PORTSMOUTH — The Historic District Commission approved the proposed renovation and creation of a new restaurant where the Coat of Arms now operates.

The commission this week approved the renovation project for 174 Fleet St., which is being proposed by Julian Armstrong, who owns two popular Kittery, Maine, restaurants, the Anju Noodle Bar and The Wallingford Dram.

“This project will be a restaurant bar going in the existing space, which is currently the Coat of Arms,” Armstrong told commissioners at a meeting this week in City Hall.

When a commission member then asked, “It’s not going to be the Coat of Arms?” Armstrong replied, “It will not be the Coat of Arms.”

A call was made to the restaurant on Friday afternoon. A representative of the Coat of Arms only said "We have no comment," and hung up.

Brandon Holben, the architect on the project, told commissioners the renovation included plans to create a “glass conservatory to allow more natural light into the interior of the space and to provide elevated urban views for patrons.”

That addition to the middle of the building would be done by “removing some of the existing roof and walls,” to create the conservatory.

The renovation also includes the creation of a “place-making street art” feature on the Hanover Street side of the building, he said.

Former City Councilor Esther Kennedy questioned the design of the art during public comment on the project. Kennedy said she was “really discouraged” by the artwork.

“I’m looking at this when I realized it was a bunny rabbit I was thinking … is this the bunny palace or what is it we’re promoting here?” Kennedy said. “I’m having a hard time with that particular piece of art.”

Armstrong explained the symbol is actually a jackalope, a mythical animal of Native American folklore, which he described as a “bunny with antlers.”

“For each of our projects we kind of pick a spirit animal or symbol,” Armstrong said. It’s meant to symbolize “just kind of the spirit of the restaurant” and to “bring something fantastical, magic and fun” to the project, he said.

Commissioner Daniel Rawling said he didn't know if the HDC had "purview over designing an art element like that."

City Councilor Nancy Pearson, a member of the HDC, replied, "We don't."

She then reminded commissioners “what art in public is supposed to do is elicit a reaction, and the reaction might be that you love it and the reaction might be that you don’t love it.” But, as she pointed out, “it’s not going in your bedroom or in your living room, it’s in public purview.”

“So just take that into consideration,” she said.

Holben told commission members the renovation plan also called for painting over the brick face of the property on Fleet Street and replacing the existing glass block with a “storefront window unit to allow more light and views to the interior of the building.”

He noted the building originally was a grocery store.

But after several commissioners raised concerns about those plans, the renovation project was approved with the stipulation that the brick face couldn’t be painted and the glass block could be covered, but had to be preserved.

Commissioner Reagan Ruedig said she believes there is precedent with “industrial buildings for a conservatory on top.” “And I think that anything we can do to add interest to the skyline and the tops of our buildings … I think is a great thing,” she said.

HDC Chairman Vince Lombardi said he was concerned about painting over the brick but praised the conservatory idea. “I think it’s a real asset,” he said.

The building is owned by Jamer Realty, Inc., according to city records.

It’s unclear when the renovation project is planned for or when the restaurant will open.

Neither Armstrong nor the owner of the Coat of Arms could immediately be reached for comment Friday.

City resident and former City Council candidate Rick Becksted reminded commissioners that before the Coat of Arms opened, the Toucan restaurant was located there.

“My family growing up as a child we used to watch a bird actually relieve himself through a window while we were eating Mexican,” Becksted said as several commissioners laughed. “That ought to paint a picture for you.”