B.7.0 - 1502 W 9th St — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FEBRUARY 28, 2022 C14H-2014-0012; HR-2022-014105 MARY NELSON HOUSE 1502 W. 9TH STREET B.7 – 1 PROPOSAL Construct a rear addition and replace windows. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS 1) Construction of an approximately 600 square foot rear addition with a roof deck. Removal of a non-original rear closet and a single window will be required for the connection at the addition. The addition will be clad in stucco and will have sliding glass doors and square windows. The roof deck will be accessed by an exterior metal stair and will have a horizontal metal railing at the perimeter. 2) Replacement of historic window sashes with new 1:1 aluminum-clad wood windows, using a pocket installation method within existing frames and trim. Repair and retention of 4:1 wood screens. ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STANDARDS One-and-a-half story, rectangular-plan, front-gabled stuccoed frame bungalow with a projecting front-gabled bay to the left of the front façade; partial-width inset porch on stuccoed plain square posts; flat arches with coved intrados; false half- timbering in the tympanum of the primary front gable; Craftsman-style front doors at right angles, both with a transom; single and paired 1:1 fenestration with 4:1 wood screens. The City of Austin’s Historic Design Standards (March 2021) are based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and are used to evaluate projects at historic landmarks. The following standards apply to the proposed project: Repair and alterations 5. Windows, doors, and screens Standards 5.1 and 5.15 indicate that historic windows should be repaired rather than replaced, unless they are deteriorated beyond the point of stabilization and restoration. Standard 5.3 states that replacement windows should match the size and details of the existing windows, taking into account the design of the frames and sashes. The existing window sashes have multiple areas of deterioration, including wood rot, incompatible prior repairs, and poor fit within the window frames that results in air and water infiltration and an inability to secure the windows. Both a licensed inspector and a window contractor have indicated the existing sashes are beyond repair and should be replaced. The proposed replacement windows involve a pocket installation method, where the historic window trim and frames will remain in place. The sashes are removed by cutting the sash cords and removing the interior and parting stops. A new window unit with a minimal frame is inserted and the interior stop reinstalled. The frame will be largely concealed by the stop. The proposed windows will be custom fabricated to fit and will match the dimensions and profile of the historic 1:1 windows. The window screens will be repaired, with selective replacement of deteriorated wood members and new screen material. The screen frames are slightly wider than the window sashes and will conceal any added width of the frames for the pocket windows. While pocket window installation may not be appropriate in all cases, staff finds it an acceptable solution here due to multiple factors: deterioration of the existing sashes, the simple 1:1 window configuration, and the more elaborate 4:1 screens which give the windows their character. Standard 5.13 states that window and door openings should not be enlarged, moved, or enclosed except as required by an addition. The proposed addition involves removal of a single window for the connection, which meets this standard. Residential additions 1. Location 2. Scale, massing, and height These standards emphasize placing additions to the rear of a historic building and minimizing their scale and appearance B.7 – 2 from the street. Standard 1.5 further indicates that additions should connect to the existing building through the least invasive location and means. The proposed addition is of a restrained size and height. Due to the lower level of the street as compared with the lot and the addition’s placement at the rear of the house, the addition will not be visible from the street. The connection between the house and addition requires minimal modification, including removal of a non-original closet. The proposed project meets these standards. 3. Design and style These standards indicate that an addition should be differentiated but compatible with the historic building. The proposed addition is designed in a minimalistic, modern style, with elements that are differentiated but compatible with the historic house, per the descriptions below. 4. Roofs The proposed flat roof of the addition does not relate to the gabled and hipped roof form of the house. However, it serves to minimize the height and visibility of the addition. 5. Exterior walls The walls of the addition will be stucco, matching the walls of the historic house. While the material is not differentiated, other aspects of the design serve to distinguish the addition as new construction. Given the flat roof and modern fenestration of the addition, the stucco is a unifying element. 6. Windows, screens, and doors These standards indicate that windows and doors on an addition should be compatible with those on the historic building in terms of size, proportions, configuration, profile, and other characteristics. While the sliding glass doors and square windows do not correspond to those on the house in terms of their operation or proportions, their widths relate to those on the house. As part of a simple and restrained design, they are compatible. Summary The proposed solution for the windows would not be appropriate in all cases but will not significantly impact the integrity of the house for the reasons described above. The addition meets the applicable standards. Roof of the addition should reflect that of the house, but the proposal is agreeable since it is not visible from the street. COMMITTEE FEEDBACK STAFF RECOMMENDATION Approve the project. LOCATION MAP B.7 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photographs B.7 – 4 Rear (north) elevation where addition will be constructed. Photograph from the applicant, 2022. B.7 – 5 From top left: front elevation of the house, interior view showing that the screen’s frame is slightly wider than the window sash, inappropriately installed weatherstripping, and typical window conditions. Photographs from the applicant, 2022.