Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 32 Residential Standards: Windows • Glass block in operable window openings . • Permanent removal of sash and frame and in-fill of openings. • Replacing multi-pane windows with true divided lites with thermal glazing windows that have false “snap-in” or applied muntin and mullions or sash with no divided lites . • Smoked, tinted, or reflective glass on building facades that can be seen from the public street. • Filling in or removing transoms or side lites . • Install new floors or dropped ceilings that block the glazed area of historic windows. If such an approach is required, the design should incorporate setbacks that allow the full height of the window to be seen unobstructed . • Single hung storm windows where the window behind is a double hung or other multiple sash operation . • Storm windows that do not match with the window behind in color or sash division . • Permanently remove or alter original sash to install a window air conditioner . • Security bars located on the exterior of the window opening . • New shutters where there were originally none or those that are installed outside of the trim . • Vinyl sash packs . • Original doors, windows and hardware shall not be discarded when they can be restored and reused in place . • New window and door openings, which would alter the scale and proportion of the building may not be introduced . • Inappropriate new window and door features such as aluminum insulating glass combinations that require removal of the original windows and doors shall not be installed . • Awnings, hoods, and fake shutters made of metal, vinyl, or fiberglass should not be used if they would detract from the existing character or appearance of the building . Return to the Table of Contents