Commission OKs Denison addition
By BRIAN MILLER
Advocate Reporter
GRANVILLE – The Granville Planning Commission approved a modern addition to a century-old Denison University building, even though it is out of step with its Victorian neighborhood.
Despite an outcry from several residents at Monday’s public hearing, the commission voted 3-2 to approve Denison’s proposal for a $14 million addition and renovation to Cleveland Hall. It will house a state-of-the-art building for art studies.</p>
<p>Several of the residents said the addition – located on a part of the campus that dips into the village’s historic district – is out of tune with the area and in violation of the village’s zoning code.</p>
<p>Ginny Clemente, who lives a block south, said the addition “has nothing do with Granville.”</p>
<p>Another resident, Jack Thornborough, said the commission’s vote is in violation of the village’s code for additions in the historic district. The code lists about 15 styles as consistent with the existing architecture of the village.</p>
<p>The all-glass addition is in stark contrast to the existing brick building, which has a Greek temple motif in the center. But Art Chonko, Denison’s director of facilities, said the prevailing philosophy within the architectural community is additions to historic buildings shouldn’t try to match the style, but blend with it.</p>
<p>A modern addition may actually be a better accompaniment than a more traditional one, said commission member Tom Mitchell, who voted for the addition.</p>
<p>Planning Commission chairman Tim Riffle said the code doesn’t limit the commission to considering only those styles. He said it met the criteria in the code that Assistant Law Director Jim Gorry said were crucial.</p>
<p>“We were within our rights to look at it as a design,” he said.</p>
<p>The commission’s action can be appealed to Village Council.</p>
<p>With its light and transparent design, the addition will blend well with the imposing style of Cleveland Hall, said Richard Metsky, partner in the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle, of New York, which designed the building. Most of the glass is a relatively new kind called channel glass, which is translucent and transmits a diffuse light ideal for interior illumination, and also is energy efficient, he said.</p>
<p>Ron Abram, chairman of the university’s art department, said the idea of a glass exterior was to invite collaboration between students and the community.</p>
<p>“We didn’t want an isolated studio, but for it to relate to the world and the community,” he said.</p>
<p>But at least one resident said the addition would hurt property values in the district, which borders an area of Victorian homes along West Broadway and West College Street.</p>
<p>West Broadway resident Joy Jung said there was also an issue of fairness. She said the Planning Commission ordered changes in a skylight she and her husband proposed as part of the renovation of their historic home.</p>
<p>The changes were requested to make the renovation blend better with the historic district, she said.</p>
<p>“Why doesn’t Denison have to comply?” she asked.</p>
<p>Commission member Carl Wilkenfeld, who voted against the addition, agreed.</p>
<p>“It flies in the face of what we are doing,” he said.