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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFIATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Application Number: 2001 -0409 Property Location: 630 Carroll Street Property Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Greg Mitchem Landmark or District Designation: Taylor's Field Local Historic District Rating: C -10 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT The house on this lot now replaced an older one that had been built in 18882. The present house was built in 1916 by noted local architects Freyermuth & Maurer. Freyermuth was a mayor of South Bend, and was the architect ofNuner Monroe, Lincoln, and Harrison Schools, the North Pumping Station, and several other notable buildings. This house is a classic American Foursquare House, with some distinctive features, such as paired and grouped windows, clapboard stringcourses, and projecting entablatures. There is a low hipped roof with closed soffits. George Miller bought the property in 1905, for $2,500, while working as a clerk for grocer Theodore Blake. In 1906, he married his wife, Pearl. In 1910, he and Jacob Currey opened their own grocery at 419 South Michigan Street. Mr. Miller operated the grocery until his death in 1929. Pearl Miller lived in this house until the late 1950s. It was then sold to Lucille and Hue W. Dunson, who in turn sold it to Juanita Oliver in 1986. She sold to the Mitchem family. RECOMMENDATION Although the 1979 district survey shows a driveway, this house has no garage. The Mitchems own Birdsell Lot # 16, on which the house is located, and also the adjacent lots # 17 and 18. They seek to build a two -car garage about 12' from their house, on the line between lots 16 and 17, and mostly on lot 17, set back eight feet behind the front line of the house. If well done, this could be a good thing, as it would reduce the number of cars parked on the street, and result in a less cluttered streetscape. Staff recommends approval, with the following conditions: (1) that the garage be situated as drawn, at least 8' behind the front line of the house, (2) that it be sided with a siding material of the same dimensions as the siding on the house, (3) that the roof be a hipped roof, with a slope of 3 -12 or 4 -12, similar to the shallow slope of the house roof, (4) that the eaves overhang the same distance as the eaves on the house, (5) that there be a pair of double hung windows, size of the owners' choosing, on each side of the garage, (6) that no mature trees be damaged or removed, and (7) that the garage door and service door installed be appropriate in style to the quality of the house and the character of the neighborhood. A pair of panel doors with windows in the top third or half would be ideal. Additionally, I have a question regarding the driveway. It is not clear to me from the drawing submitted whether the existing driveway will serve the new garage, or whether a new one will be constructed and the old one removed. This should be clarified before a Certificate is issued.