Developer to restore north façade and convert garage to apartments at 152–156 North George; board approves

Matt Bozart, project manager with Royal Square, told the board the proposal for 152–156 North George includes removing metal siding on the north elevation, repointing masonry in kind, adding three ground-level openings to match existing windows, and painting remaining aluminum-clad windows black to match adjacent buildings. “We are proposing to paint those black to match the new windows and also match the adjacent building,” he said.

Bozart also said the infill of an existing garage opening on the west (Cherry Lane) elevation will allow conversion to apartments, with the infill clad to match the siding restored on the north elevation. He said the southern elevation has an existing ADA ramp that the project will bring up to code and that the ramp and its railing will be removed and replaced. "Completely remove it and replace it," he said when asked how the ramp would be made code compliant.

Board members asked whether there were windows in good condition under the existing metal siding; Bozart said that was unknown and that, from the inside, it was not apparent that windows exist under the siding. After discussion, a committee member moved to approve the application as written, another member seconded, and the board voted in favor; the transcript does not record vote counts.

The approval covers the façade restoration, three new street-level openings, infill of the garage opening and necessary ADA ramp replacement as presented. The transcript records that the project anticipates 21-bedroom apartment units on the side entrance plan.