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As romantic as preservation might appear, it is also anchored in science and economics. <br />Successful preservation must be furthered by reasonable, objective standards. It sometimes <br />must differentiate between society's needs and its wants. We are only stewards of our <br />domain and the buildings that we occupy. Rare and unique examples of the past must be <br />carefully guarded. <br />Preservation must strive to be informed and energy conscious. It must respect the birth of <br />new ideas with respect to the need for change and the impact of change to the <br />surroundings. That does not mean that it conflicts with progress and technology. It also <br />does NOT mean that historic features are wasteful and inefficient. Nothing could be <br />further from the truth! <br />According to "The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows " Preservation Brief no.9 - issued <br />by the US Secretary of the Interior and National Park Service -Technical Preservation <br />Services, and relating to historic properties and windows, "After all of the factors have <br />been evaluated (these are, "admitting light to the interior spaces, providing fresh air and <br />ventilation to the interior, providing a visual link to the outside world, and enhancing the <br />appearance of a building'), "windows should be considered significant to a building if <br />they. 1) are original, 2) reflect the original design intent for the building, 3) reflect period <br />or regional styles or building practices, 4) reflect changes to the building resulting from <br />major periods or events, or 5) are examples of exceptional craftsmanship or design. " <br />Preservation Brief no.9 continues, "Consider energy efficiency as one of the factors for <br />replacements, but do not let it dominate the issue. Energy conservation is no excuse for the <br />wholesale destruction of historic windows, which can be made thermally efficient by <br />historically and aesthetically acceptable means. " <br />Therefore, I vote to deny C of A #2008-0214 for the following reasons: <br />1. Page 74175 of the Chapin Park Guidebook directs that "original windows and features <br />shall be retained" and that they "shall not be discarded when they can be restored and <br />reused in place. " It goes on to say that `features... that require the removal of original <br />windows and doors, shall not be installed. " <br />2. The existing windows on the structure are not deteriorated beyond repair and can be <br />reconditioned and repaired as necessary. <br />3. A correctable, lack of maintenance is not a case for the replacement of existing or original <br />window units or window components. <br />4. Enhancements and upgrades that do not compromise the structure or the Guidebook <br />language are available and can be installed to compliment the existing and original <br />window units (i.e. interior storms). <br />5. The proposed changes are in stark contrast to practices endorsed by the HPC for the <br />preservation of historic structures. <br />6. While the owner volunteers to store the old sashes in a safe place, the HPC has no <br />mechanism to verify that this practice will be carried out satisfactorily or that sashes will <br />be sustained in an acceptable form to permit reinstallation, which I believe to be the <br />rationale for storage. It is also conceivable that the original window frames will be <br />compromised or damaged from the installation of the "tilt pacs " thereby negating the <br />opportunity for stored sashes to be re -installed into their corresponding frames - in the <br />future. <br />7. The maintenance and repair of original and unique features (including windows) is <br />endorsed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic <br />Preservation & Archeology, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and honor the <br />US Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Restoration. <br />8. The Anderson House is a signature Local Historic Landmark that resides inside the Chapin <br />Park Local and National Historic Districts. In its present state, it is a National Register <br />candidate. Modifications and adulterations to the structure including the replacement of <br />exterior features (windows) will undermine its qualifications for that status. <br />14 <br />