Gaslight Square to Get a Makeover

The second floor on Gaslight Square's facade at 500 Monroe Turnpike juts out over the first floor like a cake turned upside down, the aluminum windows are not energy efficient and hot air from the mechanical units in back of the building becomes trapped.

"This is not a particularly attractive building," said Russell Larrabee, the architect hired to give the building a facelift.

Larrabee presented a plan for a new-look shopping center at the Architectural Review Board's meeting Tuesday night. He was accompanied by the building owners Remo Tartaglia and Massimo Colandras.

"We've been working on this project for a few years," Larrabee said. "We want to attack the exterior and change it a little bit, square it off and compress it at the corners — get those components to a more human scale."

The front facade would have new dark brown aluminum doors on the first level, but most of the changes would be above the brickwork.

There would be fiber cement shingles in a light brown "khaki" color on the second level with new insulated vinyl windows, according to Larrabee. Aside from an improved appearance with earth tones, he said his clients want materials that are easy to maintain.

Decorative gaslights on the front would be painted black and the trim around the windows would be off-white. Crown molding would also adorn sets of windows.

A colonial cupola would be above the center of the facade.

There would be a three-point roof design on the side and extensive work is also planned for the rear of the building.

Larrabee said tentants renting offices can only access them via the elevator and stairs in the two silos in the back. Because that is their main entryway, Larrabee said the rear design of the building is just as important as the front.

The back of the building would have a flat lattice-work in a glossy black that gives the appearance of glass. All of the aluminum windows would be replaced with vinyle venting windows.

Existing windows on the silos would be removed.

A new railing would hide the mechanicals and the roof over them would be removed to improve the air flow.

"I'm not crazy about the side bump outs," said Michael Vitello, an ARB member. "It doesn't look good to me."

Vitello also wanted to see architectural shingles rather than three tab for the roof.

The applicant seemed to be flexible when it came to input from the board.

"If you want architectural shingle, you got it," Colandras said.

Joyce Mumm, another ARB member, thought the dark roof color was "too black."

"We want to see a color rendering," Vitello said.

The applicants will come back before the ARB next Wednesday with a color rendering and a sample of the glossy black material they want to use on the back of the building.

Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Richard Zini, who attended the meeting, said no application will have to come before the P&Z because there is no site modification. He said an application for new signage can be handled administratively by Land Use Director Scott Schatzlein, unless the proposal is outside town regulations — in that case it would have to come before the commission.

Zini also made some suggestions for the building design, which were well received. Among them, he recommended having a rectangular panel under sets of three windows.

No square footage will be added to the building and the proposed project only consists of "skin work," according to Larrabee.

He said, "You won't recognize the building when we're done with it."