Historic Zoning Commission

N/A: Level II

8-H-13-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

New split-level one-story addition proposed to be constructed in the footprint of the demolished noncontributing garage, housing two accessible toilet rooms serving outdoor events, two other accessible toilet rooms serving Westwood's main level, a wheelchair lift to Westwood's main level, an additional exit access path from Westwood, and a utility area. Connection to this addition from Westwood shall be made via the modified existing window opening in the north wall of the historic kitchen.

Materials: Brick base with concrete cap, to evoke configuration of demolished garage. Walls in locations aligning with previous garage wall locations will be of similar brick and bond pattern; walls in new locations will be of modern brick of a color to coordinate with historic limestone elements. Upper level to be clad in fiber cement lap siding, with matching trim. Aluminum-clad wood windows facing rear. Painted crawlspace access doors facing rear. Asphalt roofing shingles on sloped roof to match existing shingles on porte-cochere.

Site Info

The house is sitsuated on a 3.25-acre plot of land. The main entrance is from Kingston Pike and is flanked by two large stone pillars. These two stone pillars are set in a red brick serpentine wall that extends the full length of the frontage of the property. Built in 1890 and designed by the prominent local Victorian architectural firm of Baumann Brothers in the Queen Anne with Richardsonian Romanesque influences. The house is a two-story with a full attic and basement.

1) Work that is a Level I that has been previously approved as part of designation request: Demolition of noncontributing garage addition and associated metal access ladders, and modification of window sash and framing to restore original window on northwest 2nd level (window previously been modified into an exterior doorway). Installing original limestone sill from modified opening below at this location, and infilling brick below to match original configuration.

2) The new addition and proposed exterior alterations will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work is differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale, and massing of the northwest corner of the house.

3) the new addition will be constucted in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the main house and its environment would be unimpaired.

The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings shall govern the issuance of Certificates of Appropriateness for alterations to the exterior of Westwood. The Standards are listed below.

1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires
minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.

2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of
distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that
characterize a property will be avoided.

3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use.
Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural
features or elements from other historic properties will not be undertaken.

4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will
be retained and preserved.

5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of
craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.

6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity
of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match
the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing
features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest
means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

8. Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources
must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy
historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The
new work shall be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic
materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the
property and its environment.

10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such
a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic
property and its environment would be unimpaired.