Kalamazoo’s Historic District Commission approved a window replacement project and a garage demolition at its September 2 meeting, while postponing a third application over material concerns.
Commissioners voted 4–2 to approve replacing four windows at a home on Minor Street with Fibrex composite windows, a wood-and-vinyl material, after homeowners Kaly and Holly Champadeng and contractor Brett Mahaffey of Renewal by Andersen presented the application. Commissioners questioned why wood wasn’t considered for some of the windows before voting to approve.
The commission also unanimously approved demolishing an attached garage at a 1932 Queen Anne-style home on Walwood, after a licensed builder representing the property owner said repair quotes for a structurally damaged wall and nearby tree removal totaled roughly $37,000 combined. Commissioners determined the garage was not original to the house and not a character-defining feature of the property, clearing the way for its removal.
A separate application to replace two windows on a home on Academy Street was postponed to the commission’s September 15 meeting. The applicant proposed vinyl replacement windows, which don’t meet the city’s historic preservation guidelines; commissioners asked the applicant to return with wood or composite alternatives for further review.
