An Update on the Hudson Public

In August, Code Enforcement Director Nick Fox issued a stop-work order for 402-404 Warren Street, which is being renovated to become the Hudson Public Hotel. The stop-work order was triggered by five violations of the terms of the project's certificate of appropriateness granted by the Historic Preservation Commission. 

On Friday, Walter Chatham. who defines his role as "advising architect" for the project, appeared before the HPC to explain why the project has departed from what had been approved by the HPC and to try to get the stop-work order lifted.

Regarding the disappearance of the remnants of the original marble in the building's colonnade, Chatham said the original pieces were removed because the sill was cracked and it was impractical to put it back. He maintained that the marble could not be reused "because it has holes" and "one piece broke when it was being moved." He explained that the solution they followed was proposed by structural engineers. The plan is to affix a veneer of Olympic white marble from Vermont over the cement board now on the columns.

 

There was concern about the thickness of the layering on the colonnade. The marble veneer is ¾ inch on top of cement board that is 1½ inches for a total thickness of 2¼ inches. Fox asked if specialists would install the marble, or if it would be installed by general contractors. Cara Cragan, the architect member of the HPC, questioned the plan to bevel the edges where the pieces of marble veneer meet, predicting that in five or ten years it will be obvious that the columns are not solid marble. 

Regarding the installation of unapproved lighting, Chatham said it had been approved by the Planning Board, a fact that does not obviate the need for HPC approval. Regarding the installation of ninety-five windows that were never approved and that Fox said did not replicate the original windows, which would have been six over six, Chatham maintained that the two over two windows were on every drawing they presented to the HPC, and hence he believed they had been approved. Regarding the black painted corrugated metal siding, the HPC seemed to agree it was fine.

When Chatham asked that the stop-work order be lifted, he was told the stop-work order would be in place until there was a new certificate of appropriateness.

It was decided that a new application, addressing the list of violations, would be submitted to the HPC by the end of this week, and a public hearing on the new application would take place on Friday, September 25. The new application will be posted on the HPC page of the city website. Gossips will notify readers when that has happened.  

Commenting on the current state of the building, Matt McGhee, whose observations and comments, suggesting that A. J. Davis may have had a hand in the original design of what he called a "noble ensemble" of buildings, were influential in the evolution of the design for hotel when the project was being reviewed by the HPC in 2023, lamented, "So much is messed up with this. It's turned upside down. It's no longer elegant."

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