Historic Preservation & Architectural Review Board Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COHOES HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD MEETING HELD WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023 AT 8:00AM MEMBERS PRESENT: Daniele Cherniak, Chair Barbara Hildreth, Vice Chair John Frainier Evan Lamb ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Sharon Butler, Administrative Assistant Tess Drauschak, Assistant Planner Chairperson Cherniak called the August 15, 2023 meeting of the Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Board to order at 8:01AM. Roll Call; Members present; Chairperson Cherniak, Vice Chair Hildreth, Member Frainier, Member Lamb CONSIDERATION OF THE JUNE 20, 2023 MEETING MINUTES Chairperson Cherniak; next item on the agenda is the minutes from the June 20, 2023 meeting has everyone had a chance to look at the minutes; motion to approve the minutes was made by Member Frainer 2nd by Vice Chair Hildreth All in favor AYE motion carried YES NO ABSTAIN Daniele Cherniak X Barbara Hildreth X Evan Lamb X John Frainier X CONSIDERATION OF DECK REPLACEMENT AT 10 GARNER STREET Chairperson Cherniak; next item is a proposal on 10 Garner Street, can you tell us what you are looking to do. Mr. Brody Bieniek so it’s a two-story deck with a roof, and it is falling apart. So we just want to replace it with this (sample of dark brown trek decking), so it will last longer, instead of replacing wood. What they have on there is a tongue and groove, yellow pine but that not going to, even if you paint it that is not going to be a good idea. Vice Chair Hildreth; is this building empty? Mr. Bieniek; it is right now, it is right next to the laundry mat. It is empty right now, this is the first step so it is a safety concern because the laundry mat is right next door. Vice Chair Hildreth; and people park right there too Mr. Bieniek right now the 3rd story roof is collapsing I have some photos you can see. I figure a brown on that building especially with this composite would look the best in terms of historic standpoint, nothing flashy nothing crazy. Then the only question I have is for you guys if you agreed on that, you would see the pressure treated framing and lumber, we are going to do the same exact thing I would just put a brown roof on it and a brown gutter, the railings the owner  just had questions on what to do with the railings and that is what I, that is my question to you, white railings, wood railings what would be the most appropriate? Chair Cherniak I would probably say something unobtrusive as possible because it is the rear part of the building and ordinarily it wouldn’t be viewed from the street but it is because of its location. But I would say something dark, a brown something less obtrusive, I don’t know what other board members think. Vice Chair Hildreth; my thing is as long as it is safe because if you are going to restore it and people are going to sit out there you want it safe. Chair Cherniak so you are planning a full rehab of the building eventually? Mr. Bieniek the owner is planning on it eventually, it is going to be a lot of money so it will be a process. He asked me to do this for safety concern and so it looks better then he will do the first, second then third floor. He wants to start at the bottom and he wants to rehab that gut and do that. Vice Chair Hildreth he’ll have to come here because it is a store front and he will be changing all of that. Mr. Bieniek yes I probably will be coming here. He’s in NYC, a nice guy but I feel like I can explain and talk a little better Chair Cherniak so with the rehab it would be a full residential use or ? Mr. Bieniek I believe, and don’t quote me on this, I think he wants to open some sort of store front downstairs but I don’t know Chair Cherniak historically it was a store front Mr. Bieniek it looks like it would make a nice deli or something Tess I know there has been discussion with Joe the City Planner and Jule about the windows in the front do you expect to come back to the historic board for those? Mr. Bieniek yes so I just need to know what I can and can not do because they are curved windows. Can I make it look historic or do they have to be custom windows? That’s a couple of months out. Chair Cherniak; I mean one thing that is critical is maintaining the same dimensions Mr. Bieniek yes I don’t want to change those dimensions, it’s a brick building. Keep the dimensions the same, I guess more down the road we will talk more about it but can I get new windows that have the same arch way look and fill in the arch way with something nice or do we need to get the same window foot print? Chair Cherniak we can certainly have the discussion later on Mr. Bieniek that’s a ways out. As of right now I think we are all good with the brown decking, you aren’t going to see if from the ground anyways. Trex is much more durable. The railings I think you have in here (in packet) we can do brown or wood. He showed the composite rails that are brown so again the whole 6x6 post that runs up the side you will see the pressure treated lumber you can’t really get around that, unless we wrap it but that just a bunch of money and there’s nothing to wrap it with to make it look older Chair Cherniak do any board members have any more questions for the applicant? Member Frainier the 6x6 post, the supports can you stain that brown? Mr. Bieniek yes but you can’t stain it right away you have to wait a year Sharon; now with the railings do you want him to go with brown for them? Chair Cherniak; I would say yes but I don’t know what other board members think. Member Frainier; the brown would match nicely Chair Cherniak any other questions from board members? Being none do I have a motion to approve with the brown railing and the stipulation staining would take place after a years’ time. Vice Chair Hildreth made a motion to approve 2nd by Member Frainier all in favor AYE motion carried  YES NO ABSTAIN Daniele Cherniak X Barbara Hildreth X Evan Lamb X John Frainier X Chair Cherniak asked if there were any other business to discuss. Tess talked about the White Street pocket park and that we have in the works a color draft of the mural that will being going up once we have it, it will go out in an email to members. Vice Chair Hildreth asked where the mural was going Tess on 20 White Street Member Lamb asked if it was the same guy doing the mural Tess no it a different person and it is an environmental justice mural a little interpretive but the color palette is beautiful I like the art style. That is supposed to go up the end of September Vice Chair Hildreth there doing a lot of work in that little lot. Sharon they are I go down there every day and take pictures Vice Chair Hildreth talking about murals is anybody doing anything about the vines on the beautiful mural over there (Sillman Park) Tess that is not something with the planning department Vice Chair Hildreth I know but somebody has to say something Tess I’m not sure where to direct you maybe DPW. The other thing I have, I don’t really have anything but maybe Sharon can give an update Sharon that the have the one turret done and they are working on the other one. There were a few leaks but they were taken care of, the project will probably go much longer that expected because of weather conditions. It is moving along any issues have been taken care of. Vice Chair Hildreth to bad we can’t do something with the roof over the police station Sharon that is the 2nd phase, that scope will be written up and sent out for bids but probably not until next spring. Chair Cherniak do I have a motion to adjourn; Vice Chair Hildreth made a motion to adjourn at 8:11 2nd by Member Lamb all in favor AYE motion carried. YES NO ABSTAIN Daniele Cherniak X Barbara Hildreth X Evan Lamb X John Frainier X