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aluminum, vinyl or composite siding may be used. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the same size and style as the <br />original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around windows, doors, cornices gables, eaves and other architectural <br />features. <br />Property owners should contact the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County prior to initiating any restora tion <br />or rehabilitation effort. [ Address and contact information is listed in the front of the Guidebook.] The Commission is an invaluable source <br />of information about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration – materials, methods, contractors and the like. <br />Prohibited <br />Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new materials that is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was constructed, such as <br />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 sandstone. This <br />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 the building <br />material. Usage of Portland cement can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and porosity of the historic <br />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 masonry surfaces <br />by any means that damage the surface. <br />Not Recommended <br />Waterproof or water repellant coatings or surface consolidation treatments should not be used on masonry surfaces unless required to solve a <br />specific problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are frequently unnecessary and expensive, and can accelerate deterioration of <br />the masonry. Mortar joints, which do not need repointing, should not be repointed. Wood siding should not be power-washed. <br />B. ROOFS AND ROOFING <br />Roof shapes in the district encompass all the various designs found in residential structures: hipped, gabled, gambrel, flat and combinations <br />of these. Roofs are covered with a variety of materials such as asphalt, asbestos, wood and slate shingles as well as clay tiles. Residences in <br />most cases have wood fascias with gutters and downspouts. The fascias of some vinyl- and aluminum-sided houses are covered with the <br />same materials. <br />Required <br />The existing shape and type of materials of the roof shall be retained. All architectural features, which give the roof its essential character, <br />shall be retained, including dormer windows, cupolas, cornices, brackets, chimneys, cresting and weather vanes. <br />Recommended <br />The original shape and materials of the roof should be restored. Particular effort should be made to retain materials such as slate, tile and <br />other unique materials not commonly found in new construction. Roof covering which is deteriorated beyond repair should be replaced with <br />new material that matches as closely as possible the original in composition, size, shape, color and texture. Gutters and downspouts are often <br />a necessary adjunct in order to prevent deterioration of the structure; they should be maintained whenever possible or replaced with a style <br />comparable and suitable to the architectural period. <br />Prohibited <br />Nothing shall be done to change the essential character of the roof as viewed from a street by adding architectural features or large unsightly <br />fixtures, or by using materials inappropriate to the style of the house. The roof shall not be stripped of architectural features important to its <br />character. <br />Not Recommended <br />Overhanging eaves, soffit, brackets and gables should not be covered or enclosed when adding siding to a building. <br /> <br />SITE VISIT REPORT: <br />N/A <br /> <br />STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Commission ask the applicant to amend their <br />application as submitted to keep the existing soffit as wood, instead of replacing with aluminum. Staff recommends <br />approval of the remaining application items as submitted (the fascia will be hidden behind the gutters/downspouts). <br /> <br />Prepared by <br />Adam Toering, Historic Preservation Administrator