Architecture style undecided --- City explores new historic guidelines

Architecture style undecided --- City explores new historic guidelines

PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/28/09

For several hours Monday night, St. Augustine's city commissioners and residents discussed writing new architectural guidelines for three of its most important historic districts, rules to essentially address the question: What kind of architecture does the city want?

The popular answer was Spanish or British colonial, pre-1821. Many residents said the colonial period is what drew them here and enticed them to stay.

Rosalie Russo of Charlotte Street said she came to St. Augustine 11 years ago.

"The colonial period just took my heart," Russo said. "That's why I want it preserved."

The commission could not agree to impose colonial styles for Historic Districts 2 or 3, both of which contained businesses that -- if colonial style was mandated -- would not be able to have store windows. They agreed to discuss the issue again at a later, as yet undetermined, time. The meeting was a workshop where commissioners could not vote.

However, for Historic District 1, stretching from Palm Row to San Salvador Street near St. Augustine National Cemetery, commissioners seemed to agree that new colonial style structures would not fit into the mostly Victorian-era neighborhoods.

City Attorney Ron Brown was told to write an ordinance for HP-1, allowing other historic styles.

Historian David Nolan seemed to answer the main question directly.

"We don't want fake buildings. We need to have the wit to save the buildings we have," Nolan said.

His message seemed to get lost during the din of those clamoring for colonial: Architects, long-time residents, city commissioners and those who want the city to become a "brand" for easier packaging and marketing.

Maurine Boles, mother of Mayor Joe Boles, asked the commission, "Please save Spanish Colonial architecture in St. Augustine. Do you think school children would come here to see the bank building? Save it at least from the City Gate to Government House."

Brian Bowman of South Oneida Street, a former member of the Historic Architectural Review Board, said that the buildings constructed are "pseudo-colonial" because "their scale and mass are more than what was originally there. Spanish Colonial were tiny buildings with big back yards. That's what we inherited."

Architect Peter Rumpel of South Street offered an idea the commission used to separate HP-1 from the others.

"No one rule should be applied to all the historic districts," he said.

Commissioner Don Crichlow, a proponent of allowing the builder of a new structure to choose an adjacent style -- a resolution the City Commission repealed recently -- echoed Nolan in saying, "We don't want fake. If you have a theme, you end up with a theme park. The city should be a mosaic of architectural history."

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