CAPE MAY — The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approved a proposal for a seasonal enclosure on the porch at The Star Inn, a Cape Resorts property at 29 Perry St., on Dec. 15.
The HPC requested that Robert Shepanski, senior project manager at Cape Resorts, resubmit the drawings to the review committee for verification of the process of removing the enclosure before the work can proceed.
Shepanski said the enclosure, which would be made of clear acrylic panels with wood frames, would be open Oct. 15 through about May 15 each year.
“We did obtain a zoning compliance for the enclosure,” Shepanski said, adding that the hardware, including the panels, would be removed seasonally.
HPC Chairman John Boecker said that since the Oct. 20 meeting, the applicant attended a review meeting to discuss the feasibility of the project.
Commissioner Kevin Hammeran said the objective is to preserve the historical integrity of the house and the streetscape appearance, and that this objective was met in his mind.
“I think the one thing we always ask ourselves is [that] they claim they’ll remove it, will they really remove it or will it just wind up staying in place?” Hammeran said. “We have to take them at their word and then deal with that as a matter of enforcement, not approval.”
Hammeran added that the submission was streamlined and he was prepared to approve the project. Commissioner Bea Pessagno agreed that the design was streamlined and she had no issues.
No everyone agreed.
“I have an issue with enclosing porches, even seasonally,” commissioner Judy Decker said. “Our standards on page 32 state closing an existing porch is not appropriate on contributing properties [and] doesn’t say anything about it being seasonal or not.”
Vice Chairman Jim Testa said what troubled him was the property report regarding the structure being contributing to the Historic District.
“Every effort should be made to continue to retain original elements on the house, such as the open porch, and to me this encloses a porch,” Testa said. “I think it substantially changes the character of the porch when it’s closed.”
Commissioner Tom Carroll said a good example to follow was The Mad Batter’s enclosed porch.
“In keeping with other porches we’ve allowed to be closed in such a fashion does protect the elements of the porch: the columns and railings,” Carroll said. “However, I think the Mad Batter also said it was going to be seasonal and it certainly hasn’t been, so that’s a problem with us.”
Carroll added that projects done by Curtis Bashaw and Cape Resorts have always been exceptional.
“Everybody likes to watch what’s going on and that poor guy gets turned in on anything that’s going wrong, at least from a past mayor that was certainly one of the cases,” Carroll said. “I have a feeling this would be carried out very well and I’ve been on that porch and I can understand why this will be desirable for them.”
Commissioner Steve Johnson said the seasonal opening of the porch maintains the integrity of the street and allows people to still enjoy it without freezing.
“To address your discomfort, I think the language described for a porch enclosure would be making a porch a part of their home and become an interior part of the home,” Shepanski said. “We’re putting panels behind the railings and columns, leaving everything intact and we’re simply keeping the weather out for a few months during the winter. It’s certainly not permanent.”
Testa said the word “enclosure” does not mean as extensively closed off as Shepanski said.
“I’m more persuaded by the report, which talks about maintaining the open porch,” Testa said. “I’m not unsympathetic to the reasons you’re doing it and I think the quality of what you’ve done is good design, but it simply isn’t something I can approve.”
Boecker said the HPC standards are written in a way that allows for some ambiguity given certain conditions.
“Given that the same owner has done a similar seasonal enclosure of a porch at the Virginia — quite successfully, in fact; we point to it for others who have come as an example of how to do it — I’m in support of it,” Boecker said. “Given that you’ve maintained all of the critical elements of the railings in the columns that are behind it.”
In discussing the enclosure’s fastening system, Boecker asked Shepanski if it would allow for it to be easily removed. Shepanski said it was a complicated fastening system and didn’t need to be so difficult.
Boecker said the request would be approved with two conditions: the first that the owners agree to remove it from May 15 to Oct. 15. The second condition is to bring the details back to the review committee, indicating that the enclosure is easily removable.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
