Local developers will be able to move forward with their work on the McCune Building after Plain City Council unanimously upheld a decision by the village’s Design Review Board.
Council spent its work session Wednesday deliberating following an October appeal hearing regarding the decision by DRB to approve plans to build an external elevator shaft on the north side of 114 W. Main St.
Although the appellant, Tim Dawson, who owns the adjacent property, argued that removal of the one-story lean-to structure at the rear of the three-story building would substantially change the historic building, council disagreed.
“They’re making it look the way it used to look,” Council member Jim Eudaily said Wednesday.
Council President Michael Terry said one specific portion of the village’s codified standards for rehabilitating historic buildings was “super key” in determining whether the plans were compliant.
It dictates that new additions “shall not destroy materials that characterize the property” and “new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.”
Terry said abiding by the DRB standards is a bit of a balancing act, as new structures added to historic buildings need to “blend” with the Uptown Historic District without “pretending” to be original.
In a 5-0 vote, council agreed with DRB that plans for the McCune Building successfully balance those demands. (Council member John Rucker abstained from deliberations and the vote, as he also serves on DRB.)
While the lean-to will be removed and replaced with a board and batten elevator shaft, council members said they felt it was the most appropriate solution to maintain the integrity of the building.
During the October appeal hearing, Karl Walters, structural engineer for the project, testified that he believes the building is too structurally compromised to add an elevator to its interior.
Terry said he feels adding the elevator shaft, which is required to bring the building into ADA compliance, on the exterior of the building is the best way to preserve the architecture of the structure.
He added that he does not feel removal of the lean-to will affect the historic profile of the building, as it is not visible from West Main Street.
Beyond that, Council member James Sintz reiterated comments from the appeal hearing indicating the lean-to was not an original portion of the building.
He said his own research of Library of Congress documents indicates the lean-to’s construction date could be as old as 1895, but it is unclear if it was demolished and reconstructed or altered otherwise since then.
The lean-to may not be a portion of the historic profile but Terry said he still feels it has “historical significance.”
He said it appears the property owners are considerate of that as well.
Terry alluded to comments from Chris Kerr, one of the property owners, who noted that bricks from the lean-to will not be destroyed, but preserved and used in other areas of the building.
Eudaily said he feels the addition is designed to keep attention on the original building because the elevator shaft will be shorter than the roof. Additionally, he said painting it black will help it to recede from view.
Despite concerns about the black paint raised in the appeal, Council member Frank Reed said he does not feel anyone can prove black is a color that was excluded from historical structures.
Terry also said the specific black paint is in the Sherwin Williams historical palette and is pre-approved by DRB.
Aside from the color, Eudaily addressed concerns about the fiber cement board and batten material that will be used.
He said board and batten was commonly used in the era the McCune Building was constructed. The fiber cement will appear like it is wood but offer greater longevity, he explained.
Sintz added that he feels it is an appropriate choice because it distinguishes the addition from the original brick building while giving it “an olde timey feel.”
Ultimately, council members agreed with Terry’s assessment that the plans align with the “overall spirit” of the DRB standards and upheld the board’s initial decision.