Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 29 Residential Standards: Windows General understanding and approach Windows are a primary feature defining the architectural look of a building and are themselves individually important historic pieces of a building . Original or early windows should be preserved and not replaced unless beyond repair—defined as over 50% of the original materials needing to be replaced. Features of windows that are important to the architectural look of a building include their materials, placement within the facade of a building and their overall operational design— i.e. double hung, casement, hopper or fixed. Repairing, weather stripping, installing storm windows, and/or insulating around the window frame within the wall has been found to be as or more energy efficient, less expensive, and maintains the architectural look of a building while achieving energy efficiency versus window replacement. Read more about that here . If windows are not able to be rehabilitated then new windows should match the original in materials, operation, placement, and opening size . Read more about window repair and replacement here . What is your project? Repair existing windows, sash, or jamb • Original or early windows should be repaired using the same materials as original . Epoxy or similar repair consolidates are recommended . Replace fewer than all the windows • Original or early windows should be repaired using the same materials as original . Epoxy or similar repair consolidates are recommended . • Where some but not all windows in a building are beyond repair, as defined as over 50% of the original window material requiring replacement, proposed replacements should match the existing windows that will remain in size, shape, lite division, operation and materials . • When some windows need replacement on different facades, and a phased plan is proposed, replacement projects should be undertaken one entire facade at a time . The applicant should specify which facade and the planned project timeframe . • Phased projects should be completed in less than three years to avoid colors that do not match over time or manufacturer’s that change product lines . Replace all the windows in a building • Original or early windows should be repaired using the same materials as original . Epoxy or similar repair consolidates are recommended . • Where windows are beyond repair, as defined as over 50% of the original window material (not including glass) needing replacement, any new windows should match the original or early windows in size, shape, lite division, operation and materials . Windows Courtesy Old House Journal Administratively Approvable Repair of windows using the same materials, or a combination of original materials and epoxy as described in the “How to Repair Wood Windows” section here. Administratively Approvable Replacement of windows with new windows that match the original period of the building and are compatible with the original opening size.