Historic Zoning Commission

Fourth and Gill H-1: Level II

9-O-17-HZ

Applicant Request

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

Install a transom window over the existing door -- a fixed glass, single-light, framed in directly above the door to bring the height of the door up to the height of the windows. The approximately 41 lineal feet of balustrade on the front porch will be refined with horizontal banding on the upper front and bottom that matches the dimension of the trimboards existing on the interior side. The proposed banding will conceal the beveled ends of the balusters. The current balusters are spaced 5.5" apart and do not meet the current code allowing no greater than a 4-inch spacing between them. Additional balusters will be placed in between the existing.

The former deck has been dismantled. Only the floor of the bottom deck remains along with two vertical members and a lateral which will support the metal roof to be used in the proposed screened-in porch. The non-original door opening to the former second level will be enclosed with siding to match existing. The screened-in porch is proposed to:
1) utilize the same footprint as the remaining lower deck: 11' deep x 14' wide,
2) be capped with a 5-V crimp metal roof attached to the side of the house on a ledger board, and;
3) will slope at the minimum required 3:12 ratio for a metal roof.

Site Info

Two-story frame with weatherboard wallcovering. High-pitched hip roof with lower cross gables, and imbricated shingles on front gable. Two interior offset side brick chimneys. Replacement 6/6 double-hung windows. One-story full front porch with late replacement deck-type balustrade and late -added sawn work between porch wood support posts. Two-story bay on front elevation. Irregular plan. (contributing)

1.There is physical evidence on the house in its change of siding type and window height to indicate that a transom existed over the entry door, and this is a very typical and common characteby the current configuation and not proportionate to the house.

2. The screened-in porch on the rear elevation will not be seen from the front street right-of-way and will not destroy historic fabric. The late wooden deck and steps that were removed were not of historical importance. The 5 V -groove metal roofing , while not appropriate on a historic front porch, is not inappropriate on a rear porch.

3. The proposed trim boards on the rails of the front balustrade to conceal the ends, and extra balusters will somewhat improve the appearance of the inappropriate replacement balustrade. However, balusters typically have ~4 inches between them, and the proposed will have only 1 3/4 inches. Therefore a mock-up of the basluster should be provided along with examples of historic balustrades with similar balusters spacing.