By Greg Ellison

(March 10, 2022) In addition to reassignments made necessary by a resignation, the Berlin Historic District Commission also approved a sign plan for Sound Storm Records at 14 Broad St. and received updates on the proposed 410 Social Eatery and Barroom on the corner of 16 Pitts St. during its meeting last Wednesday.

410 Social Eatery

Planning Director Dave Engelhart updated the commission on the status of development plans for the 410 Social Eatery and Ballroom slated for the corner of Pitts and William streets.

After addressing commission members’ concerns in December regarding exterior design details, including paint schemes and façade surfaces, additional snags surfaced during the interior renovations phase.

“They had an engineering plan for the remaining inside,” he said.

Engelhart said interior design plans, which were approved last summer, neglected to account for the condition of a north-facing front brick wall.

“We’re waiting for their repair to that front wall,” he said.

Engelhart said the need for wall alterations came to light after masonry workers declared the existing brick appeared beyond repair.

“We found out from a letter from their mason,” he said.

In terms of salvaging the existing brick, the odds sounded limited.

“He wouldn’t work on it,” he said. “That’s when our antenna went up.”

Engelhart said the town was advised the wall should come down.

“That’s when we stopped everything,” he said. “The building hadn’t had the maintenance it needed over the last 40-50 years.”

Despite the hiccup, Engelhart said updated renderings should be forthcoming within days to either repair or remove the structural issue.

“Then we’ll get our engineers to assess that design,” he said.

Committee assignments

Leadership changes occurred due to the resignation of Vice-Chairman Robert Poli.

Poli said he opted to end his three-year term that was set to expire this November after reaching a predetermined benchmark.

“I was volunteered, maybe challenged … with the opportunity to formulate a manual setting forth guidelines,” he said.

Poli complimented Planning Director Dave Engelhart for working on developing the commission standards.

Based on that vacancy, the commission voted for new chair and vice-chair appointments.

Approved for chairman was Norman Bunting, while Laura Sterns received the nod for vice-chair.

Photo by Greg Ellison
Sound Storm Records owners Brandon Zlatniski and Lauren Carlson were granted approval for outside store signage by the Berlin Historic District Commission last Wednesday.

Store signs

Sound Storm Records owners Lauren Carlson and Brandon Zlatniski appeared before the commission to seek approval for outside signs at their Broad Street location.

The recently launched vinyl retailers unveiled a square black sign emblazoned with its moniker and signature logo.

Zlatniski said the store marker was designed to fit the existing brackets on the building’s brick façade.

“I like the design and logo,” Commission member John Holloway said, while

commission member Mary Moore characterized the new venture as an “innovative idea.”

“I would think it would become a destination shop,” she said.