Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 26 Residential Standards: Walls General understanding and approach The exterior walls of a building are a primary feature that gives the building its architectural look . Walls are clad in a variety of materials fashioned in a wide variety of designs, patterns, and installation methods . Together the materials protect the underlying structure and produce the exterior architectural look of the building . The original materials that cover the wall should be repaired to match the original materials in type, design, installation, and pattern . If matching materials cannot be secured then modern replacements can be considered if they match the look, design, and pattern of the original . What is your project? Repair the existing wall cladding, siding and/or trim Photographically document architectural features that are slated for reconstruction prior to the removal of any historic materials . Wood: • Repair wood siding with the same material as the original . Masonry – brick, terra cotta, stucco: • Salvage and reuse original masonry for repair . • Repairs should be done with materials and designs that match the original look . Brick and terra cotta units should match the size, color, shape and finish of the original. • Joints should utilize a mortar similar in strength, color and joint rake, depth, and decorative finishes of the original. • Fiberglass reproductions of missing terra cotta pieces may be deemed acceptable provided a mock-up sample is presented for approval prior to full scale use in the project . • Stucco walls should match the original in texture and tooling . Modern stucco coating materials are allowable for recoating and repair so long as the result is not a diminished reveal for the windows, trim, doors, or other wall details . • 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 because 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 . Replace existing siding with new siding If the historic siding is deteriorated beyond repair, defined as over 50% needing replacement, new siding should match the original in materials, form, size, placement, and design . Wood: • Replacement wood siding should match the existing profile, exposure, and thickness . New wood siding is recommended . • Any alternate siding must match the dimensions of the original siding including a smooth face, lap exposure and orientation and be installed with the least damage to the original . Walls Administratively Approvable Repair of any wall with the same materials as existed or with approved alternative materials. Wood lap siding should have a smooth face (left) and not a rough finish (right)