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Home My WebLink About2. 809 Forest Avenue_COA 2022-1205HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: December 12, 2022 Application Number: 2022-1205 Property Location: 809 Forest Avenue Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: American Foursquare / 1890 Property Owner: POLANIECKI ANDREW J & SHERRI A Landmark or District Designation: Chapin Park Local Historic District, Cha- pin Park National Register District Rating: Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE: The home is a two storey with an irregular floor plan set upon a brick foundation. The roof is hipped with side gables and cornice returns and covered with asphalt shingles. The chim- ney is slightly offset with corbelled brick. The exterior walls are 4 1/2” wood clapboard with frieze and moulded cornice and corner boards There is a full width front porch with four slender turned spindle columns, a concrete floor and moulded cornice. The windows are 1/1 double hung with moulded entablatures. ALTERATIONS: The rear porch was enclosed and a one storey addition built onto the rear of the house. A bay window was added to the west side of the house. The barn noted in the 1987 survey card has burned. There are aluminum storm windows and a new roof. The original wooden porch has been replaced by concrete. A second storey addition in the rear of the house was approved by the Commission in April, 2009. COA 2009-0601 allowed for the installation of a wooden spaced French Gothic fence. RME 2017-0831 allowed for the removal and replace- ment of the asphalt shingle roof and flashing. Two upstairs windows were removed, restored, and rehung by the homeowner (with assistance from neighbors) in early Spring of 2019. APPLICATION ITEMS: “Demolition of non-contributing portion at rear of house. Construction of a new 2- story Family Room + Owner’s Suite addition with new back porch. Details and materials intended to match exist- ing 1880s house.” DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: The applicant has requested approval to: Remove the 2009 2-story addition at the rear of the structure and construct a new addition. Addition is ap- proximately 14’2” x 28’. This structure has been repeatedly added on-to from the original 1890 footprint. The existing two-story addition was approved by the HPC (COA #2009-0406A) and completed in 2009-2010. This addition added on to/replaced an existing one-story addition to the structure. This proposal calls for removing the 2009 addition and constructing a new two -story addition in roughly the same location. The addition will include a gabled roof running north-south, mirroring the gables of the existing struc- ture. A new porch will be added at the rear of the structure, facing the alley. The proposal complies with existing site setbacks and lot coverage requirements. The proposed materials and finishes for the structure include wood siding, asphalt shingles, and brick facing on the foundation and chimney. Windows are proposed to be double-hung and casements with trim casing to match the existing. Porch posts will be wood surrounding structural posts. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: Chapin Park HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov III. New Construction New construction includes any new building or structure built within the boundaries of the historic district, or any new addi tion to an existing building. New construction should be designed considering the appearance, scale, styles and setbacks of the other b uildings in the neighborhood. New work may be contemporary or may suggest motifs from historic buildings in the district. A. HEIGHT AND PROPORTION The majority of the structures in the district are two stories in height and have square or rectangular plans. There are several houses that have L- or T- shaped or rambling ground plans. There are a few single-story cottages and one- and one-and-a-half story bunga- lows. The most prevalent façade proportions are between a 1:1 and 1:2 height to width ratio. Required The height of a new structure and its height to width proportions shall be consistent with adjacent buildings in the district . The building height shall be no greater than that of the tallest existing structure and no less than that of the lowest existing structure in the same block. Façade proportion shall be established by permitting no structure with a façade wider or narrower than those existing in the same block. Additions to the existing buildings shall be related in height and proportion to the existing structure. Recommended Design of new construction should be compatible in character and mood to the building or neighborhood. Prohibited Additions that would add new height or change the existing façade of a building, and change its scale and architectural character shall not be considered. Not Recommended New stories should not be added nor existing stories be removed which would destroy important architectural details, features and spaces of the building. Any style or period of architecture that is incompatible with the existing should not be permitted i n the new additions. B. BUILDING MATERIALS Wall materials in the district range from brick, stucco and wood clapboard and shingles, to aluminum, vinyl and fiberboard / compo- site siding. Required Exterior materials used on a new structure shall be compatible in scale, texture and color (as pertains to