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No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings or other site elements
<br />before evaluating their importance to the property's history and development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into
<br />• parking lots nor paved nor blacktopped. Front yard areas shall not be fenced or fences shall not extend forward beyond the
<br />setback line of the house. The installation of unsightly devices such as television satellite dishes, solar panels and skylights shall
<br />not be premised in areas where they can be viewed from the public thoroughfare.
<br />II. EXISTING STRUCTURES
<br />A. BUILDING MATERIALS
<br />Original exterior wall materials in the district include limestone, flagstone, stucco, clapboard, wood shingles, sandstone and
<br />masonry block. In some instances, vinyl or aluminum siding has been applied over the original material.
<br />Required
<br />Original exterior building materials shall be retained. Deterioration of wood materials shall be prevented through repair, cleaning
<br />and painting. The existing or original architectural detail windows, porches, doors, and eaves should be retained or replaced by
<br />replicas of the same design and materials when deteriorated beyond repair. Masonry including brick, limestone, flagstone,
<br />sandstone, and stucco shall be cleaned only when necessary to halt deterioration or to remove stains, and shall be done with a
<br />method acceptable for the preservation of the surface: i.e. low pressure water and soft natural bristle bushes. No chemicals, sand
<br />blasting or other invasive methods may be used to clean historic buildings. When repairing stucco, stucco mixture compatible in
<br />composition, color, and texture shall be used.
<br />Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original building materials should be restored. Metal or vinyl siding may be used when it is the only
<br />alternative to maintaining or replacing the original surface material. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the
<br />same size and style as the original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around the windows, doors,
<br />cornices, gables, eaves, and other architectural features. Ample ventilation must be afforded the structure when metal or vinyl
<br />siding has been installed in order to prevent increased deterioration of the structure from moisture and/or insects. Mortar joints
<br />should be repointed only when there is evidence of moisture problems or when sufficient mortar is missing to allow water to
<br />stand in the mortar joint. Existing mortar shall be duplicated in composition, color, texture, joint size, method of application and
<br />joint profile. It is emphasized that, prior to initiating any restoration or rehabilitation effort, the property owner contact the
<br />Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County at 125 Lafayette, South Bend. The Commission is an
<br />invaluable source of information about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new material which is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was
<br />constructed, such as artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles. Sandblasting or the use of harsh detergents shall
<br />not be used on masonry including brick, stucco, limestone, flagstone, and sandstone. This method of cleaning erodes the surface
<br />material and accelerates deterioration. Brick surfaces shall not be painted unless they had been painted originally.
<br />Not Recommended
<br />Waterproof or water repellant 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. Mortarjoints which do not need repointing should not be repointed. Repointing
<br />shall not be done with a mortar of high Portland cement content which can often create a bond that is stronger than the building
<br />material. This can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and the differing porosity of the
<br />material and the mortar which can result in serious damage to adjacent brick. Paint shall not be removed from masonry surfaces
<br />indiscriminately
<br />B. ROOFS AND ROOFING
<br />C. WINDOWS AND DOORS
<br />Window and door frames are in most cases wood. Brick structures have stone sills and brick lintels. In some cases where
<br />additional siding has been applied window trim has been covered. Many structures in the district have aluminum storm windows.
<br />Some houses retain wood framed 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 frame storm windows and doors painted to match the original should be used but should not damage existing frames and
<br />should be removable. If new sashes or doors are installed, the existing or original materials, design, and hardware should be
<br />used. When metal storm doors and windows are used, they should be painted, anodized or coated to match the existing. When
<br />awnings are used they should be 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
<br />door openings which would alter the scale and proportion of the building shall not be introduced. Inappropriate new window and
<br />door features, such as aluminum insulating glass combinations that require the removal of the original windows and doors, shall
<br />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
<br />character or appearance of the building.
<br />D. ENTRANCES, PORCHES, AND STEPS
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