Two weeks ago, the Historic Preservation Commission came one vote short of granting a certificate of appropriateness for an internally illuminated sign to be affixed to the side of 251 Allen Street, a house now being operated as a hotel called The Hudson Navigator. Only five of the seven members of the HPC were present for the meeting on May 9, and the votes split three yes and two no for approving the sign. The yes votes were cast by Phil Forman, Hugh Biber, and Kim Wood. Those voting no were Miranda Barry and Paul Barrett.
Granting a certificate of appropriateness requires an affirmative vote from four members of the seven-member commission, so it was decided that the HPC would vote on the proposal again when the full board could be present. That second vote happened today, with six of the seven members of the HPC present.
Before the vote took place, Forman, who chairs the HPC, stated the problem: the applicant considers the sign to be appropriate because it is on a commercial thoroughfare (Third Street), but, in fact, the sign is on the side of a house on a residential block in a historic district. Forman concluded that although the sign may be appropriate for a commercial thoroughfare, it is not appropriate for a residential historic district.
Wood, who had voted to approve the sign on May 9, walked back her support, saying she had focused too much on the quality and brightness of the light and lost sight of the larger issue. John Schobel, who had not been present on May 9, said the design of the sign was charming but expressed concern about the scale and placement.
Forman reiterated, "It comes down to a issue of appropriateness."
When the HPC voted to grant a certificate of appropriateness, all six members present--Schobel, Jeremy Stynes, Forman, Miranda Barry, Paul Barrett, and Wood--voted no. When a second vote was taken to deny a certificate of appropriateness, all six voted yes. (Hugh Biber, who on May 9 had supported granting a certificate of appropriateness, was absent from today's meeting.)
On May 9, before calling for a vote, Forman said, "I don't want to go another round in this." It appears he may have to. Before the meeting was adjourned, Ronald Kopnicki, Allen Street resident and steadfast observer of the HPC, asked that there be another public hearing if the applicant comes back with a new proposal.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CAROLE OSTERINK
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