to the following conditions: 1) Any approval from the National Park Service for Part 2 (Description of Rehabilitation) of the Historic Preservation Certification (Tax Credit) Application that modifies or is in conflict with a condition of approval, can be approved by staff, and 2) Wall signs painted on the sign boards (panels) can be approved by staff.Case File

Summary: Exterior renovation of the Hubris Building, including restoration of existing historic storefronts and replacement of non-historic storefronts with new to match historic, new doors and transoms, new exterior lighting on first floor brick pilasters, new signs boards, replace second story awning fabric, and restore the second story windows and metal cornice. The property owner does intent to seek historic tax credits for the proposed renovation.

Storefront: The 2 storefronts on the eastern (right) side of the building are original and will be restored. The other two storefronts will be on the western (left) side of the building will be removed and replaced with wood storefronts to match the original design. The stand alone entry door for the second story, which is not original, will be replaced with a door to match the storefront doors. All storefront and door glass is to be clear.

Transom: The transom is made of leaded glass and will be clear with some glass being slightly textured. See sheet A2 for a detail of the transom design.

Lighting: Install new accent lights on the first floor brick pilasters as shown on the attached plans.

Signage: Wood sign boards (panels) will be attached above each storefront. Each sign board will be 1'-8" tall but the width will vary depending on the width of the associated storefront below. Signage is proposed to be painted on the sign board and the maximum height the letters can be is approximately 1'-4" because of the trim. An example of the painted signs are shown in the color rendering. The wall sign above the second story entry door is intended to include the name of the building and other historical information. The sign regulations define this as a "memorial sign", which are limited to no more than 6 square feet in size. If the sign is approved larger than 6 square feet, it will be considered a wall sign and count against the total sign area allowed on the building.

Awnings: The fabric of the second story awnings will be replaced but otherwise will be unchanged.

Windows: The second story windows will be restored and painted.

Cornice: The metal cornice will be restored and painted.

Masonry: The brick façade will be cleaned and tuckpointed, as necessary, with mortar to match the existing.

The Hubris Building is a contributing structure within the Southern Terminal and Warehouse (National Register) Historic District, so the "Historic Resources" section of the guidelines do apply to this proposal. The applicant intends to apply for historic tax credits, which if approved by the National Park Service (NPS), would satisfy the requirements of this section. Staff has recommended a condition that if the NPS requires modifications to the proposal, that staff will be able to approve those changes based on the NPS approval.

The proposed transom design incorporated leaded glass that will be mostly clear with some slightly textured. The original transom had square prism glass as shown in the attached historic picture, however, these were removed many decades ago and replaced with large panes of clear glass. The proposed transom is non-traditional for this style of building, being more elaborately detailed than normal, but in staff's opinion the design can be considered for approval by the board and if the applicant obtains historic tax credits, the NPS will also weigh in on the whether the design is appropriate.

The standalone door for access to the second is shown in the historic photograph as having 12 window panes rather the one large pane as proposed. Otherwise the doors have similar design. The transom above this door is shown in the historic photograph as having a different transom design than the storefronts, which helps differentiate this doorway from the commercial ground floor uses. Presumably the door also had a different design than the storefront doors but this cannot be confirmed by the photograph. While it may be more appropriate to differentiate the purpose of this doorway by using slightly a different door and transom design, staff feels it isn't necessary because the doorway is already differentiate since it is not part of a storefront system.

Applicable guidelines:

Section 1.C.2. (STOREFRONTS)
Throughout downtown, historic buildings present a front elevation with an individual facade that is usually 25-35 feet wide. The storefronts are divided horizontally into three sections: bulkheads, solid or opaque, usually 18-24 inches tall; a plate glass storefront window 6-8 feet tall; and above it, a clear or patterned glass transom.
GUIDELINES:
2a. Restore and maintain storefronts as they were originally.

Section 1.C.3. (ENTRANCES)
Formal entrances to front facades should be retained. This includes entrances that are located above street level and accessed by exterior stairs. Altering or removing the main entrance to grant street-level access is not appropriate.
GUIDELINES:
3a. Establish recessed entries, either rectangular or with slightly canted sides, which are appropriate in storefronts.
3b. Allow for multiple entries on the first floor of the building, giving access to commercial space that may be divided into bays.
3c. Provide access to upper stories through additional entries.
3d. Maintain original height and materials for doors that are consistent with the use of the building, such as residential, commercial, or banking purposes.

Section 1.C.4. (WINDOWS)
Appropriate window appearance is significant in finishing a rehabilitation project. From a preservation standpoint, the first and best answer when determining a treatment for windows is to repair rather than replace them. If that is not possible, replacing only deteriorated portions is the next best alternative to total replacement. It is possible to replace window sills, rebuild all or parts of window sashes, and replace window glass, making original windows energy efficient and functional.
GUIDELINES:
4a. Repair rather than replace historic windows.
4b. Replace windows if repairs are not possible with matching windows, including duplicating design, operation, material, glass size, muntin arrangements, profiles, and trim.

Section 1.C.5. (MASONRY)
Masonry features should be retained and repaired; materials, including mortar, should match the original mortar in color and composition. Mortar joints should be sized and struck to match the original. Belt courses, string courses, dripstones, quoins and contrasting brick and stone are common. These features should be preserved and repaired if necessary, and should be introduced on infill buildings.
GUIDELINES:
5a. Repair masonry with stone or brick and mortar that match the original.
5b. Do not paint masonry that has never been painted.

Section 1.C.6. (SANDBLASTING)
The use of sandblasting, water blasting, or other abrasive or corrosive methods to clean buildings destroys materials by eroding their hard exterior surfaces, exposing the softer interiors, which are then subject to accelerated deterioration.
GUIDELINE:
6a. Do not sandblast, water blast, or use other abrasive or corrosive methods to clean or restore historic structures.

Section 1.C.7. (RECOMMENDED SIGNS)
Commercial establishments need to advertise. However, advertising signs should be effective and appropriate to historic areas without contributing to visual clutter. Primary concerns are a sign's location, size, material, and illumination.
GUIDELINES:
7a. Locate signs above storefront windows, below second-story windows on the sign board, or on the storefront windows themselves (30% is maximum coverage), or off the front of the building as a projecting sign (maximum size: 9 square feet).
7b. Create signs that are proportional to the building where they are located.
7c. Do not light signs internally.
7d. Allow painted signs on building walls in the warehouse area along Jackson Avenue, and in some other locations along Gay Street.

Section 1.C.8. (AWNINGS)
Awnings are allowed on historic buildings when they are appropriate to the building and are designed with traditional shapes, forms, and materials. If awnings are used, their overall size, shape, and projection from the building must be in proper proportion and scale to the building and contained within the window or door they shelter, and not cover adjacent wall surfaces. Canvas is usually the appropriate material for awnings.
GUIDELINES:
8a. Allow awnings in traditional shapes and materials.

Section 1.C.9. (LIGHTING)
Storefront windows may be lit with interior fixtures, entrances may be lit with overhead fixtures, and gooseneck fixtures can be used to highlight signs. Illumination may also be used to wash the building in light, emphasizing its distinctive architectural finishes.
GUIDELINE:
9a. Use indirect lighting of the building facade where appropriate.

Section 1.C.11. (INAPPROPRIATE PRIOR CHANGES)
Buildings may have been altered over time; some of those alterations may be inappropriate. In planning exterior rehabilitation, inappropriate changes should be reversed.
GUIDELINE:
11a. During rehabilitation of historic buildings, restore components to the original or an approximate design.