Chaired by Vice Chairman Craig Evans, the Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission granted certificates of appropriateness for three project proposals along Fourth Street at the Aug. 15 in the Rotunda. All voting was unanimous.

Representing 312 E. Fourth St., Rev. Andrew Gehringer, Pastor and Business Manager Joe McCarthy were granted a COA to take down their current aluminum frame pole-mounted exterior illuminated reader board in front yard of the rectory. Their proposal to replace it with a 36-inch by 78-inch reader board mounted on the right front wall of the church and another 31-inch by 67-inch one mounted on the front of the rectory were approved.

The new reader boards would provide flexibility for updating messages and would be illuminated at night with 300K LED gooseneck lighting.

After slightly readjusting the proposed measurements, it was stipulated that shop drawings for the signage and a cut sheet for the light fixtures would be submitted to the historic officer.

According to Historic Officer Jeff Long, the Gothic Revival stone church was constructed in 1865, expanded in 1886 and is currently home to Holy Infancy Roman Catholic Church. The Colonial Revival style brick Rectory on the property was constructed circa 1910.

Architect Christine Ussler from Artefact represented 114 W. Fourth St. with a proposal to relocate a detached garage the board had deemed “historically contributing” at a June hearing and possibly construct a three story, six unit residential building on the site. The detached brick structure sits behind the circa 1880s brick mansion occupied by former Bethlehem Steel President and Chairman Eugene Gifford Grace and his family from 1902-06.

She explained that they were looking for an indication that the board was willing to entertain the relocation proposal. The recessed garage which faces Martel Street would be moved elsewhere on the lot and converted into a studio apartment.

Long opined that moving the garage and repurposing it would be appropriate. Ussler mentioned that this would also solve a zoning issue.

Craig Evans and Seth Cornish liked the idea of relocating the garage as it would enhance the appearance of the property.

Approval for the structure’s relocation is contingent on approval for an infill project submission. “There’s a lot of work to do yet,” Ussler remarked, happy they can move forward with redesigning the new construction.

The historic property is owned by developer Dallas Basha through 114 W. Fourth St., LLC.

Developer Louis Intile was granted a COA for demolishing a dilapidated garage at the back of 512 E. Fourth St.

The three-story brick and masonry Italianate style building facing E. Fourth Street was constructed circa 1900.

The two-story wood frame garage facing E. Morton Street is currently clad with aluminum siding. Long stated that the rear structure appears on a vintage Sanborn Fire Insurance map behind the main building. This indicates they were built at the same time. This, in his opinion would make it a “contributing” building.

District guidelines state that demo would only be allowed if the applicant would experience “undue economic hardship” by attempting to rehab the structure, Long added.

The historic officer noted that an adjacent garage had been razed without permission.

Intile described the garage as in rough shape when he purchased the property “a few years ago” and had tried unsuccessfully to stabilize it. “It was used primarily as a warehouse by ‘Sing Out!’ Magazine, which operated on Fourth Street,” he said. Besides being unstable overall, he mentioned the roof was caving in.

“This becomes a clubhouse for students walking home from Broughal – an old garage makes for a fun experience until it falls on you,” remarked Intile.

The applicant was instructed to provide detailed plans for creating a parking pad on the site before he could raze the existing structure.

Intile, from Fifth Street Properties, owns the property through NMC Holdings, LLC. He says that he has been working with the City of Bethlehem to find a tenant.

The Bethlehem HCC is charged with the task of determining if new signs or other alterations to a building’s exterior would be an appropriate fit for the neighborhood in one of three designated historic districts.

Obtaining a certificate of appropriateness is only a first step for business owners and residents in a designated historic district who wish to make alterations to a building’s exterior. The commission’s recommendations are later reviewed, and then voted on by city council before any project is allowed to proceed.