Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 36 Residential Standards: Additions General understanding and approach When planning an addition to an existing building, consider the effect it will have on the structure . The Standards are intended to direct design of additions that positively contribute to the original characteristics and style of a building as well as any later, appropriate alterations that occurred over time . Later, inappropriate alterations that are not in line or compliment the original characteristics of the house should not be considered in the design of an addition . The design should take advantage of existing site features, the orientation of the property, and its prevailing wind or solar patterns . The Standards Massing • Design the mass of a new addition to remain compatible but not overpower the primary structure . • The loss of historically significant features, where they exist, should be avoided. • An addition should be simple in design to prevent it from competing with the primary façade . • The addition should be distinguishable from the historic structure upon close inspection, while not drawing contrast as to detract from the historic structure . • A new addition should fit within the range of stories, size, and scale, that help define the character of the building and District. • Generally, the original orientation of a building should not be altered when constructing a new addition . An addition should not turn a secondary façade into a primary façade . • New additions should be reflective of their own time and not create a false historic look. Relationship with the Historic Structure • Place an addition at the rear of a building or set it back from the front to minimize its visual impact . This will allow the original proportions and character to remain prominent . • An addition should be compatible in scale, materials, and character with the main building . • Design any addition so that it is subordinate to the original building . Generally, additions should not exceed half of the original building’s total floor area or building footprint. • Additions shall be attached to secondary or tertiary elevations and should be set back from the front façade, so as not to damage or obscure character-defining features. • While a smaller addition is visually preferable, if the addition is to be significantly larger than the original building, one option is to separate it from the primary building, when feasible, and then link it with a smaller connector . Additions