Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 10 Residential Standards: Doors General understanding and approach The character-defining features of a historic door, surround, distinct materials, and placement should be preserved. New door(s) should be in character with the historic building with special emphasis on the main façades . Historic doors should be repaired . Installing weather stripping on doors and associated frames is a preferred method to replacement for improving weather efficiency, as are storm doors. Staff can approve a change in swing of an exterior door required due to code or fire regulations. Instead of replacing a character defining door, re-install the door so it swings out to meet code requirements. For more information on doors and entrances click here . Doors changed designs over time. A variety dating from the mid 1900’s until early 1900’s shown left to right What is your project? Repair a deteriorated front façade or other publicly visible façade entrance door • Preserve historic doors by repairing with the same material and matching decorative and functional features . • Historic details that should be preserved through rehabilitation include the door itself, any historic glass panes and related lite pattern and location, and hardware . Replace a deteriorated or damaged existing historic door • Historic doors on rear or alley locations can be replaced with alternatives such as metal to provide added security . • Doors on primary facades beyond repair, as defined as over 50% of material needing replacement, can be replaced with a new door matching the existing door in design, details, panel configuration and installation. • Whenever possible retain and reinstall original hardware . • Replacement doors should match the materials of the original but may be constructed with alternative materials approved by the commission . Administratively Approvable Repair an existing historic door with matching materials. Administratively Approvable Replace a door more than 50% deteriorated matching historic door’s materials, design, details, panel configuration and installation. Doors