The El Dorado Historic District Commission has approved another Certificate of Appropriateness for the ongoing development of the city’s arts and entertainment district.
On Thursday, commissioners signed off on a COA for pots and planters in the outdoor dining area in front of the Griffin Restaurant in the Murphy Arts District.
Commissioner Doug Stanton removed his commissioner’s hat to present the COA request. Stanton is an architect with Champagnolle Design, the firm who designed the streetscape project.
Stanton said MAD asked Champagnolle for landscaping ideas to improve the outdoor dining experience at the Griffin by using pots and planters to create a buffer on the sidewalk for those who would prefer to eat their meal outdoors.
“It was like eating on a curb at an airport. It was not a pleasant place to sit,” he told commissioners.
He said Champagnolle got to work on the project shortly after being approached by MAD, adding that the thought did not immediately occur to him to apply for a COA.
COAs are required for most exterior work that is proposed within the city’s commercial historic district. MAD makes up a portion of the district’s southern border.
Historic district commissioners discourage after-the-fact COAs.
“Part of it is an after-the-fact COA and part of it is not,” Stanton said, explaining that the planters have been installed, but the pots have not yet been purchased or put in place.
In addition to providing screening from the sidewalk, the landscape features are intended to add color and allow MAD to grow ornamental plants, as well as herbs and vegetables to be used in the Griffin Restaurant kitchen.
“What about the winter? Will everything be pulled out and will you use mulch?” EHDC chairman Linda Rathbun asked.
“No. Some of it will be evergreen and some of it will be perennials. The edibles and ornamentals, I think they’re going to change it out,” Stantion said.
The 13 planters are 13 inches tall. Eight are 6 feet long and five are 4 feet long.
They are made of cedar and are painted Cedar with Salem Red bases, Stanton said, adding, “They aren’t quite finished with the bases.”
Stanton said the planters are waterproof and the MAD staff has been briefed on proper maintenance to help prevent such issues as water accumulation and molding.
“The life expectancy could be 40 or 50 years if they’re maintained properly,” Stanton said.
Elizabeth Eggleston, executive director of the EHDC, inquired about the design of the pots and planters.
“We tried to work with the colors and shapes of the architecture and try to bring it out and be an extension of that,” Stantion said.
For instance, the five pots will be large, white and approximately 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
Three of the pots will align with each of the three columns on the building’s northern facade, and two of the pots will be placed squarely within each structural bay.
Stanton said the pots will accentuate the terra cotta features of the Griffin building and the wooden, horizontal planters will punctuate the brown shades of the building.
Additionally, the horizontal shapes of the planterswill pick up the horizontal lines of the bricks in the building, he said.
Since launching the multi-million-dollar project to create the arts and entertainment district, MAD has approached the EHDC for several COAs. The one submitted prior to the COA Thursday was for signage on the Griffin building.
Phase 1 of the $100-million-plus MAD project was completed this spring as crews wrapped up work on the MAD playscape and Phase 2, which includes the renovation and expansion of the Rialto Theater and the development of the McWilliams building, located at Washington and Locust, into an art gallery that will include art studios, exhibitions for photography, paintings and sculptures and include guest quarters for artists.
In other business, commissioners got their first look at newly reprinted Historic Downtown (El Dorado) Walk Tour brochures.
Eggleston said 10,000 copies of the brochures were printed at a total cost of $3,252.85.
She said a state grant covered all but $236 for the project, and the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society kicked in the difference.
The brochure included new photos for some buildings, including the El Dorado Federal Center and First Presbyterian Church; new entries, including MAD facilities and architectural renderings for renovations that are to come for the Rialto and McWilliams buildings; and new editorial content.
Eggleston also reported that a nomination to place the Oakland Home on the National Register of Historic Places will likely be presented to the State Review Board of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program in December.
The house at 3800 Calion Road is owned by Mickey and Diane Murfee at 3800 Calion Road. Historical/architectural surveyor Sandra Taylor Smith completed the site survey and photography on property.
If the state approves the presentation, the nomination will then be forwarded to the National Park Service for final approval.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.