DEERFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals granted the 1888 Building project a variance Thursday evening to allow the modern addition to the structure to exceed the town’s 35-foot height limit.

The approval clears the path for Deerfield to move forward on the cornerstone of its municipal campus vision, which will see the 136-year-old building at 67 North Main St. undergo a transformation into a modern town hall. The project, which already received site plan approval, will see the historic structure fully rehabilitated and the creation of an approximately 2,600-square-foot addition on the west side.

Deerfield, the applicant for the project, needed to seek a variance for the addition, because the proposed building is approximately 44 feet, 6 inches tall, which exceeds the town’s zoning ordinance that requires all buildings, except those in the Expedited Permitting District on Merrigan Way, to be less than 35 feet.

“As part of [the project process], Kuhn Riddle Architects has been reviewing our zoning requirements and making sure any adaptive reuse of the project meets those zoning requirements,” said Town Administrator Christopher Dunne. “Because of the existing building’s height, which is nonconforming with our zoning, in order to provide elevator access to the entire structure, the addition needs to be higher than our 35-foot maximum.”

Kuhn Riddle architect Charles Roberts further explained that while the addition will be taller than the town’s zoning requirements, it will still be shorter than the 1888 Building and is “obscured from view” from North Main Street. The addition is also shorter than the South Deerfield Congregational Church.

He also noted the design of the addition’s roof was made to complement the historic building’s character without mimicking it or making the new construction too modern.

“We took the approach of not replicating a historic building, but not doing something overtly modern with flat grooves. … While this is definitely of its era and this current place and time, it’s evocative of historic forms,” Roberts said. “The scale of this building is working with the church and the 1888 Building.”

The ZBA offered no questions for Dunne or Roberts, and granted a variance of up to 50 feet in height — rather than the requested 10 feet — to give the town wiggle room when building the addition.

“I really think having an elevator is important,” said ZBA member Mark Brennan, speaking to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations. “I really don’t think that anyone’s going to notice the additional 10 feet. … It’s nothing but positives here in doing this.”

The board’s members also complimented the Selectboard and Dunne for their diligence in bringing the project through numerous committees and Town Meeting.

“It’s a very good-looking design and really brings together the capacities we need with some aesthetics and modernization,” added ZBA Chair David Potter. “It’s an exciting prospect to see the campus together.”

With approval from town boards and funding secured through Town Meeting, the 1888 Building project is getting ready to roll later in 2025. The $8 million project, funded by $3.8 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) money and a $4 million earmark from U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, is expected to begin construction this summer.

The next step in the process is the Selectboard will proceed with a request for proposals (RFP) to find a developer to remove the hazardous materials in the building, including mold and asbestos. That work is expected to begin in February.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.