08.0 - 304 W 42nd St — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION Applications for Certificates of Appropriateness May 6, 2026 HR-2026-036164 Hyde Park Local Historic District 304 West 42nd Street 9 – 1 Proposal Demolish a contributing building and replace it with a new building. Project Specifications The proposed new building spans two lots and is oriented towards Avenue C rather than West 42nd Street. It is two stories in height, clad in horizontal lap siding with board and batten accents. The roof is composed of a series of compound gables and a shed-roof dormer at the southern elevation. A partial-width covered porch displays Craftsman-inspired proportions and triangular brackets at the 42nd Street elevation; similar brackets appear at gable ends on the Avenue C façade and at the westernmost carport elevation. Fenestration includes fixed, casement, and 1:1 windows interspersed throughout each elevation. Architecture 304 West 42nd Street is a ca. 1932 bungalow. It is one story in height, clad in horizontal wood siding, with simple massing and a side-gabled rectangular plan. A gabled garage abuts the easternmost elevation. Fenestration includes 1:1 wood windows. Exposed rafter tails are present at eaves and triangular brackets at gable ends. Design Standards The Hyde Park Design Standards are used to evaluate projects within the historic district. The following standards apply to the proposed project: 1. General Standards 1.1: Prevention of Demolition. Demolition of any contributing structure is strongly discouraged under all circumstances. The proposed project includes demolition of a contributing building. 5. Residential Standards: New Construction of Single-Family Structures 5.1: Massing, Scale, and Architectural Elements. Use massing, scale, and architectural elements typical of the contributing buildings on the block when designing a new building. The geometry of new house construction shall be in a scale with contributing buildings on the same block. When applying to Historic Landmark Commission, include photographs of all existing adjacent buildings and any other buildings on the block which have inspired design choices for the new construction. Proposed massing is more complicated than contributing buildings nearby, though the new building reflects historic-era gable forms. The building’s location, with the main entrance fronting Avenue C and the long secondary side along 42nd, is not consistent with the streetscape; however, the secondary entrance and gabled porch somewhat mitigate this. 5.3: Porches. Front porches on new construction are not necessary, but if present, they must be at least 7 feet deep. The proposed porch is approximately 5.25’ at the 42nd Street elevation and 9’ at the Avenue C elevation. 5.4: Height. Raise porch and first floor levels for new houses to a height comparable to existing houses with pier and beam construction, even if new construction is on a slab. The proposed new building’s foundation height appears comparable with that of the existing contributing house. 5.5: Roofs. Use a hipped roof, gabled roof, or a combination of hipped and gabled roof on new houses, as these roof forms are traditional on the contributing structures in the district. Use a simple roof on new construction in 9 – 2 blocks where bungalows with simple roof forms prevail. Shed roofs are appropriate for porches, but are not appropriate as the principal roof on the main structure. The proposed project uses compound gable roofs for the main building form and a shed roof for the single dormer at the secondary streetscape. 5.6: Entrances. Locate the primary entrance to the building on the front. The proposed building takes up two lots and has two entrances, with the main entrance located at the Avenue C (front) elevation. 5.7: Exterior Wall Materials. Use exterior wall materials that are compatible with those on the contributing structures on the block, such as wood, cementitious siding, brick, or stone. The proposed exterior wall materials are mostly compatible, though board-and-batten is more appropriate for a garage or carriage house in Hyde Park than for a main structure. Summary The project meets some of the applicable standards. Department Comments Case HR-2026-036164 first appeared on the Historic Landmark Commission agenda on May 6, 2026. Property Evaluation The property contributes to Hyde Park Historic District. Staff Recommendation Either postpone the public hearing to June 3, 2026 and invite the applicant to the May 13, 2026 meeting of the Architectural Review Committee to facilitate further exploration of alternatives to demolition, or deny the Certificate of Appropriateness. While the new construction proposal mostly meets the design standards, staff cannot recommend the removal of a contributing building in a locally designated historic district. Location Map 9 – 3