Historic board denies Ryan Rogers’ infill plan for 215 West 1st after neighbors object to front-facing garages

The Madison Historic District Board of Review on Monday denied an application by Ryan Rogers to build two infill homes with front-facing garage doors at 215 West 1st Street, citing concerns that the design does not fit the character of the historic district.

The project would have placed one-bedroom houses with garages prominent on the front elevation on a deep lot near Legacy Park. Rogers, who had recused himself from acting as a board member for this meeting, told the board the design preserved rear green space and cited multiple recent approvals of similar designs since 2022. "When you drive down Vaughn Drive, it catches your eye. It's a fixture on that block," he said while defending the concept and the examples he provided.

Neighbors and preservation advocates pushed back. Felicia Crisafulli, a resident of West 1st Street, said the proposal "does not fit" the downtown historic character and argued that front-facing garages had a suburban look inappropriate for the district. A written submission from Thomas Stark noted that the block contains no homes with garages directly facing the street and urged the board to require garages to be placed to the rear or side.

Board members emphasized the site’s prominence — near a National Historic Landmark and Legacy Park — and warned that approving a street-facing garage could set an undesirable precedent. "It's a distinctly suburban design typology that's generally not regarded as being very pedestrian friendly," a board member said, noting the proposal’s potential to erode the district’s character.

After deliberation a board member moved to deny the certificate of appropriateness; the motion was seconded and the board voted to deny the application. Several members who questioned the design urged the applicant to return with alternatives, including carriage-house or rear-garage options. Rogers said he would prepare a new design, adding, "I'll come up with another design… I am the first new infill house that's ever been denied."

The board’s denial is procedural — it prevents the current design from moving forward in its present form. Rogers may revise the plans and reapply. The board did not cite specific code sections other than its review of the historic district guidelines and the board’s guidance on infill compatibility.

The board took the vote at the end of a lengthy public hearing and then moved on to staff reports and adjournment.