The Historical and Architectural Review Board awarded a certificate of appropriateness to Dino Fantozzi for 29 E. Church St. at the March 3 virtual meeting.

Assisted by architect Steven Glickman, Fantozzi was allowed to convert the three-bay detached garage behind his house to a two-bay garage with a doorway between the widened garage bays. The applicants successfully argued the existing bays were too narrow to park a modern vehicle in and the alley provided minimal space to maneuver.

Although not an exact match to the existing swing out doors, the new sectional doors would be of similar design.

The COA requested the hardware from the existing doors be reused on the replacement doors, if possible, and stipulated a lantern style outdoor light for each end of the garage be submitted to the historic officer for approval.

One of the board members quipped the basketball hoop can remain, as it is “historically appropriate.”

Representing 62 E. Market St., University Club of Bethlehem Vice President Lawanna Kendricks received approval to repair five existing units of a second-floor box bay on the east side of the circa 1890 painted brick mansion.

Having heeded board advice following a tabled proposal to replace those windows at the previous meeting, Kendricks found a contractor who could repair, rebuild and reinstall them at a cost of $11,400.

Rachel Galassi, representing the estate of her late mother, Janice Galassi, was granted a COA to repair four attic windows at 76 W. Market St. Originally built in the 1860s as a single residence, the building was later converted into a duplex. Galassi’s house is located on the eastern half of the masonry structure.

To the chagrin of the Pella sales rep who accompanied Galassi, their original proposal for replacement windows was rejected.

“Save the old stuff and protect it,” advised Vice Chair Marsha Fritz, as the board allowed for the installation of storm windows along with the restoration of the original units.

The Sun Inn Preservation Association was permitted to replace a deteriorating wooden fire escape behind 91-97 W. Broad St. Although HARB’s purview is generally the front façade of a structure, the stairway leads to a public courtyard behind this building, as well as behind the Sun Inn, and can be viewed from Main Street.

The COA granted to Gary Dologite, who presented the proposal, allows for the stairs and railings to be constructed of pressure-treated lumber. It was required the handrails must be “graspable” and 1x4 strips cover the balusters. The applicant is to return in two years with a paint or stain proposal. This is to allow the wood to cure.

The voting on all the proposals was unanimous.

The Historical and Architectural Review Board regularly meets the first Wednesday of every month to review all exterior changes proposed to buildings in the Bethlehem Historic District north of the Lehigh River. When a proposed project receives a certificate of appropriateness from the board, applicants must wait for city council to vote on it before proceeding.