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STAFF REPORT <br />CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A <br />CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS <br /> <br />Date: September 14, 2022 <br />Application Number: 2022-0906B <br />Property Location: 1240 West Thomas Street <br />Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Period Revival/1920/Firehouse #4 <br />Property Owner: Eric A. Boyd <br />Landmark or District Designation Local Landmark, #49037-99 <br />Rating: Outstanding <br /> <br />DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE: Firehouse 44 is a 2-story rectangular brick building. It had <br />a flat roof with limestone parapet coping, metal parapet scupper/cornice with brick brackets underneath <br />and ornate limestone detailing at the ends. The windows are 1/1 double -hung with limestone sills. There <br />is a brick side chimney, and a roof penthouse with hip roof. <br /> <br />ALTERATIONS: Most of the windows in this former firehouse have been boarded up prior to a 2007 fire. RME <br />2011-1110 approved replacement of metal roof to secure the building and protect it from the elements, although there <br />is no evidence it was ever installed. COA 2016-0809 to construct shed roof over part of building, and second floor <br />addition atop one-story brick portion at rear of building with vinyl siding and replacement windows was denied. <br />COA 2017-0602 allowed for the (retroactive) construction of a two-story vinyl-sided addition at the rear of the <br />structure (requests for window replacement were included in the approval). COA 2017-0602A (DENIED by the <br />Commission but APPEALED/OVERTURNED by the Common Council of South Bend) allowed for the installation <br />of a half-gabled roof over the western portion of the structure, as well as an open courtyard in the eastern portion. <br />COA 2017-1205A allowed for the addition of wood trim (to simulate double hung windows) to the boarded-up <br />windows on the east and west sides of the building, as well as the addition of shutters to the boarded-up windows. AA <br />2021-0405 allowed for the removal of the half-gabled roof and the installation of a flat roof, reroofing of the hose <br />house, the installation of new downspouts, and repair/rehabilitation of exterior walls (masonry). AA 2022-0812A re- <br />renewed AA 2021-0405 for the installation of the flat roof. <br /> <br />APPLICATION ITEMS: <br /> <br />“Replace Hose Tower with stick built tower woodwork. Wood siding / shingles roof 2 windows south / north <br />structural engineer requested demo tower, no support.” <br /> <br />“Cover window openings w/ siding Brown Tower woodwork. In color with white trim / privacy needs of <br />funeral home 1st floor. Autumn red vinyl siding. 5x12” <br /> <br />“Replace wood west side overheads door w/3 glass woodwork doorsthat also fold open for car/garage use. <br />These are use for car dealership floors. East by fold remain behind now framed 3-doors.” <br /> <br />DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: The applicant has requested approval for three distinct projects: <br /> <br />COA 2022-0906B-1 - Replace/reconstruct the hose tower on the flat roof. Staff recommends approval. <br /> <br />The structure suffered a fire in 2007 wherein the roof was extensively damage/destroyed. The replacement of the flat <br />roof (long advocated for by HPC and finally executed in the summer of 2022) necessitated structural <br />repair/replacement of many of the roof joists, including where the hose tower stood. The hose tower was <br />moved/removed for this installation of the new roof and structural improvements. Property owner proposes <br />reconstructing the hose tower. <br /> <br />COA 2022-0906B-2 - Side-over existing window openings with vinyl siding. Staff recommends denial. <br /> <br />Applicant proposes to fill in existing window openings with 5” vinyl siding in ‘Autumn red’ color.