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PRESERVATION SPECIALIST REPORT: I visited the property at 841 Park Ave. located in the Chapin Park Local Historic
<br />District. The property owner has applied to use a cellular PVC trim material on the house. Upon inspection, the owner has
<br />already used this material on not only the corner boards but also the window trim on every window he has installed. I could not
<br />confirm whether or not the eave trim on the front of the house was finished in the same material. Every corner is already finished
<br />in this material. Work continues to be done although this product was previously not approved by the Commission. The owner
<br />cites other structures in the district that used non-traditional trim such as Hardi-board and LP Smart siding. I confirmed those
<br />addresses and materials used. These properties used these materials after they were applied for and approved by HPC as
<br />supported by COA paperwork
<br />Steve Szaday, Preservation Specialist
<br />STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES:
<br />CHAPIN PARK
<br />EXISTING STRUCTURES
<br />A. BUILDING MATERIALS
<br />Original exterior building materials in the district include brick, stucco, clapboard, wood shingles, and brick or stone masonry. In
<br />some instances, vinyl, composite and aluminum siding have been applied over the original material.
<br />Required
<br />Original exterior building materials shall be retained when possible. Deterioration of wood materials shall be prevented
<br />through repair, cleaning and painting. The existing architectural detail around windows, porches, doors and eaves shall be
<br />retained or replaced by replicas of the same design when deteriorated beyond repair. Masonry, including brick and stucco
<br />structures, shall be maintained, and properly cleaned only when necessary to halt deterioration or to remove stains and shall be
<br />done in a method acceptable for the preservation of the surface: i.e. low-pressure water and soft natural bristle brushes. Brick or
<br />masonry mortar joints should be repointed only when there is evidence of moisture problems, or when sufficient mortar is
<br />missing to allow water to stand in the mortar joint. Existing mortar shall be duplicated in composition, color, texture, joint size,
<br />method of application and joint profile. When repairing stucco, stucco mixture shall be used. A professional shall make a study
<br />of the old stucco, to determine the exact mixture and underlayment used in the original work. Some repair methods are not
<br />compatible with the original techniques and may cause early disintegration of the repair work and the original work. Ample
<br />ventilation must be afforded the structure when siding is installed, in order to prevent increased deterioration of the structure
<br />from moisture and insects.
<br />Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original building materials should be restored. When maintaining or repairing original siding is
<br />not feasible, aluminum, vinyl or composite siding may be used. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the
<br />same size and style as the original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around windows, doors,
<br />cornices, gables, eaves and other architectural features.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new material that is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was
<br />constructed, such as artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles. Sandblasting or the use of harsh detergents shall
<br />not be used on masonry including brick, stucco, limestone, flagstone and sandstone. This method of cleaning erodes the surface
<br />material and accelerates deterioration. Repointing shall not be done with a mortar of high Portland cement content which can
<br />often create a bond that is stronger than the building material. Usage of Portland cement can cause deterioration as a result of the
<br />differing coefficient of expansion and porosity of the historic masonry unit and the mortar. This most often results in serious
<br />damage to adjacent brick. Unpainted masonry surfaces shall not be painted unless they had been painted originally. Paint shall
<br />not be removed from masonry surfaces by any means that damage the surface.
<br />Not Recommended
<br />Waterproof or water repellent coatings or surface consolidation treatments should not be used on masonry surfaces unless
<br />required to solve a specific problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are frequently unnecessary and expensive, and
<br />can accelerate deterioration of the masonry. Mortar joints, which do not need repointing, should not be repointed. Wood siding
<br />should not be power -washed.
<br />STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Referencing Chapin Park Standards & Guidelines, Existing Structures, A. Building Materials,
<br />Required: Original exterior building materials shall be retained when possible and Recommended: Every effort should be made
<br />to retain the original trim around windows, doors, cornices, gables, eaves and other architectural features, Staff does not
<br />recommend replacing wood trim, soffit, and fascia with new artificial product. Furthermore, the Secretary of Interior Standards
<br />for Rehabilitation require that "deteriorated architectural features be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event
<br />that replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture,
<br />and other visual properties." Substitute materials should be used only on a limited basis and only when they will match the
<br />appearance and general properties of the historic material and will not damage the historic resource.
<br />Elicia Feasel, Executive Director
<br />Owner clarified that only a small amount of Plygem trim has been installed since April, when
<br />installation of this material with COA 2016-0401B was denied.
<br />N
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