Closure on Robinson Street . . . For Now

Jamie Larson reports in today's Register-Star on the current status of the application to designate Robinson Street as a local historic district: "Historic Hudson looks at other ways of preserving Robinson Street." The article quotes excerpts from a written statement prepared by Historic Hudson informing the Historic Preservation Commission of its decision not to pursue the designation at this time. The full text of this statement can be read here.

On a related issue, Ed Gump was at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting on Friday morning seeking clarity about the status of the Robinson Street designation. Gump, who was there representing the people buying the church building on North Second Street which was included in the proposed historic district, told the HPC that the roof on the south side of the building needed to be replaced, and the buyers wanted to do it appropriately, whether or not the building was part of a historic district. 

The roof on the building is slate, and it needs immediate attention because all the slates on the south side are gone. Gump told the HPC that he was considering replacing the roof on the south side with a standing seam metal roof in a color that looked like weathered copper. HPC chair Tom Swope expressed the opinion that a standing seam metal roof was not appropriate for a 1930s church. HPC member Nick Haddad then suggested asphalt shingles that looked like slate, to which Gump responded, "So you want to go with phony slate?"

HPC architect member Jane Smith suggested that the HPC should go and look at the building before making a recommendation. It was decided that the HPC would follow this course of action. Swope requested photographs of the building and the roof from Gump.