SALISBURY — On Thursday night, the Historic Preservation Commission voted to approve the replacement of cloth awnings with aluminum awnings at 131 East Innes St.

Staff members presented their findings and advised against allowing the awnings to be replaced since the project would be “incongruous with the character of the Downtown Local Historic District.”

Representatives for the owners of the building, Steinmann Dunn Properties LLC, argued to the commission that the current awnings get worn down easier and that other older buildings in the downtown area also have metal awnings. The new awnings will be identical in size and color.

Commission member Andrew Walker had voted against the awnings being replaced, but understands why the request was approved.

“The standard is pretty clear that it should be canvas awnings if it’s a historic building and that is a historic building. It’s not a new construction like some of the other buildings downtown that have the metal awnings. I think the commission looked at it from a very practical point of view if you add in the fact that the metal awnings last much longer than the canvas, which are very high maintenance items. That’s why the commission voted that way.”