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September 18, 2006 <br />Dear Members of the Historic Preservation Commission and Community, <br />My name is Joan Downs-Krostenko and I represent the Chapin Park Neighborhood, <br />where I am on the Board for the Chapin Park Neighborhood and am on the Historic Preservation <br />Liaison Committee for the Chapin Park Historic District where I was one of the committee <br />members which edited our Guidebook in 2005. I am also a board member at the Near Northwest <br />Neighborhood which encompasses the Chapin Park Historic District. <br />I attend tonight's meeting requesting that the Commission allow only the restoration of <br />the original windows in the signature property at 710 Park Avenue. A great deal of scholarly ink <br />has been spilled on the question of whether new windows are better at heat conservation than <br />properly reconditioned windows. The preservationist community is in agreement. There is no <br />question that the same and even better conservation can be obtained by reconditioning original <br />windows. <br />Therefore, as the Anderson House at 710 Park is a signature property in an amazing state <br />of preservation and thus a treasure to the entire community, and <br />As the standards to which such an exemplary property should be held are clear in this <br />case regarding preservation of existing features of such incalculable value, and <br />As, the compromising on this fact in anyway sets a terribly dangerous precedent in the <br />Chapin Park Historic District and in the St. Joseph County <br />I respectfully request that 710 Park Avenue be allowed only the restoration of its original <br />windows. <br />Those of us who own historic homes know that we are caretakers, our properties were <br />interesting, beautiful and valuable before we inhabited them. It is our duty to, like <br />Hippokrates, "due not harm'. These,buildings are not there only for our convenience and <br />enjoyment. They are civic treasures. Sometimes, we chose what may, seem a time <br />consuming or painstaking approach to their maintenance but this is because we <br />understand our role and see ourselves clearly as only one iii what is, hopefully, a long line_ <br />of lov4of our heritage. - e <br />