After a fire ravaged the six-unit apartment building at 218 W. Market St. in Pottsville May 24, the owner hired workers to remove the heat-warped strips of vinyl siding marring the area above the front entrance.
In the process, they revealed the original brick work on the building, which was built in 1900, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
On Wednesday night, the owner Mike Ghannoum showed the city’s Historical Architectural Review Board his plans to repair 218 W. Market. Instead of putting up new vinyl siding, he said he’d prefer to restore the original brick.
“I suggest we leave the brick work, clean it up, patch it up, fix it up. The original structure is nice. I would like to fix it. All I need is your approval,” Ghannoum said at HARB’s meeting in the conference room on the second floor of City Hall.
“You have a lot of broken brick. So, what you’re going to do is you’re going to have someone come in, take that out and put new brick in?” HARB Member Stephen Buzalko asked.
“We’re going to fix it, point it, wash it up if we have to. Or if you want me to put siding in,” Ghannoum said.
“No,” Buzalko said.
“Prefer not,” HARB Chairman Michael Cardamone said.
“I don’t really prefer siding,” Ghannoum said.
“I like your idea, Mike, of taking it back closer to what it was originally,” Cardamone said.
In the process of removing the siding, Ghannoum said he discovered a hidden doorway on the building’s facade.
“I want to close it and make it brick. I don’t want an entrance there,” Ghannoum said.
Looking at photos of the facade Ghannoum brought to the meeting, HARB Member Anne Shollenberger noticed the previous installation of the siding had damaged the brick work.
“The broke it to put the frame down,” Ghannoum said.
“Are you going to fill those in with brick?” Shollenberger asked.
“There’s ways to do it, yes,” Ghannoum said.
“But you’re going to fill it in with a brick,” Buzalko said, asking for clarification.
“Yes,” Ghannoum said.
Ghannoum said he’d like to paint the dark red bricks light brown.
“What about considering letting the brick natural once it’s cleaned up,” Cardamone said.
“The same color?” Ghannoum asked.
“Yes,” Cardamone said.
“Fine with me,” Ghannoum said.
“It depends on how it cleans up, of course,” Cardamone said.
“It’s going to take a lot of work to wash it up. I will try my best. And if I don’t make it right, I will not be happy,” Ghannoum said.
“The entry way. Are you going to keep that the same?” Buzalko asked.
“This was original,” Ghannoum said.
“Original would be nice,” Buzalko said.
The top part of the building bordering the roof did not sustain fire damage. It is still covered with vinyl siding and Ghannoum asked if it could remain that way.
“I would like to paint it,” Ghannoum said.
“Well, what’s up there now? Is there brick up there?” Buzalko asked.
“Probably underneath, there’s brick. But I would like to keep it. I would like to change the color on it and that’s it,” Ghannoum said.
HARB also approved Ghannoum’s plan to replace the building’s 50 windows, but asked him to install a front door which was specifically 42-inches wide and HARB insisted on seeing a drawing or photo of the proposed front door prior to its installation.
Other HARB members present Wednesday were Lisa Fishburn and Ralph Jaeger. The board’s solicitor, Tom Campion, and Justin D. Trefsger, the city’s code enforcement officer and HARB recording secretary, also attended.
HARB’s approval is a recommendation to city council. The council may vote on its recommendations at its next meeting slated for 6 p.m. Monday at council chambers, City Hall.
Ghannoum is also the owner of Mike Ghannoum Art at 2-4 N. Centre St., Pottsville.