B.8 - LHD-2019-0031 - 607 Oakland Ave — original pdf

Backup

HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JANUARY 27, 2020 APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS LHD-2019-0031 607 OAKLAND AVENUE SMOOT/TERRACE PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT B.8 - 1 PROPOSAL Remove brick cladding, restore and repair original wood cladding, add a window opening on the front wall, raise the house 2 feet, extend a covered porch across the right side of the building, construct a small 2-level rear addition, construct an attached carport, and shift a window opening forward on the south (secondary) wall. ARCHITECTURE One-story, rectangular-plan house with hipped roof, brick cladding, and 1:1 wood-sash windows covered by decorative shutters; gable-roofed entry porch with brick railing. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS The proposed project has eight parts: 1) Remove brick cladding due to cracking and buckling (see backup); 2) Restore and repair original wood cladding; 3) Add a window opening on the front wall to create symmetrical paired openings on both sides of the door; 4) Raise the house 2’ to install new concrete piers and raise the basement height; 5) Extend the covered porch across the entire front wall of the house, rebuilding the porch gable roof and adding boxed columns and metal railings; 6) Construct a two-level rear addition that will extend the side walls by 8’ and have a footprint of 231 square feet. The addition will match existing siding and feature 1:1 wood-sash windows and a fully glazed door at the ground (basement) level. An open deck at the street level (second story of the addition) will have a footprint of 279 square feet, wood decking, metal railings, and metal and wood stairs; 7) Construct an attached carport on the south wall 15’ back from the primary façade. The carport will have a flat roof supported by simple metal posts; and 8) Shift a window opening forward on the south (secondary) wall. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW The property is contributing to the Smoot/Terrace Park Historic District. The following requirements from the historic district design standards apply to the proposed project: General standard Do not add a new feature that was not there historically. The proposed project extends the covered front porch to be full-width, creating a false sense of history. Previously, the applicant proposed to construct an uncovered patio with low brick walls on the right side of the primary façade, a change that would be discernible as new. The proposed full-width porch does not meet this standard, but the patio would. Currently proposed; staff does not support: B.8 - 2 Previously proposed; staff and COA Review Committee support: Alterations standards A.1 Retain and repair the historic exterior materials on front walls, side walls within 15 feet of the front, unless HPO staff and/or the HLC agree that repair is not possible due to deterioration beyond repair. The proposed project removes brick cladding, which sits on a separate perimeter foundation from the pier-and-beam house and is cracking and buckling. The project meets this standard. A.2 If replacement of the historic exterior wall materials is necessary, choose a material similar in dimensions, profile, reveal, and texture to the historic material, and install the new materials so that they do not damage adjacent historic fabric and so that they maintain the planar relationships and joint patterns that existed historically relative to window frames, door frames, and other exterior features. The proposed project will restore the existing wood cladding, which was covered by brick sometime between 1935 and 1961, according to Sanborn maps, and still appears to be in good condition. Building permits do not record this change. The only permit issued during that time period was for water pipe replacement in 1955. The project meets this standard. B.8 - 3 C.1 Avoid alterations that enlarge or relocate window openings, or add new window or skylight openings, on front walls, side walls within 15 feet of the front, or roofs within 15 feet of the front. The proposed project adds a window opening on the front wall and relocates a window opening on the south (secondary) wall. Neither proposed change meets the standard, but staff believes that the relocation of the south window opening is not a substantial alteration and supports the change. Staff does not support the addition of the window opening on the front wall, which will change the character-defining configuration of the primary façade and create a false sense of history. D.1 Avoid alterations that enlarge or relocate window openings, or add new window or skylight openings, on front walls, side walls within 15 feet of the front, or roofs within 15 feet of the front. The proposed project adds a window opening on the front wall and relocates a window opening on the south (secondary) wall. Neither proposed change meets the standard, but staff believes that the relocation of the south window opening is not a substantial alteration and does not oppose the change. Staff does not support the addition of the window opening on the front wall, which will change the character-defining configuration of the primary façade and create a false sense of history. E.1 Retain and repair the original roof shape… within 15 feet of the front. The proposed project extends the covered porch and front-gabled porch roof to be full- width. The project does not meet this standard. F There are no required standards for Site Improvements. A previously proposed project included the construction of an uncovered patio with low brick walls on the right side of the primary façade, a change that would be discernible as new. Staff and the COA Review Committee supported the proposal. Additions standards 1. New additions should be compatible with the historic building by reflecting the 2. scale, massing, and/or materials of the historic building, but differentiated enough so that they are not confused as historic or original to the building. If designing an addition in a contemporary style, reflect the scale, massing, and/or materials of the historic building; if designing an addition in a style that reflects the style of the historic building, differentiate the scale, massing, and/or materials, at least slightly. 3. Design new additions that are subordinate to and do not overpower the historic building. 4. Construct additions that avoid the removal or obstruction of any historic exterior features on the front of the building or the sides within 15 feet of the front. 5. Set back a new ground-level addition a minimum of 15 feet measured from the front wall of the house (excluding the porch). The proposed addition is located at the rear of the house and has a compatible design. The proposed attached carport is designed in a contemporary style and is both compatible with and differentiated from the historic building. It is set back 15’ from the front wall and subordinate to the historic building. B.8 - 4 7. Design basement additions so that they do not raise the floor level of the house, or so that the new floor level of the house is not higher than either the average of the contributing houses on the same block face, or the average of the adjacent houses if contributing. The proposed project raises the house by 2 feet. No information on adjacent house levels was provided. Some elements of the proposed project meet the applicable standards; others do not. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS In July 2019, the committee supported extending the patio wall and strongly advised against adding a new window opening on the front wall. STAFF RECOMMENDATION The staff recommendation has three parts: window opening on the front wall. 1. Approve the plans, with the exception of the front porch extension and the new 2. Consider the proposed raising of the house by 2’. 3. Allow staff to administratively approve the previously proposed construction of an uncovered patio with low brick walls if the applicant revises the currently proposed plans. LOCATION MAP B.8 - 5 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos B.8 - 6 Primary (west) façade of 607 Oakland Avenue.