Business partners Fadi Abboud and Jack Barakat were granted a certificate of appropriateness from the Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission Nov. 17 for new window signage for their Lite Smoke Shop at 505 E. Fourth St. The off-white vinyl decals feature a sans serif “Lite” logo and red “flame” in one panel of the 2-panel storefront window and “Smoke Shop” in off-white serif letters on the adjacent panel. The applicants are to reduce the size of these and move them from the center to the top third of the window.

“Hooka,” “Vape,” “CBD,” and “Glass” are to run along the bottom portion of the panes.

The logo centered over “Smoke Shop,” along with store hours and a “We ID” regulatory sign, were approved for the recessed business entrance door.

Rick Cantelmi owns the Victorian-style residential over retail detached building.

Roger Hudak recused himself from voting, citing he is a personal friend of Cantelmi.

Rick and Carmen Garcia scored a COA for a new business entry door and canvas awning for their General Zapata Mexican Restaurant at 15 E. Fourth St.

The black awning measures 172 inches by 40 inches. It features four grouped red palm trees around a black “Z” logo on a warm white background at the center. The graphic matches the logo already in the storefront window. “General Zapata Mexican Restaurant” in warm white serif lettering is printed across the valance. The board stipulated the new awning material and frame be the same dimensions as the unit being replaced.

The new door with a full glass panel and bronze push/pull handles is to fit in the same space as the existing door. Since the dining area holds fewer than 50 people, the door can swing in and be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. The applicants were advised to check with zoning to see if the ramp in front of the door is wide enough for the door to swing out, if they preferred that set up.

The three-story, three-bay, circa 1880 building is owned by Jae Chung.

A patient, but frustrated board tabled property owner Kalavathi Shunmugan’s proposal to tear down the upper portion of a deteriorating single story, multiple-bay garage behind 401-405 E. Fourth St. Shunmugan presented hand-drawn sketches of her intention to cap off the walls at six feet to form a makeshift fence. The commissioners responded to the applicant’s sketchy plans with strong advice for her to hire a professional architectural engineer to assist her.

Historic Officer Jeff Long noted Shunmugan had appeared before them with a proposal in 2019 to replace the roof and remove the garage doors to create a carport-like structure for tenant parking. At that time she was advised to consult with a licensed pro. He mentioned that she had presented various proposals to the commission since 2013 and had not followed through with any of them.

Several on the board bemoaned what some of them called “Demolition by neglect.” Vice Chairman Gary Lader also reminded Shunmugan the circa 1880 residential over commercial building at the front of the lot is also in a state of disrepair. He said the second floor turret on the corner of the structure is pulling away from the wall and both buildings are becoming a danger to her neighbors.

Lader recommended the applicant have the walls of the collapsing garage braced to stabilize them.

Developer Jackson Eighmy and architect Elliot Nolter presented updated plans for a major re-purposing project for 409-411 Wyandotte St. The applicants provided an engineer’s assessment of the property to bolster their partial demolition proposal. The report from Lock Ridge Engineering stated, “the rear portion of the building is derelict and beyond repair. In our professional opinion the safest approach for renovation is to demolish the rear addition and rebuild it.”

Beth Starbuck expressed concern about placing the entrance to the apartment units at the north side of the building toward the rear. She asked if the tenants would be dealing with a “narrow alleyway” if someone would construct a building on the adjacent parking lot. The applicants responded there was an easement agreement with the owner of the parking lot property and the walkway and garden leading to the apartment entrance was around 10-11 feet wide.

Approval was granted for a new mid-level cornice for 409 Wyandotte St. to align with a new cornice of the same design at 411 to provide the neighboring structures continuity. The storefronts in that block had been stepped down along the hill leading to the Five Points intersection.

The commissioners agreed the partial demolition of the side and rear of 409 is necessary. Approval is pending on the members having access to samples of the fairly new-to-the market materials for the replacement structure. These include wood-plastic composite cladding, decking, soffits, railings, and fencing made by GeoLam and a NewBrick insulated brick system manufactured by Dryvit.

Other aspects of the project, including a proposed steel canopy for protecting the walkway and ADA compliant ramp entrance to the apartments, as well as door and window replacements, were tabled.

The voting was unanimous on all proposals at the virtual meeting conducted through gotomeeting.com. Lader subbed for Chairman Philip Roeder. Roeder will be retiring from his job as a commercial building inspector with the City of Bethlehem Dec. 18. He had recently tendered his resignation from his positions on HARB and HCC.

The Bethlehem HCC is charged with the task of determining if new signs or other alterations to a building’s exterior would be an appropriate fit for the neighborhood in one of three designated historic districts. Previous to the pandemic, hearings were regularly scheduled on the third Monday of the month at city hall.

Obtaining a certificate of appropriateness is only a first step for business owners and residents in a designated historic district who wish to make alterations to a building’s exterior. The commission’s recommendations are later reviewed, then voted on by city council before any project is allowed to proceed.