Historic Zoning Commission

Fourth and Gill H-1: Level II

11-J-08-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Repair fasia, soffit, siding as necessary, in kind; remove existing porch railing of sawn wood 2x2 spindles on 6" center set into top and bottom rails; replace porch rail with small dimension turned wood spindles set into top and bottom rails on 3" centers.

Site Info

Two story frame with weatherboard and imbricated shingle wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, side hipped roof dormer, rear shed roof dormer, raised panels, brackets, fishscale shingles and square vent in front and side gables, asphalt shingle roof covering. Queen Anne over one double hung windows. One story full front and side wrap around porch with turned wood columns, checkered pediment over front steps with raised square applied motif, brackets forming segmental arches. Vertically corbelled stuccoed brick interior offset chimney. Brick foundation. Cut away bay on north elevation with applied sunburst in central wall rather than window.

813 Deery is thought to be a George F. Barber design. However, the design has not been located in Barber's catalogues, so the design of the original railing has not been found. At the time of designation, the porch railing was a short, sawn wood railing with square balusters; that design was not appropriate to the house. The applicant, realizing the inappropriateness of that design, replaced it with a railing of turned balusters, set into the top and bottom rails, and closely spaced.

Current building codes require that a railing be 36" high if a railing is required. The rail was installed at that height, and at that height, looks inappropriate. The porch floor appears to be only 16-20" above the ground, and therefore does not require a railing. If the applicant wishes to install a railing to improve the appearance of the house, that new railing also does not need to be 36" high because the height of the porch floor does not require one. Staff recommendation is that one of two courses be followed: 1) remove the railing altogether; or 2) design a new railing at the appropriate height. If the applicant choses the second alternative, the railing should be shortened approximately 10-12".