Historic Zoning Commission

Mechanicsville H-1: Level II

6-E-14-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Major repair or replacement of materials or architectural elements

MASONRY WORK
a. Front Porch: Repair or remove the front porch brick columns and rebuild them using uniform period appropriate bricks. Ideally re-use the bricks from the chimneys at this property.
b. Foundation- Various areas of the brick foundation need attentin -replace bricks as necessary using period appropriate bricks and to repoint the foundation.

CHIMNEY REMOVAL
a. Remove cooking chimney only.

WINDOWS
a. Repair all windows with salvaged wooden parts or replace all windows withwooden 2- over- 2 simulated-divided-lights, or salvaged true-divided/2 light windows.
b. Windows placed and sized as the original; except in the former kitchen, which is on the back of the house. Along the back wall, install one window that match the rest of the windows used in the house.
c. Restore existing storm windows; and install new storm windows where needed; relocate existing storm windows to the most visible windows so that the new non-matching storm windows are not prominent. However, keep open the option to replace all the windows with wooden 2/2 true-divided light should the existing be too deteriorated to repair.

DOORS
a. FRONT/ENTRY DOOR: Restore the original entry door; install a modern full glass storm door ;
b. REAR DOORS: Remove the non-original rear door and install new rear door in the rear wall of the original house in place of a very deteriorated original window. The window is dimensioned 32" wide and 72" tall and is positioned approximately 24" above the floor level.
c. Install the existing rear door, a wooden half-light door, dimensions 32"x 80", in the place of the existing original window. Should restoration of the existing wood door become cost prohibitive, install a new rear fiberglass door of the same dimensions



SIDING
a. Remove the asphalt shingle siding.
b. Remove the original wood siding and replace with re-purposed historical wood siding that matches the original lap:
c. Retain the proportions of the corner siding, window and door trim and leave intact all architectural details/wooden vents in the gables.

ROOF
a. Remove the asphalt shingles and replace withshingle the roof with GAF architectural shingles, lifetime warranty, shale color;
b. Extend the shed roof along the rear of the house that covers the non-contributing addition to the NE corner of the original house, approx. 9'-4", and match the existing pitch, approx. 3/12. This roof will extend from the house approx. 8' to end in the same plane that currently exists in the roof covering the non-contributing addition. This roof extension will permit the construction of a covered rear porch. Note: this roof extension will cover the original window to be removed and replace with the existing rear door.

REAR PORCH
a. Construct a small covered back porch. This porch would continue from the corner of the non-contributing addition to the NE corner of the original house (approx. 9'-4") wide and project into the yard approx. 8' (terminating in the same plane as the non-contributing addition);
b.The floor of the porch would be constructed of t&g pine and the ceiling from t&g bead board pine (matching the construction materials of the front porch). A single post supporting the shed roof would be installed at the corner. It will be clad with 1x lumber matching the taper of the columns on the front of the house;
c. The porch will be approx. 18" above grade and no railings are necessary. No changes to the original house foundation will be made. The porch will simply attach to the original house and to the non-contributing addition by lag bolts.

Site Info

One-story frame with asbestos shingle wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables and asphalt shingle roof covering. Circular sawn wood attic vent. Double- hung two-over-two windows. One-story full front porch with splayed wood posts on brick piers. Interior offset brick chimney. Brick foundation. Irregular plan. (contributing)

1) The house has three INTERIOR chimneys-- ONE IS A COOKING CHIMNEY ON THE REAR. THE COOKING CHIMNEY AND THE ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE are not visible from the street from the front of the house; the one on the south side can be seen from the corner of McGhee and Clark and from the Helen Ross McNabb parking lot which abuts the property on its right (south) side. All chimney stacks have been reduced in height TO W ITHIN ABOUT 18 INCHES TO TWO FEET ABOVE THE ROOF AND CAPPED WITH FLASHING. No decorative BRICK DESIGNS REMAIN ON THE CHIMNEYS; HOWEVER, FIREPLACE CHIMINEYS ARE CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS.

2) The cooking chimney is approximately 4 sq feet SQUARE ON THE INTERIOR and is non-functioning. It has no embellishment and has been knocked down to approximately 18" above the roof.

3) The front porch has four WIRE-BRUSHED brick COLUMN SUPPORTS that have been REPAIRED over the years -- resulting in TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BRICK ONLY ON THE SUPPORT TO THE RIGHT OF THE FRONT DOOR. WIRE-BRUSHED BRICKS WERE USED DURING THE 1930s to 1940s. SINCE THESE BRICKS ARE OVER 50 YEARS OLD, THEY HAVE ACQUIRED SIGNIFICANCE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

4) The original back porch had been enclosed at some earlier point and appears to be in fair condition. The back door to this enclosure is not original.

5) Several nearby homes have metal roofs - some are commercial-grade "ribbed" metal roofs. At least one house nearby on Deaderick has an unpainted 5V-groovemetal roof that WAS INSTALLED IN THE MID-1990s ACCORDING TO A NEIGHBOR. There is no documentation of a metal roof having been utilized at 1011 McGhee. 5V-groove metal roofing was typically only utilized on outbuildings or porches, AND MORE TYPICALLY IN RURAL AREAS.

6) The original windows were 2- over- 2 -light windows.

7) Full -single-light french doors have been approved for the rear of houses if significant architectural details will not be lost. IN this case, no significant historic material will be lost. Multi-light doors are not appropriate for the period of the house.

8) New window and door openings may be added to non-character-defining elevations as long as no significant historic fabric is lost. The sides and back of house exhibit no significant historical details.

9) The windows are deteriorated to a degree similar to those that have been approved to be replaced in other recent applications.

10) Fiber cement board siding is not recommended by the Mechanicsville Design Guidelines.