Downtown building owner to appeal denial of his request to replace historic windows

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Tuesday, May 14, 2019 — The owner of the the building that houses Cafe Primo at 120 North Third St. is appealing a Historic Review Board denial of his request to replace the upper windows with brand new windows.

The Bardstown City Council will hear the appeal at 6 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

Damir Saric told the HRB during his hearing that he should be allowed to replace the old windows with new windows for safety reasons. He presented a photo of a glass pane that had fallen from one of the windows.

In his testimony, Saric accused the HRB of being unfair in its decisions by allowing some property owners to use new materials and not allowing others to use the same materials. The Talbott Inn was allowed to replace original windows with new ones, and the Old Courthouse had historic windows replaced as well, he testified.

In its review of his application, members of the HRB asked Saric if he had tried to have the windows evaluated for repair. The HRB normally does not allow historic, original windows to be replaced with modern units, preferring instead to require the original windows to be rebuilt.

Saric could not provide sufficient proof to the HRB that he had his windows professionally evaluated for repair. Without an experts’ statement that the windows were beyond repair, the HRB denied his request to replace them with new units.

An appeal before the Bardstown City Council is the first level applicants can appeal an HRB decision. If an applicant loses his or her appeal at the council level, filing a legal challenge in Nelson Circuit Court is the next step.

NEXT UP. The hearing begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

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