Another Historic Waterfront Building Could Be Swallowed By New Construction Unless HDC Says No

Despite objections by a minority of HDC-members, a huge development at 173-175 Market Street with dormers and a new “envelope” will likely engulf much of a historic mid-19th century brick warehouse overlooking the Piscataqua River.

Unless the HDC says no, an enormous new rear addition allowed under Portsmouth's relaxed current zoning and setback regulations for this part of the city's historic downtown will probably block the funky winter views of the salt pile from Ceres Street.

The Historic District Commission has broad latitude over the height, volume and massing of new buildings in the historic district in its stewardship.

For more photos and text, go to http://portsmouthnow.org/

SOME SAY THE 19th CENTURY MARKET ST WAREHOUSE COULD SUFFER THE FATE OF THE OLD MARTINGALE

Arguing against dormers during the HDC’s latest work session, board-member George Melchior likened the Market Street project to the Martingale, the waterfront’s second-oldest building until it was recently replaced by new construction with HDC permission.

The 19^th century Martingale was declared in poor condition and torn down in 2009 despite lawsuits by abutters who said it was a viable dwelling for about a dozen families undermined by new construction, and objections by Portsmouth Advocates and the state’s respected architectural historian, James Garvin, that it should be restored.

CRITIC TO HDC: NEVER AGAIN!

Back then, former Assistant Mayor Jim Splaine said the HDC should never again allow destruction by “oops,” according to minutes of the Dec. 2-9, 2009 Portsmouth HDC meeting.

Splaine called for the HDC to seek an independent analysis of the building. In vain. 

“He felt the Commission should not allow destruction by “oops” by those who say they want to restore a building and then when the building gets more damaged, they come back and say “oops,” we now want to demolish the building.” http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/agendas/2009/hdc/hdc120209m.pdf).

"That's what we got," Splaine says now. "We got a brand-new building. And we lost a lot of Portsmouth's waterfront history."

The whole saga was a loss to the city's historic district because the Martingale is no longer a historic building, according to Splaine. "It's a one-year-old building."

WOULD THIS HDC GET AN  INDEPENDENT SECOND OPINION THIS TIME AROUND?

Fast-forward today to the 173-175 Market Street building, where Portsmouth alemaking tycoon once stored grain for his ale empire, and HDC-member Melchior said: “This project is very similar to the Martingale Wharf project where we enveloped a historic building with a new building—the Martingale is not even there."

WHY IS PRESERVATION NOT A GIVEN?

"[In the case of the Market Street project], we’re not even guaranteed we’re getting preservation. We already know the masonry on the existing building is in bad condition—you showed us that,” Melchior told an architect for the project, adding that after more investigations,  he expects to find out more from the developer about the building's structural integrity. (Others who say the building is in good shape say they hope the HDC will aggressively seek outside expertise if it comes to that).

“…At least we want to hold on as long as we can to the front on the Market Street side in its original state,” Melchior said.

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MORE BULKY BUILDINGS MARCHING TOWARDS HDC APPROVAL

Meanwhile, amid widespread public concern about the bulk and style of new Portsmouth buildings and their potential effect on the city’s aged charisma, a parade of enormous new structures continues to march towards Historic District Commission approval.

 Assuming that a majority of the current HDC prevails, a big new building with a mansard roof common in other Portsmouth neighborhoods—but not this one-- will greet visitors from Maine at a gateway to the city’s historic heart, dominating with its height and bulk the end of a line of federal-period houses on State Street.

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CITY COUNCIL DUE TO VOTE ON TWO OF FOUR HDC RENEWALS ON MAY 20

If Portsmouth residents want new blood on the HDC, the City Council’s representative to the HDC says they should call their Councilors ASAP to let them know before the Council reconfirms the four who are up for renewal.

“They should call their city councilors,” said Esther Kennedy, who is often in the minority on the board charged with protecting the city’s historic district.

LAUDING CURRENT HDC, MAYOR SPEAR RENOMINATES TWO MEMBERS

Portsmouth Mayor Eric Spear  led off last week’s work session by thanking the HDC for its stewardship of the city’s historic legacy.

“The city is better off for your efforts,” said Spear, who sat with some current members on the often politically-controversial board, now overburdened by a deluge of development proposals.  

Spear has already renominated two out of four existing HDC-members whose terms expire June 1. These are veteran HDC-member John Wyckoff, who made the lead motion to permit the demolition of the Martingale in 2009, according to the HDC meeting minutes, and alternate Daniel Rawling, to new three-year terms. (Then HDC member, current mayor Eric Spear, and then alternate Joseph Almeida, now HDC chair, were not present but were technically "excused" from the crucial vote, according to the minutes). 

The City Council is scheduled to vote to reconfirm the two (Wyckoff and Rawling) during its next meeting on May 20. The terms of two others, HDC chairman Joseph Almeida and vice-chairwoman Tracy Kozak, expire by June 1.

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CITY REQUESTS PLANS A WEEK IN ADVANCE

In what many see as an encouraging development, Portsmouth Principal Planner Nick Cracknell told architects and developers last week that the city wants new plans a week ahead so they can be posted online on its new website, http://planportsmouth.com/ for the public to see. While some struggled to follow the discussion with paper plans, an observer who downloaded the plans from the city website on her Ipod said she breezed through the proceedings.

“The city’s new website is fabulous!,” she said cheerfully.

Curiously during the work session, observers heard expressions reflecting the city’s development drama creep into HDC-members' vocabulary.

Discussing 111 Maplewood Ave., for example, one HDC member told Lisa DeStefano the architect: that the sprawling new project she is designing “can’t be Portwalkian—it has to be warmer.”

In what some considered a promising step, several HDC-members also called for a more traditional look for a development at 275 Islington Street.

But what all that will really translate into visually-- and how the development will fit into the neighborhood-- remain to be seen.

WITH SO MANY PROPOSALS BEFORE THE HDC, SOME PORTSMOUTH-LOVERS ASK: WHERE ARE THE PRETTY BUILDINGS?

Despite this, there was overwhelming dismay among those looking on in City Hall chambers  about the looks of most projects on display.

“I haven’t seen a single pretty building,” one resident exclaimed as she left City Hall, visibly distressed. “It’s awful!”