Hohenwald's Historic Preservation Commission discusses new houses on Park Avenue South

Hohenwald's Historic Preservation Commission held a special called meeting on Monday, March 15, 2022, concerning the two houses being built on Park Avenue South by partners Stoney Anthony and Derrick Graves.

Commission members Blake Farr, Scarlette Woodall, Annette Peery, Barbara Hinson, Janet Turner, Brad Rasbury and Danny McKnight were present which made a quorum. Members DeAnna Darden-Carroll and Melissa Wickline were absent.

Derrick Graves and his wife Stacey Graves were present for the meeting. Stoney Anthony was not able to attend the meeting due to work in Nashville.

The meeting was called in order to discuss items that differed from the builders' original plans such as the brick around the chimney and foundation, no wiring for a light on the front porch, windows are white with no grids where the rendering showed black windows with grids, front porch has fascia where the rendering showed an open rafter design, sides of the porch are closed in where the rendering showed them open, and porches were to be one gabled and one shed style.

The commission members' main concern was that the houses would be too "cookie cutter" and would not fit in with surrounding houses. The biggest difference between the plans and the houses currently being built is the chimney which shows a bricked chimney in the rendering. The chimneys being built are covered with the same siding on the majority of the houses which is hardy board vertical siding, or board and batten.

"We're hearing a lot of compliments on them," Graves said. "I really believe it's going to be something that the town can be proud of. I don't think they're going to be in any way a cheap spec home."

Another concern of the commission was the cinder block foundation which is hidden in the original plans but is in plain sight in the houses being built. Graves assured the commission that the foundation would be covered and landscaping would be done.

Graves also assured the members that he and Anthony would have front porch lights.

In order to keep the houses from looking too cookie cutter, one member asked if a gabled porch could be added to the porch along with craftsman style porch posts to one of the houses. Graves said he would speak with Anthony on the matter and get back to the board.

As for the gridded windows, all members agreed that the windows that are currently installed fit the look of the home.

Woodall said, "If we're already going in a more modern direction, we can't ask them to change that at this point in the build. It would be too costly."

All members agreed and decided that the only changes they would like to see be made was the gabled porch and craftsman style porch posts on one of the houses. The members also added that they would like to see the design for the front doors.

Rasbury, the City of Hohenwald's Building Inspector, said the builders would have to present their plans to the commission for the front doors and porch posts to be approved.

Officers named

In new business, the Commission decided which members would be officers.

Woodall and Perry nominated Turner to be Chairman. Farr and Rasbury motioned to approve. All members voted in favor.

Peery and Woodall nominated Farr to be vice chairman, and motioned to approve. All members voted in favor.

Hinson and Farr nominated Peery to be secretary and motioned to approve. All members voted in favor.