1. 523 South St. Joseph Street_COA 2025-0923-Packet

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HISTORIC 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: November 12, 2025 Application Number: 2025-0923-2 Property Location: 523 South St. Joseph Street Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Queen Anne, Free Classic / c. 1905 Property Owner: Edgar Medina Landmark or District Designation: Taylor’s Field LHD, Ordinance #8952-98 Rating: Significant/Notable DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/SITE: This is a two story plus attic Queen Anne Free Classic house with wood clapboard siding covered with fiber cement singles and a hip roof with intersecting gables with asphalt shin- gles. Windows are wood 1/1 double hung. palladian style window inset in front gable. South facade features round- ed corners with curved sash and glass windows. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: The applicant has requested approval to: 1) Replace asphalt shingles with asphalt shingles and replace failing skylight with a new skylight. Administratively Approved 2) Remove fiber cement shingle siding and replace with vinyl siding. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: Walls: Pages 26-28. SITE VISIT REPORT: Historic Preservation Administrator Ross Van Overberghe and Historic Preservation Specialist Kate Himick visited the house on multiple occasions. On 9/26/25, Administrator Van Overberghe and Specialist Himick met with the property owner to discuss their plans for the siding and to inspect the areas of water damage. Staff advised the property owners to remove some sections of siding to assess the condition of the origi- nal clapboard siding and to obtain a quote for painting the original siding. Staff again visited on 11/4/25 to inspect the condition of the original wood clapboard siding. Staff observed 2 areas of original siding had been exposed in addition to one that had been previously exposed. All areas of exposed siding were solid and showed no signs of rot. Staff noted damage to window sills due to water trapped behind vinyl and aluminum storm windows, and lack of water protection at the top of the windows. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Due to improperly installed or maintained fiber cement siding, water damage had occurred to several sashes and sills. Windows on the south and west facades showed the most damage. Weep holes and the bottom edge of storm window frames installed on the windows have been caulked causing water to be trapped, accelerating the decay of the wood sills and sashes. Additionally, lack of a rain cap or drip edge at the top of the windows allows for water to run down the siding and behind the window casing and into the jamb, sash- es and sills. Despite significant damage to some windows, the original siding remains in great shape and could be restored. Installation of vinyl siding over the original clapboard will cause the outer layer to protrude farther than the windows casing continuing the conditions for water infiltration to the interior of the windows system, continu- ing to cause water damage and further rot. Additionally, installation of vinyl siding will introduce more holes in the