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When replacement of utility poles or power supply lines is necessary, consideration should be given to underground conduits or
<br />utility poles erected along rear property lines.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Existing relationships of buildings and their environments shall not be destroyed by widening existing streets, applying asphalt or
<br />other bituminous coverings, or by introducing new streets or parking lots. Signs, streetlights, benches, new plant materials, fencing,
<br />walkways, and paving materials which are out of scale or inappropriate to the neighborhood may not be used. The erection of high
<br />walls or barriers, which would alter the relationship of the houses, shall be prohibited. Utility poles with high intensity overhead
<br />lights shall not be used on main thoroughfares.
<br />II. EXISTING STRUCTURES
<br />A. BUILDING MATERIALS
<br />Original exterior building materials in the district include brick, stucco, clapboard, wood shingles, and brick or stone masonry. In
<br />some
<br />instances, vinyl, composite and aluminum siding have been applied over the original material.
<br />Required
<br />Original exterior building materials shall be retained when possible. Deterioration of wood materials shall be prevented through
<br />repair, cleaning, and painting. The existing architectural detail around windows, porches, doors, and eaves shall be retained or
<br />replaced by replicas of the same design when deteriorated beyond repair.
<br />Masonry, including brick and stucco structures, shall be maintained, and properly cleaned only when necessary to halt deterioration
<br />or to remove stains and shall be done in a method acceptable for the preservation of the surface: i.e. low pressure water and soft
<br />natural bristle brushes. Brick or masonry mortar joints should be repointed only when there is evidence of moisture problems, or
<br />when sufficient mortar is missing to allow water to stand in the mortar joint. Existing mortar shall be duplicated in composition,
<br />color, texture, joint size, method of application, and joint profile.
<br />When repairing stucco, stucco mixture shall be used. A professional shall make a study of the old stucco, to determine the exact
<br />mixture and underlayment used in the original work. Some repair methods are not compatible with the original techniques and
<br />may cause early disintegration of the repair work and the original work.
<br />Ample ventilation must be afforded the structure when siding is installed, in order to prevent increased deterioration of the structure
<br />from moisture and insects.
<br />Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original building materials should be restored. When maintaining or replacing original siding is not
<br />feasible, aluminum, vinyl, or composite siding may be used. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the same size
<br />and style as the original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around windows, doors, cornices, gables,
<br />eaves, and other architectural features.
<br />Property owners should contact the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County prior to initiating
<br />any restoration of rehabilitation effort. [Address and contact information is listed in the front of the Guidebook.] The
<br />Commission is an invaluable source of information about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration - materials, methods,
<br />contractors and the like.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new material that is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was
<br />constructed, such as artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles.
<br />Sandblasting or the use of harsh detergents shall not be used on masonry including brick, stucco, limestone, flagstone and
<br />sandstone. This method of cleaning erodes the surface material and accelerates deterioration.
<br />Repointing shall not be done with a mortar of high Portland cement content which can often create a bond that is stronger than
<br />the building material. Usage of Portland cement can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and
<br />porosity of the historic masonry unit and the mortar. This most often results in serious damage to adjacent brick.
<br />Unpainted masonry surfaces shall not be painted unless they had been painted originally. Paint shall not be removed from
<br />masonry surfaces by any means that damage the surface.
<br />Not Recommended
<br />Waterproof or water repellent coatings or surface consolidation treatments should not be used on masonry surfaces unless
<br />required to solve a specific problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are frequently unnecessary and expensive, and
<br />can accelerate deterioration of the masonry. Mortar joints, which do not need repointing, should not be repointed. Wood siding
<br />should not be power -washed.
<br />C. WINDOWS AND DOORS
<br />Window and doorframes are in most cases wood and vary depending upon the style of the home. Many are double hung windows
<br />with wood trim and sills. Brick structures have stone sills and brick lintels. In some cases where aluminum siding has been applied,
<br />the window and door trim has been covered. About half of the structures in the district have aluminum storm windows, the other
<br />half have wood storm windows.
<br />Required
<br />Original windows and doors shall be retained including sashes, lintels, sills, shutters, decorative glass, pediments, hoods, and
<br />hardware. When deteriorated beyond repair, they shall be replaced with units and trim resembling the original.
<br />Recommended
<br />Wood storm windows and doors painted or finished to match the original should be used but should not damage existing frames.
<br />If new sashes or doors are installed, the existing or original materials, design, and hardware should be used. When metal storm
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