Historic Zoning Commission

Fourth and Gill H-1: Level II

12-C-08-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Modify newly installed porch rail of turned spindles with flat top and bottom rail, to be height of removed railing sawn spindles and rails. Install 5/4 cap in flat top rail to add decorative detail. Modified rail will be height of pre-existing rail, matched to ghosts showing where sawn wood rail was located.

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.

The primary concern with the newly installed railing was that it was not an appropriate height for the structure, and that it had a top railing that was too plain for the building. Reinstalling the railing at a lower height, and adding the decorative top railing, will blend it much better with the existing house. Although this building is probably a George Barber design, it has not been located in any pattern books, so the design of the original railing is unknown.