BATH

The Bath Masonic Building Association will ask the Planning Board for permission Tuesday to replace pilasters on the front of the Masonic Temple with half-round columns.

The request for the change, denied earlier by a Planning Board subcommittee, would require the Planning Board to amend the city’s historic district.

The Masonic Temple is located at 958 Washington St.

The Historic District Committee denied the Building Association’s request in June. Earlier, the committee had granted a request to replace the round columns, which stand in front of the pilasters. That has been done.

Andrew Deci, Bath’s director of planning and development, said both the columns and the pilasters were in disrepair.

The committee’s decision on the pilasters was valid, Deci said.

“Whenever you change a pilaster to a half-round column,” he said, “that changes the architectural character of the building.”

In a letter from Roberts Renovations of Brunswick, written on behalf of the Masonic Temple, the contractor asks the Planning Board to reconsider the pilasters issue.

The letter reads in part:

“We are running short on weather-dependent conditions to complete the remaining work. As previously noted, the Masonic Temple requested and received permission from the town prior to moving forward on this project. Not until after receiving permission did we place a custom order with payment, for non-refundable columns and accessory products for installation.”

The letter continues: “The original pilasters are incomplete, and in disrepair, and not an identical match to the new front columns. Because of these conditions your request to leave them creates an architectural eyesore, with mismatched parts when viewing the entry as a whole.”

A June 29 letter from the Historic District Committee had advised the Building Association that the committee approved replacement of the four Corinthian columns, but did not approve the replacement of pilasters with half-columns.

In other Planning Board business:

Prior to its meeting Tuesday, the board will conduct a workshop at 5 p.m. to discuss a land-use amendment that would allow a new use in the Commercial-2 zoning district.

HOMEtogether seeks to provide alternative housing for homeless individuals. The organization wishes the city to reuse the old nunnery building on Oak Street. HOMEtogether would provide room and board for up to 12 people, in exchange for labor.

Tuesday’s meeting at City Hall begins at 6 p.m.

lgrard@timesrecord.com