HPC Meeting — 2026-01-28
Present: Margaret Telford (Chairman), Theresa Meyer (Vice-Chairman), Janice Rhoda, Jana Garcia, Taylor Bunn, David Ewbank, Curtis Ratliff, Michael Reeder (Alternate) Liaisons: Paul Slechta (Mayor Pro Tem, City Council), Larry Oliver (P&Z), Matthew Boyle (City Attorney) Staff: Paul W. McCallum (Exec. Dir., CVB), David Klempin (Historic Preservation Officer), Hugo Gardea (Assistant Historic Preservation Manager), Kayce Vanderpool (Secretary)
Public hearing items
CA25-82 — 807 East Worth Street (Block 5, Lot 16, D. E. Box Addition)
Applicant: James and Kelly Clements (owners) · architect Russell Moran Work: Demolish the 2,009 sq ft 1955 house (foundation failed per structural engineer) and build a 3,450 sq ft replica of the original, with a rear living addition and a 650 sq ft attached three-car garage off Ruth Street. Type: demolition, new_construction, addition, garage_outbuilding Staff rec: Approve with conditions Discussion: The house was home to Grapevine Fire Chief Bill Powers and his wife Maypearl from 1967 until their deaths in 2024; the Clements bought it in 2025 and had met with HP staff repeatedly to plan a renovation before the engineer found the foundation unsalvageable. Meyer asked how the brick could be saved and reused — Klempin said there is a cleaning process and enough brick to cover the front and sides. Rhoda said "her main concern was what the new house would look like" and liked that it would be an exact replica with the addition at the rear. Chairman Telford said "rebuilding is the best solution possible." Lot 16,844 sq ft; height 17 ft; coverage 26.4% of the 40% max. Outcome: approved with conditions (7-0) — moved Rhoda, second Ratliff Conditions: BZA approval to keep the existing side-yard setback conditions; remove existing driveway curb cut and permit a new one off Ruth Street; existing exterior brick removed, cleaned and reinstalled on the street-facing elevations; building permit; all exterior materials, finishes, paint colors, doors/hardware, windows and light fixtures under separate CA(s)
CA25-88 — 846 East Worth Street (Dorothy Bess Francesco House, 1953) — D. E. Box Addition
Applicant: Randall Dorshorst (owner), filed 2025-12-10 Work: Replace non-original double-pane aluminum windows with Renewal by Andersen "Fibrex" composite windows in sandstone, for energy efficiency (whole-house replacement). Type: windows Staff rec: DENY — Fibrex "would violate standards 2 and 5 of the Secretary of Interior Standards"; the 1955 photo of Dorothy Bess on the porch shows the originals were two-over-two horizontally divided awning windows, a character-defining 1950s Grapevine feature. Guidelines require starting from an analysis of the original windows, "not a survey of contemporary window products on the market," and retaining opening pattern/size, frame & sash proportion, pane configuration, muntin profile, wood type, paint color, glass character and details. Discussion: Meyer traced the window history — replaced in the 1990s, approved again in 2017 before the whole-house replacement guidelines existed; Klempin said the picture window changed in 2017 "should be returned to the two double-hung windows," and that wood, aluminum and steel were the 1950s options. Bunn "reiterated that the commissioners are looking at the architectural configuration of the time of the building of the house." Garcia asked whether tabling would let the owner return with a different configuration/material, and later floated wood on the front, Renewal by Andersen on the back — "this product is not authentic to the character of the house." The owner thanked Klempin and Gardea, noting Klempin "has been very accommodating" on past projects, and a Renewal by Andersen rep (Breanna Lyons) presented the product (40% wood fiber / 60% thermal polymer) with a profile sample passed around. Rhoda pointed out the Commission "is tasked to follow the Secretary of Interior Standards." City Attorney Boyle asked the owner directly whether he would accommodate the staff-preferred configuration — he said yes — and Boyle then suggested tabling to February so the owner could work with staff on materials. Outcome: tabled to 2026-02-25 (7-0) — moved Rhoda, second Ratliff
Staff-approved CAs (13)
CA25-59A 336 S Main St; CA25-78 106 E Texas St; CA25-79 213 E College St; CA25-80 205 E College St; CA25-81 613 E Texas St; CA25-83A 120 S Main St #50; CA25-85 736 E Wall St; CA25-86 501 Smith St; CA25-87 417 S Main St; CA25-89 416 W College St; CA25-91 852 E Texas St; CA25-92 & CA25-93 603 S Main St #303
A textbook run of the system: a demolition approved 7-0 because the structure was engineered-dead and the replacement replicates it — while a window swap drew a staff denial recommendation and got tabled into negotiation. Compare Voting Patterns and Tendencies (windows are the flashpoint; tabling is the tool) and Demolition Track Record.
📄 Full verbatim minutes: Transcript HPC 2026-01-28
Source: Source Index §Minutes-corpus — Archive Center approved minutes, Jan 28 2026 (OCR).