The Dallas Landmark Commission on May 5 approved a set of exterior repairs and changes for a contributing building at 102 North Cliff Street in the Tenth Street Historic District, subject to conditions intended to protect original material.

City staff recommended approval of site hardscaping and rear‑yard fencing, the replacement of an undocumented second‑story rear addition, replacement of non‑historic windows, repair or replacement of a second‑story front balcony, eight door replacements, and denied without prejudice a proposed paint‑removal method pending specification of a safe cleaning technique. The task force recommended approval with conditions and asked for the paint‑removal specification to be provided.

At the meeting, Building Community Workshop representatives and the project’s architect discussed the proposed work. Staff recommended that masonry parking surfaces be pavers rather than gravel, that certain landscape and fence setbacks be observed and that replacement windows either be all‑wood or all‑aluminum (not clad) unless specifications were provided showing a tested aluminum‑clad product. The applicant requested aluminum‑clad exterior with wood interior windows (a “wood interior/aluminum exterior” product), citing manufacturer test certificates and weather‑sealing details.

Commissioner Renault moved that the commission follow staff recommendations for most requests but explicitly allow the applicant to use aluminum‑clad replacement windows in the 9-over-1 configuration on the front elevation and 1-over-1 on side and rear elevations, and to accept the applicant’s proposed cleaning approach provided the applicant supplies a detailed, NPS‑consistent cleaning specification and contractor method that staff approves. Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion. The motion passed with no recorded opposition.

The commission also required that replacement porch elements match existing profiles and that replacement balcony timber match existing material and dimensions, and asked the applicant to retain and reuse cast‑stone decorative pieces where feasible. Commissioners and preservation staff emphasized that final permits and certificate issuance will require the contractor and preservation consultant to submit detailed methods, shoring/attachment details for the balcony work, and a paint‑removal protocol that demonstrates no physical damage to masonry or metal elements.

Speakers

- Pan (Fang) Yang — Building Community Workshop, project designer
- Aiden Chavez — building team, project construction representative
- Marcus McGehee — Task force presenter (staff)

Authorities

- Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (cited in staff recommendation)
- City of Dallas, Code citation: 51A‑4.501 (preservation criteria referenced by staff)

Actions

- Kind: certificate_of_appropriateness (multiple subrequests bundled)
- motion: "Approve requests for fencing/hardscaping, rear addition replacement, balcony and door replacements, and allow aluminum‑clad replacement windows as specified; deny paint removal without prejudice unless applicant provides detailed safe removal specification; require matching balcony profiles and documentation."
- mover: "Commissioner Renault"
- second: "Commissioner Taylor"
- vote_record: []
- tally: {"yes":17,"no":0,"abstain":0}
- outcome: "approved"
- notes: "Applicant must submit paint removal protocol and window product specifications for staff review; replacement wood must match profiles; paver parking surface required."

Discussion_decision

- Discussion points: methods for paint removal (soft bristle/water first; non‑ionic detergents; Peel Away and similar products discussed); window material tradeoffs and simulated‑divided‑light options; retention of cast‑stone features.
- Directions: Applicant to supply detailed cleaning protocol and framed window specifications; staff to approve via final CA/plan review.
- Decisions: Commission approved the proposed work with the above conditions.

Clarifying_details

- Window counts and configurations: front elevation 9-over-1, side/rear 1-over-1, total 33 windows proposed to be replaced (applicant to provide final specs).
- Paint removal: applicant will follow National Park Service/GSA guidelines beginning with low‑pressure wash and soft brushing; mechanical media blasting not proposed without prior approval.

Proper_names

[{"name":"Building Community Workshop","type":"organization"},{"name":"Marvin","type":"business"}]

Community_relevance

- Geographies: Tenth Street Historic District
- Impact groups: residents, property owners in the district

Meeting_context

- Engagement_level: medium (project had two registered speakers and task force review)
- Implementation_risk: low to medium (dependent on contractor methods and approved materials)

Searchable_tags

["102 N. Cliff","windows","paint removal","Tenth Street","historic rehab"]

Salience

{"overall":0.6,"overall_justification":"Project affects a contributing property and establishes precedents for methods and materials in the district.","impact_scope":"local","impact_scope_justification":"Work affects a single contributing building with neighborhood visibility.","attention_level":"medium","attention_level_justification":"Task force and multiple commissioners weighed in on methods.","novelty":0.2,"novelty_justification":"Typical rehabilitation requests but notable debate on aluminum‑clad windows and paint removal.","timeliness_urgency":0.3,"timeliness_urgency_justification":"Routine CA with conditions; applicant will return with specs.","legal_significance":0.2,"legal_significance_justification":"Standard CA criteria applied.","budgetary_significance":0.1,"budgetary_significance_justification":"Work is repair/replace rather than new large budget items.","public_safety_risk":0.1}

Sections

{"lede":"The Landmark Commission approved exterior repairs and replacements for 102 North Cliff Street on May 5, with conditions requiring detailed cleaning protocols for masonry and specific window and balcony details.","nut_graf":"Staff recommended approval of multiple certificates of appropriateness while denying a proposed paint‑removal method without detailed specifications; the commission allowed aluminum‑clad replacement windows only after the applicant supplied manufacturer test data and staff review.","ending":"The applicant must submit method statements and product specifications for staff review before final permits are issued; the commission emphasized retaining historic material where feasible."}