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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Application Number: 2001-1003-(2) Property Location: 543 Edgewater Drive Pf �17 South Bend, IN 46601 Property Owners: Doug Turnock At 1 Landmark or District Designation: Local Historic District — Edgewater Place Rating: Significant -11 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT This 1922 American Foursquare gains its surprisingly high rating mainly from the fact that it was designed by Whitcomb and Keller architects. It was built in 1922-23, on one and a half full lots, for Stella and Arthur B. Williamson, the principal at Nuner School. Mrs. Williamson was widowed in about 1935, but continued to reside here until about 1966. The house was remodeled in 1935, and the person who performed our 1977 historic district survey believed that the remodeling probably consisted only of covering over original stucco exterior walls with a brick veneer. BACKGROUND: The owner seeks permission to remove the bushes in front of his house, in order to repair brickwork and tuck -pointing on the front of his house. He also seeks permission to repair his foundation and brickwork as necessary, and to tuck point his brick. RECOMMENDATION: We recommend approval, conditional upon careful re -assessment by the owner of the extent of mortar repair necessary, once closer inspection behind the front bushes is possible, and conditional upon replacement of the bushes with appropriate other plantings once any necessary foundation and brickwork is accomplished. We recommend specifying a time frame of twelve months for finishing the work and replacement plantings. The owner has submitted a photograph, and our inspector has made two inspections of the home, in preparation for this Report. In all photos we can see a slight arch to the porch sill, which the owner believes indicates that the corners are sagging. If this is so, than one would expect that foundation work would be needed, and that there would be cracks between bricks along stress lines. However, our inspector has not been, able to locate any stress cracks, mostly because of the large old bushes in front of the porch. The bushes are beautiful, and show the owners' care over the years. But they also impede inspection as to whether there are foundation and brickwork problems that ought to be addressed sooner rather than later.