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DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: Applicant seeks a Certificate of Appropriateness for improvements on the structure: The removal of a degraded external chimney at the north-east corner of the structure. The chimney is visible from the street when looking at the front (Park Avenue) side of the home. Stucco and paint that had encapsulated the chimney has fallen off and exposed the brick beneath. The chimney is non-functional, and was not venting water heater exhaust properly, leading to a build-up of gases in the basement. The water heater is now vented out of the house from a different location. a. The chimney will be removed in its entirety (to the foundation). b. The wood siding, molding, and other external details will be replicated, in-kind to `cover' the exposed area where the chimney once stood. SITE VISIT REPORT: N/A STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: CHAPIN PARK General Definitions (B) PRESERVATION GUIDELINES (W) Rehabilitation (ADOPTED) Maintaining the existing character of the district, and whenever possible returning it to its original condition. Any rehabilitation would not require the removal of all non -original materials but would encourage the removal of all such materials which are incompatible with the defined elements of preservation for the district. The design of new construction or alteration would not require the duplication of the original design and construction, but should be compatible with existing structures and the district's defined elements of preservation. The use of original materials or construction techniques would be encouraged, but contemporary methods and materials would be acceptable when compatible. II. EXISTING STRUCTURES A. BUILDING MATERIALS Original exterior building materials in the district include brick, stucco, clapboard, wood shingles, and brick or stone masonry. In some instances, vinyl, composite and aluminum siding have been applied over the original material. Required Original exterior building materials shall be retained when possible. Deterioration of wood materials shall be prevented through repair, cleaning and painting. The existing architectural detail around windows, porches, doors and eaves shall be retained or replaced by replicas of the same design when deteriorated beyond repair. Masonry, including brick and stucco structures, shall be maintained, and properly cleaned only when necessary to halt • deterioration 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 natural bristle brushes. Brick or masonry mortar joints should be repointed only when there is evidence of moisture problems, or when sufficient mortar is missing to allow water to stand in the mortar joint. Existing mortar shall be duplicated in composition, color, texture, joint size, method of application and joint profile. When repairing stucco, stucco mixture shall be used. A professional shall make a study of the old stucco, to determine the exact mixture and underlayment used in the original work. Some repair methods are not compatible with the original techniques and may cause early disintegration of the repair work and the original work. Ample ventilation must be afforded the structure when siding is installed, in order to prevent increased deterioration of the structure from moisture and insects. Recommended Whenever possible, the original building materials should be restored. When maintaining or repairing original siding is not feasible, aluminum, vinyl or composite siding may be used. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the same size and style as the original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around windows, doors, cornices gables, eaves and other architectural features. Property owners should contact the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County prior to initiating any restoration or rehabilitation effort. [ Address and contact information is listed in the front of the Guidebook.] The Commission is an invaluable source of information about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration — materials, methods, contractors and the like. Prohibited Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new materials that is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was constructed, such as artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles. Sandblasting or the use of harsh detergents shall not be used on masonry including brick, stucco, limestone, flagstone and sandstone. This method of cleaning erodes the surface material and accelerates deterioration. Repointing shall not be done with a mortar of high Portland cement content which can often create a bond that is stronger than the building material. Usage of Portland cement can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and porosity of the historic masonry unit and the mortar. This most often results in serious damage to adjacent brick. Unpainted masonry surfaces shall not be painted unless they had been painted originally. Paint shall not be removed from masonry surfaces by any means that damage the surface. • Not Recommended Waterproof or water repellant coatings or surface consolidation treatments should not be used on masonry surfaces unless required to solve a specific problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are frequently unnecessary and expensive, and