masonry) with adjacent structures. Materials used on an addition to an existing structure shall related to the existing or original materials of th at structure. Also, as much of the original structure as possible shall be retained so that the addition could be removed without damage to the basic structure and appearance of the building. Recommended Alternative or composite siding may be used when it is the only feasible alternative. This siding should be compatible with the origi- nal size and style and with the materials of other buildings in the district. Prohibited Inappropriate materials such as asbestos, asphalt, cast stone or artificial brick shall not be used. Not Recommended Glass blocks should not be used. Concrete block should not be used for anything other than the foundations. SITE VISIT REPORT: N/A STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the project, with the condition that final product selections are remanded to Staff for review and approval. Prepared by Adam Toering, Historic Preservation Administrator HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov LOCATION MAP - Map showing location of the property and surrounding area (Google Maps) AERIEL MAP - highlighted property on map Sanborn 1899 1917 1945 1960 MACOG 2019 1319 E. South Street, South Bend, Indiana 46615 p. 574‐234‐6578 ♦ email: johncmellor@gmail.com December 5, 2022 Adam Toering, Historic Preservation Administrator Department of Community Investment City of South Bend 227 West Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 1400S South Bend, Indiana 46601 MEMORANDUM Certificate of Appropriateness Application Polaniecki House / Chapin Park Historic District South Bend Adam, My clients, Andre’ and Andrew Polaniecki, are the owners and residents at 809 North Forest Avenue in South Bend. Their home sits within the Chapin Park Historic District, whose district report describes the property as a Gabled T / American Four Square. Specifically, its description the house is as follows: Harriet Sweet was listed as the owner of this property, lot 26, in 1890; however, neither she nor her husband is ever listed at this address. The house was built between 1890 and 1894 and was later modified. George Uhler, a stenographer for Oliver, lived here from 1894 until 1898. Fred and Addie Hinz purchased the house in 1916. The house as originally constructed is largely intact, save for a series of alterations in the back. This includes an addition completed in 2009 of a new second story bedroom on top of a pre‐existing addition to the house. This work has proven to be unsatisfactory to the current owners, as the decision to place it on top of the pre‐existing work has resulted in a number of awkward conditions within the house. While ceilings in the original 1890s portion of the home exceed 9 feet on the main level, they are below 8 feet in the rear addition. This lowered ceiling also results in a mis‐alignment of floor levels between the rooms on the upper floor, requiring a short run of steps to access the rear bedroom. Further, access to this bedroom is gained only by first passing through a bathroom – a strange condition at best. Also, the rear addition is constructed on an uninsulated slab‐on‐grade which causes this room to be too cold and Certificate of Appropriateness Application Bess House / Riverside Historic District South Bend Page 2 uncomfortable to occupy in the winter months. Finally, the existing rear room is oriented to the north and west sides of the house and does not have a direct view to the generous side yard to the south where it would benefit from access to views of the yard and the sun year‐round. The Polaniecki family wishes to remove this 2009 addition and the previous non‐ contributing rooms below and replace it with a new Family Room / Owner’s suite that is intended to compliment the historic fabric of the existing house while providing a more comfortable, efficient, and desirable series of rooms. The new work will align internally with main and upper floor levels, include a full basement, and include a new back stair that will provide safer egress from the addition in the event of an emergency as well as more convenient access from the new Owner’s suite to the informal rooms below. Construction materials and details will be in keeping with the existing house. Principal materials will be painted wood, asphalt shingles, and brick facing on portions the foundation and chimney. The main house will be clad with lapped wood siding to match the existing. New windows will be double hung and casement with trim casing to match existing. The proposed porch columns will be clad in painted wood to hide structural posts and connections, and are simple but traditional in detail to defer to the more ornate front porch. Rafter tails with decorative ends sit on an architrave beam across the front of the porch, while the sides are covered with ship‐lapped vertical siding. The ceiling of the porch will be painted beadboard, while the roof will be covered with asphalt shingles to match the main house. Please review the attached photos and the preliminary set of design documents for more information regarding the project. I look forward to discussing the proposed work with you and anticipate receiving a Certificate of Appropriateness soon. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Respectfully submitted, John C. Mellor, AIA, LEED AP / John Mellor Design C: Andre’ and Andrew Polaniecki