HARB cautiously okays manufactured trim
Voting unanimously, the Historical and Architectural Review Board granted a certificate of appropriateness for façade work at 415 Long St. at their March 4 meeting held at city hall’s Rotunda.
Homeowners Scott and Lisa Hummel scored approval to detach decorative shutters, install Cellular PVC trim around all the windows, install new trim around the front door and paint the aluminum siding.
While the commissioners preferred wood to be used for the trim, they noted the Cape Cod style house was built in 1985 of materials typical of that era, including aluminum siding and trim. The Ekena Millwork high density polyurethane 7-inch-wide fluted pilasters and the high-density polyurethane 9-inch-high traditional crosshead replicate traditional design.
Painted to match the proposed white trim color, these orchestral elements would be installed over the existing siding which is to be painted “Gateway Gray.”
The existing shutters are to be “Tricorn Black” and reinstalled on the new 2-inch-wide window trim. The trim will also measure 3 inches on the top and bottom.
The front door and storm door are to be painted “Sun-dried Tomato.”
“No matter what they put on it, it’s going to be an improvement over what it is,” remarked Chairman Joe McGavin. “Right now, it’s extremely flat.”
“Just dressing the front of this house up is going to be a significant improvement,” said McGavin. “And when you go to paint it, nobody is going to notice, anyway.”
The HARB board noted this decision on using non-wood materials should not set a precedent for actual historic structures within the historic district where more traditional materials would be recommended.
The Historical and Architectural Review Board regularly meets the first Wednesday of every month to review all exterior changes proposed to buildings in the Bethlehem Historic District north of the Lehigh River.
When a proposed project receives a certificate of appropriateness from the board, applicants must wait for city council to vote on it before proceeding. Meetings can be viewed on YouTube.