HISTORIC DISTRICT BOARD:
Is Yogurt Bar in Town’s Future After All?

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

February 25, 2013

Well before the Brown Dog Ice Cream Shop opened last summer on Mason Avenue, the  Delisheries building next door displayed a sign: “Yogurt Bar coming soon.”

But the next sign seen on the building was a STOP WORK order by  Cape Charles Code Enforcement official Jeb Brady.

Brady issued the order after asbestos was found in the building. Eventually the “Coming Soon” sign disappeared, and nothing has happened in the building since.

But at the February 19 meeting of the Town’s Historic District Review Board, town planner Tom Bonadeo reported that he and Brady have been meeting for several months with the building owners and their architect regarding rehabilitation plans.

The original plans for the yoghurt shop were approved long ago by the Review Board.

Bonadeo said he believes that a yogurt bar is still planned for the building.

The plans also include adding two floors of residential apartments — one on a new second floor and one on a third floor.

No ongoing construction is apparent, and no opening date for a yogurt bar has been announced.

In other business at the Historic Review Board meeting, Bonadeo announced plans to hire consultants to train members of the Board.

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Bonadeo said the consultants would help the Board better understand the Virginia Department of Historic Resources review process in providing historic tax credits to property owners.

Bonadeo mentioned Laura Camden and Paige Pollard as possible consultants. He did not say how much they might be paid.

Paige Pollard currently is working for the developers of the Old School building and is submitting their applications for tax credits.

Architectural plans to convert the school into an apartment building are required to be approved by the town’s Historic Review Board.

If Pollard is hired to train Board members, they will subsequently be reviewing plans for approval submitted by Pollard.

Further business: The Review Board approved plans for renovating a garage at the back of 113 Tazewell  Avenue. Giannini Construction applied to remove one of the existing two garage doors and to relocate the two windows on the south side of the building.

The property is owned by Kim Abode.

If the building were to be demolished, it could not be rebuilt as close to the alleyway. But because it is grandfathered in its location, it may be renovated.

The Review Board approved the application.

The Board also approved modifications to the design of an addition to 506 Monroe Avenue owned by David and Karen Gay.

The design originally was approved by the Board some 10 years ago. But before the work was completed, the contractor went bankrupt.

The owners requested approval of several slight changes to the design, and the Board concurred.

Construction of a garage on the property was completed last year, and house renovations will now proceed.

Finally, the Historic District Review Board reelected Russ Dunton as Chairman and Bob Sellers as Vice Chairman for 2013.

The Wave will report recent Board member resignations as soon as complete information is available.