A certificate of no material effect was approved for a new canopy and lighting for the new owners of the gas station at 1206 First Street West by the Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission.
Commission member Guy Booth stated in his motion that this certificate was only in regards to the canopy and signage that is looking to be replaced. Any additional improvements to pumps or the exterior of the building by new owners will need separate commission approval.
The new owners of the station will be aligned with BP as the petroleum provider for the station.
Commission members said this discussion was different than the canopy proposed a few years ago for Guppy’s on the Go, noting that the lighting on the exterior, especially facing towards the residential area was a majority of the questions they had in that approval.
“That the canopy is not lit on the sides that faces towards the houses is a benefit,” Booth noted.
Much of the lighting for the station was also downlighting, directing from the canopy above to the pumps below, and would likely be in service and on when the gas station was open for customers.
When discussion started on possible issues with the lighting, commission member Kim Benesh questioned why MVHPC may disapprove of the matter.
Edith Dawson said one of the previous concerns had been impact of the brightness of the lights possibly in that area.
Benesh said that the light pollution by the canopy was probably less than that generated by the nearby Ash Park Stadium during game nights, something residents or college students in the area have already experienced.
“If this was a quiet residential area, I get that the lighting impact would be more detrimental,” Benes said.
Booth said that as long as the signs adhered to the city ordinance, he was amenable to the project.
Restrictions on lumens produced by signage is not in the commission’s newly approved design guidelines.
The commission noted that while there were designs for updated pumps for the property in the packet provided to them, their decision was only pertaining to the issue of lighting and signs. Pumps and other improvements to the building would need a second application for approval.
The commission also approved the addition of a hanging sign on the exterior of Ink Expression in the Historic Uptown business district.
The materials used are similar to other signs on exteriors in the uptown business district, and the project looks to adhere to the city code.
Ink Expression was seeking approval to hang that sign by Heritage Days.
Historic tour plaques to be placed back in MV Historic Business district
New plaques connecting to the Mount Vernon Historic Business district walking tour are to be installed in the coming weeks.
Rickard Sign and Design helped create the new plaques, which have QR codes that lead to the tour on MVHPC’s website and give historic information on multiple buildings in the uptown.
The tour begins at Bauman’s and works east toward Wren and Purl before proceeding to the north side of First Street and moving back towards Mount Vernon City Hall.
There are 13 plaques that are part of the tour.
Commission member Sue Astley said that three plaques need a new plaque holder installed before the walking tour plaques are hung up.
First Brick is one of the locations, as is the Mount Vernon Visitor’s Center (the home of Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group).
The other additional plaque holder needs to be installed in the space between White Tree Bakery and Silver Spider, as that is one historic building. Astley said she would ask the building owners before it is installed, as that would be a new installation to the tour this year. Other buildings who had plaques previously would get the new plaques installed by Duane Eash in the coming weeks.