Historic Zoning Commission

Fourth and Gill H-1: Level II

8-I-17-HZ

Applicant Request

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

LEVEL I
Remove aluminum covering from window frames.

LEVEL II
Replace the wrought iron balustrade with a 36-inch-high wooden balustrade with 2x2-inch square balusters (at 4 inches on center). Wooden porch roof support posts at 9"-6" x 9'-6". The current wooden balustrade and square newel posts are to be lowered to 36 inches and 39 inches high respectively. The egg-and-dart decoration at bases of the newel posts and columns will be removed. The top rail of the balustrade will have a circular cross-section with an outside diameter of at least 1.25 inches and not greater than 2 inches to meet building code.

The non-original front door was replaced by the applicant with an oak wood door. The front entry originally had sidelight frames on each side which have been removed, and new sidelights of a lower height were installed by the applicant. A gap at the top of the newly installed door frame, a result of the difference in height between the original door and/or transom and the newly installed door (7 feet high), is proposed to be infilled with a ~7-inch-high glass transom.

Site Info

One-story frame with brick veneer added c. 1950. Hip roof with jerkin head gables, imbricated shingles at gables, sawn wood bargeboard. One-over-one double-hung replacement windows. One-story two-thirds front porch with bellcast roof, replacement metal columns and balustrade. Interior offset brick chimney. Brick foundation. Irregular plan. Sidelights at front entry. Replacement door. Projecting octagonal bay on front elevation. (Contributing)

1) The c. 1895 Queen Anne cottage is a contributing structure within the Fourth and Gill H-1 zoning overlay and the National Register Historic District.

2) The wrought iron balustrade, porch roof supports, and front door that were replaced were not original to the house. The sidelight frames that were appear to have been original based on the submitted photos.

3) No evidence has been discovered as to the design of the original front porch balustrade; therefore, a simple wood square-in-section design for both the balusters and porch roof supports is appropriate.

4) The height of the porch balustrade and step railing that are currently installed are not appropriate to the house. The balustrade/railing would be appropriate at 36"- high to meet building code, with newel posts at 39"- high.

5) The egg-and-dart molding at the base of the newels and the columns and at the top of the columns is not appropriate for the Queen Anne cottage style. A plain 1x 8-inch molding at the bottom and a plain 1x 6-inch molding at the top of the columns would be appropriate.

6) The ~9'-6" x 9'-6" wood porch roof support posts are appropriate to the style of the front porch.

7) The lowered height of the sidelight frames to ~7 feet is not appropriate since the height of the original sidelight frames measure 7'-5" to 7'-7" in height.

8) No evidence is provided that a transom existed over the front door; therefore, installing a transom would not appropriate if it could create a false sense of history. There is only about 7 inches of height remaining over the newly installed front door in which to install a transom, which is insufficient space to achieve an appropriate scale.

9) The doors of the Queen Anne era was typically a half-light or 3/4-light door with either no muntins or small panes framing the perimiter, as indicated by original doors on other Queen Anne cottages in the district. The current door knob on the door is not appropriate haredware for the era -- the appropriate hardware would be a handle instead of a knob.