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CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS STAFF REPORT <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />The existing chimney rests against the outside of the north wall of the <br />original house rising out of the small wing which was constructed as an open <br />porch in 1946 according to the ,Portage Township Assessors records. The <br />original function of this chimney is difficult to discern as it does not <br />connect to any fireplace in the- original house nor any reasonable stove <br />location on 'the interior .and does not serve the forced -air 'furnace. It <br />conceivably. could have .served a previous water heater in the basement. It is <br />possible that the open porch could have been. built over the location of a <br />previously removed kitchen wing as this would be consistent with the typical <br />development pattern of a Greek Revival farmhouse. <br />The chimney obviously has considerable age as it was constructed of antique <br />molded brick with lime -bases mortar and has subsequently been repaired with <br />rather messy reconstruction and repointing of Portland cement mortar which has <br />led to its current state of disrepair including joint cracking and the <br />spalling and breakage of the brick. The chimney is a straight stack with no <br />corbeling or other distinctive detail of esthetic or historical importance. <br />The owner proposes to address the deterioration described above by <br />disassembling the chimney down to the roof -line and then reconstructing it <br />with the available sound brick and appropriately soft mortar to about two feet <br />above the roof -line, about half of its current height above the roof. The <br />remainder of the exposed chimney face below the roof is to be repaired with <br />appropriate mortar and replacement of failed brick where required. <br />Staff finds all the proposed work to be consistent with good preservation <br />construction practices. The shortening of the chimney is acceptable as the <br />height is not required for proper functioning of the chimney which is now <br />purely ornamental and no significant detail or 'character will be lost due to <br />the alteration. Staff recommends approval. <br />DBD <br />9/5/97 <br />0 <br />