Commissioners press applicant on chimney appearance and material at 36 Bruin Road

A portion of the Historic Preservation Commission meeting focused on how an elevator enclosed in a chimney structure should read visually within the Old Town context. Commissioners probed proportions, cap details and surface treatment after staff and the applicant presented the proposed design.

One commissioner said the earlier chimney design "didn't even look like a chimney" and urged adjustments so the element reads as a chimney rather than a bulky mechanical enclosure. Commissioners discussed adding banding, a more traditional sloped side, and a deeper recess so the chimney aligns with surrounding brick and porch proportions.

Applicant James Atkins said the team narrowed the chimney, increased recess depth and added projection at the top to resemble historical double chimneys found elsewhere in the district. He also said the design moved mechanicals into screened locations and that they had discussed a traditional bishop's cap as an authentic solution. "We narrowed the overall structure of the chimney. We changed the cap to a double bishop's cap," Atkins said.

Commissioners also flagged inconsistent drawing notes that sometimes labeled the chimney as "stucco" and at other times as "tabby." Several members asked that the final elevations explicitly call the chimney "tabby," a traditional finish accepted in the UDO, and that bands and trim be detailed consistent with the commission's guidance. The commission adopted conditions that require a 2-inch recess and removal of the jamb trim to help the chimney read as a traditional, proportionate element.