Preservation Commission Denies Second Request to Paint Madison Home Brick

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The Oxford Historic Preservation Commission denied a request from the owners of a house on Madison Avenue to limewash the home’s brick exterior.

It’s the second time a request to paint the brick at 1510 Madison Avenue was denied.

The Tudor-style cottage was built in 1925.

The first denial occurred in March 2020 when the owners wanted to white-wash the outside brick.

While the Commission and Oxford planning staff felt the limewash was a better option than painting, staff recommended denial of the request and the Commission voted against the request.

“While this product addresses the technical concerns raised by the initial request to paint the building, it does not change the fact that this is an exterior change to a contributing Tudor revival cottage in the historic district,” stated the staff report presented to the Commission.

Architect Julie Spears said the current brick on the home was not unique and not the defining feature of the home.

“Sometimes in this style, there is a change of color to create a pattern … but that’s not here on this house,” she said at the meeting.

Commissioner Joel Little said he felt the brick looked fine the way it is.

“The brick is one of the defining features that makes it look like the cottage house it is,” Little said.

The Commission did approve several other proposed changes for the Madison House that included:

1. Removing the vinyl siding and aluminum window infill and replacing the windows and shutter wall,
2. Building a new, rear addition and removing the existing rear wood deck and stairs to replace it was a new screened porch and stairs,
3. Removing the existing concrete patio at the basement level and replacing it with brick paver
4. Replacing an existing chimney cap with a copper cap and replacing the existing front louvered gable vent with a copper louvered vent.