Commission approves plastering and gate infill at 901 West Bridal Drive with conditions

The El Paso Historic Landmark Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for changes to a rock retaining wall and the infill of a gate at 901 West Bridal Drive in the Sunset Heights Historic District.

Staff described the wall as a retaining structure that holds soil and contains plumbing and a gas line; because of those constraints the owner cannot remove the wall to expose the primary façade. Providencia, the commission’s preservation staff, said the proposed work — continuing the stone line, removing an unused gate, and applying matching plaster — is acceptable under the district design guidelines so long as replacement materials match the original in dimension and texture. “Introduce new retaining walls constructed of brick, stone, or stucco-covered concrete in a design consistent with the property and the neighborhood,” staff told commissioners.

The homeowner said they had recently replastered the lower half of the wall and asked to fill in a gate that “goes nowhere,” noting that lowering yard soil would be difficult because of buried rock and recent gas-line work. The homeowner added, “I just wanna say thank you for not stonewalling my project.”

A commissioner moved to approve staff recommendations; the motion was seconded and passed. No additional permits will be required beyond standard reviews, and the commission confirmed replacement and repair should follow the El Paso historic-district guidelines.