Apartment building in historic Beaufort stalls. Are ‘rope-a-dope’ tactics at play?
A decision on a three-story apartment building planned in historic downtown Beaufort has been deferred by the city’s Historic District Review Board because some members want more details on porches and brick colors — but the project’s not dead.
Still, the inaction on the $7.5 million project Wednesday afternoon frustrated developer Dick Stewart of 303 Associates. His attorney, Walter Nestor, told board members they were abusing their discretion with the continued debate over details such as the colors when the “mass and scale” of the project, the real issue, already had been previously decided.
He compared the back-and-forth over various issues to a strategy used by boxers to tire out their opponents. “Muhammad Ali called it the rope-a-dope,” said Nestor, referring to the practice of taking repeated punches on the ropes.
But HDRB Chairman Jeremiah Smith said the project at 211 Charles St. warrants additional review because of its significance.
Plans could be back on the HDRB’s agenda in March or April.
The Cannon Building features ground-floor commercial and 19 apartments on the upper floors. It’s a stone’s throw from the waterfront and Beaufort River and downtown shops. But the area falls within the city’s National Historic Landmark District. That’s sparked blowback.
Stewart of 303 Associates, making his fifth trip before the HDRB Wednesday, was hoping for a vote on final approval. Instead, after hours of debate that included old issues such as architectural details, size and appearance and one new allegation —charges of conflict of interest — board members voted to ask Stewart to return with more options for board member to consider regarding porches, column sizes and brick facade colors.
Stewart suggested the focus on porches, which he called an important outside feature that people want, was occurring because “some folks just want to stop the building.”
Board members are split on the project.
Michelle Prentice predicted the porches proposed for the apartments will become a “dumping ground” for items such as mops and grills that will be visible from Port Republic Street marring the look of the area. She asked for more options for the apartments that don’t include porches. The building, she added, “really needs to be special for its location.”
Prentice questioned whether the building will stand the test of time, adding the board members will be leaving a legacy with their vote. “What will it look like in 200 years?” she said.
The overhaul design, Prentice said, does not have “stateliness,” Prentice added, particularly the apartment section.
“It looks pretty special to me,” countered Mike Sutton, another board member, adding both porches and balconies are important to Beaufort’s heritage. “You have the right to your opinion” Sutton said, “and I have the right to mine.”
Graham Trask, a Beaufort property owner and developer who is suing the city and Stewart over the downtown project, accused Sutton of having a conflict of interest because his wife, Nan Sutton, rents building space from Stewart and spoke in favor of the Stewart’s Cannon Building at a previous meeting. Sutton told Trask to watch what he said, but Trask said he had a right to speak.
“Clearly there could be an appearance of impropriety,” said Trask, who asked that Sutton recuse himself from voting, to which Sutton, said, “not going to happen.”
Sutton sought an opinion from The State Ethics Commission which found that there is no conflict of interest, City Attorney Bill Harvey said.
Wednesday’s meeting was the first time the HDRB considered a Stewart project since another conflict of interest issue arose in January. That’s when City Manager Bill Prokop ordered city planners to report to him on 303 Associates projects instead of David Prichard, the director of the Department of Community and Economic Development because Prichard’s wife works for 303 Associates. In an informal Jan. 4 opinion, the State Ethics Commission found that Prichard should recuse himself on any matters involving 303 Associates.
Trask noted that the HDRB gave preliminary approval of the Gannon Building on Dec. 8, when Prichard “was already conflicted” but still overseeing HDRB meetings. He asked that board refrain from voting until the conflict of interest issues and legal challenges involving Stewart’s downtown developments including the Gannon Building are resolved but city attorney Harvey said the board could proceed.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 3:01 PM.
