Monday, July 13, 2020
ARC Members attending: Christine Hobbs, Tina Mead, Ron Ngiam, Stefan Hurray, Phil Eagleburger, Ana Evans, Lois Orr, Stefan Hurray, and David Kay. Also attending were Rick Nash, President of the Cleveland Park Historical Society and Camilla Carpenter, Executive Director, Cleveland Park Historical Society.
This meeting was held via ZOOM.
3512 Lowell Street, N.W.
Agent: Anne Decker Architects
This project was previously presented to the ARC in March, 2020. 3512 Lowell Street, which was built in 1916, is undergoing extensive rehabilitation. The March proposal included the construction of a new “guest” house and a new garage which would replace the existing garage in the same location at the rear of the property. The proposed “guest” house, which is located on a separate lot, would face Lowell Street on the west side of the property and would be two stories tall plus a finished lower level. The stucco and the roof tiles would match the existing house. Also proposed in March were a new front retaining wall and a new driveway.
The existing garage, along with the house, is a contributing structure to the Cleveland Park Historic District. In March, the ARC recommended that the garage not be demolished but rather restored with the existing roof line maintained. HPRB agreed and subsequently declined the raze request and directed that the garage be restored.
HPRB also directed that the proposed new house be redesigned in order to create a more independent house, including moving the main entrance to the front to face Lowell Street, increasing the size of the front dormers, and centering the house on its lot, in order to create a house that is more differentiated from the main house. It is this redesign that was the subject of the July presentation to the ARC.
The redesign presented reflects the directive of HPRB with the creation of a front entrance, larger windows and dormers, and the relocation the residence slightly to the east. The walls and foundation will be stucco, the roof clay tile and the windows painted wood. A scope of work for the garage restoration was also included in the materials.
The ARC had the following comments:
- The west side of the proposed structured is currently shown as a blank wall with landscaping. The ARC suggests that this wall have greater articulation, if not with the addition of windows then with three niches or recesses to reflect the east side of the house.
- The ARC remains concerned about the garage. While a one-page garage restoration scope of work was included in the submission, the ARC requests that more complete documentation be developed with drawings and photographs of the existing garage to ensure accurate restoration.
- There were questions about grading in front of the proposed house. The ARC requests drawings showing the existing and proposed grading at this location.
The motion passed 9-0