Construction is scheduled to begin next spring on a $12 million apartment project in Ridgely’s Delight, now that Baltimore’s preservation commission has given final approval to the design.
The Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) this week voted unanimously to approve the design for a 50-unit development planned for 715-729 W. Pratt St.
As designed by Donald Kann of Waldon Studio Architects, the as-yet unnamed complex will be a combination of recycled buildings and new construction.
Tuesday’s meeting was the fifth time the developer, Zahlco Development, had come to CHAP for approval. In earlier meetings, Zahlco had asked CHAP to allow full or partial demolition of various buildings on the site but was turned down and asked to revise its plans.
Both the architect and a community representative say the design turned out better because of CHAP’s scrutiny.
“We feel that all the adjustments and trade-offs we made led to a better project,” Kann told the commissioners. “The balance that has been achieved [between new construction and recycled structures] has really been successful.”
“We do like this final design,” agreed Deborah O’Neill, a member of Ridgely’s Delight’s architectural review committee. “We are very happy with it.”
