|
Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County at 125 Lafayette, South Bend. The Commission is an invaluable source of information
<br />• about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration.
<br />C. Windows and Doors
<br />Window and door frames, in nearly all cases, are wood. Brick structures have stone sills and brick lintels. Where metal or vinyl siding has
<br />been applied, window trim has been covered. Storm windows are of wood or aluminum. Windows are typically wood double -hung or metal
<br />casements.
<br />Required
<br />Existing or 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 or existing.
<br />Recommended
<br />Wood frame storm windows and doors painted to match the original should be used but should not damage existing frames and should be
<br />removable. If new sashes or doors are installed, the existing or original materials, design and hardware should be used. When metal
<br />storm windows and doors are used, they should be painted, anodized or coated to match the existing. When awnings are used they should be
<br />of canvas material.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Original doors, windows and hardware shall not be discarded when they can be restored and re -used in place. New window and door
<br />openings which would alter the scale and proportion of the building shall not be introduced. Inappropriate new window and door features
<br />such as aluminum insulating glass combinations that require the removal of the original windows and doors shall not be installed.
<br />Not Recommended
<br />Awnings, hoods and fake shutters made of metal, vinyl, or fiberglass should not be used if they would detract from the existing character or
<br />appearance of the building.
<br />VI. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
<br />Enforcement of the preservation guidelines for the historic district is made possible in the Zoning Ordinance of South Bend, ordinance No.
<br />5565-73. The Historic Preservation Commission shall issue a Certificate of Appropriateness before commencement of any construction,
<br />reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving of any house or structure within the historic district boundaries (see Appendix A). This
<br />ordinance, however, does not prevent the ordinary maintenance and repair of any building or structure which does not involve a change
<br />in any exterior feature, nor does it prevent the reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving of any building or structure which the
<br />Building Commissioner or other official has determined to be a hazard to public safety.
<br />The Historic Preservation Commission will accept applications for Certificates of Appropriateness only from the property owner. Property
<br />owners wishing to do, or have done, any work affecting the exterior of their building or land must apply directly to the Historic Preservation
<br />• Commission on the form prescribed by the Commission (see Appendix A). The Commission will review the application and either issue a
<br />Certificate of Appropriateness or else deny the application, stating in writing the reasons for such denial. Upon such denial, the applicant
<br />may appeal to the Common Council.
<br />In making its determination, the Historic Preservation Commission shall consider three factors: first, appropriateness of the proposed
<br />work to the preservation of the building and district, second, the detriment to the public welfare if the proposed work is permitted even
<br />though it is not deemed appropriate, third, the potential hardship that the denial of the Certificate of Appropriateness would cause the
<br />applicant
<br />Where the Historic Preservation Commission deems it necessary, the commission may petition the Common Council for a temporary delay in
<br />the issuance of the required permit(s) for proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving for the purpose of preparing
<br />an historic preservation plan for a building or district. Such a request shall be for a specified period of time. In no case may the delay
<br />granted by the Common Council exceed one (1) year, but the commission may petition the Common Council for a continuance of any such
<br />delay in accordance with the same procedure as for the initial petition. The Historic Preservation Commission may petition the Building
<br />Commissioner to use the legal means available to him / her to force the maintenance and / or repair of any building or structure within the
<br />historic district in accordance with the intent of this ordinance.
<br />STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff accepts the windows have deteriorated beyond repair and necessitate
<br />replacement, and therefore favorably recommends the overall purpose of this application. The Standards and
<br />Guidelines state that if "new sashes and doors are installed, the existing or original materials, design, and hardware
<br />should be used." Staff interprets this as stating that wood should be used in lieu of some alternative material, and
<br />would request that wood window products be researched by the property owner. Staff requests the Commission
<br />remand authority to Staff to approve alternative wooden windows options, were the applicant be amenable to
<br />pursuing alternatives. Were those alternatives found to be cost prohibitive for the applicant, staff would
<br />recommend approval of the project as submitted. Staff recommends that the diamond pattern "Prairie glazing"
<br />window be retained.
<br />Written by
<br />• Adam Toering
<br />Historic Preservation Specialist
<br />Approved by
<br />Elicia Feasel
<br />Historic Preservation Administrator
<br />
|