Bangor Historic Preservation Committee approves awning for 30 Central Street

The Historic Preservation Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness and design review permit for a black and white striped awning at 30 Central Street, a terracotta-clad building in the Great Fire Historic District. The committee also discussed strategies for educating new members and applicants about character-defining architectural features to ensure consistent review standards.

Key points

• The commission voted 3-0 to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness and design review for the awning at 30 Central Street.
• Consultant Peter James Sachs advised that awning fasteners must be installed in the mortar joints of the terracotta blocks rather than the face of the blocks to prevent damage.
• The applicant, Betsy Lundy, noted that the storefront interior was recently painted black with white pilasters, and the awning will be mounted below the existing sign band.
• Committee members discussed the need for better educational resources, such as a website guide or handout, to help new members and applicants understand character-defining features of various architectural styles.
• Staff and the consultant agreed to review the city's change-of-ownership letters to include more specific information about historic district significance and preservation standards.

Next steps

• The city staff will work on improving the change-of-ownership notification letters to include historic district details and preservation guidance.
• The committee will consider creating a public-facing guide or website resource detailing character-defining features for different architectural styles in Bangor.
• The consultant will share a copy of the previous presentation on architectural styles with all committee members for reference.

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