District: Holy Cross - Full Control
Owner: Tracy L Nelson
HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy
Rating: Contributing
Applicant: J. A. Modinger Architect, LLC
Permit #: 24-21314-HDLC
Description: Demolition of an existing rear lean-to for construction of a new 640 SF one-story rear addition and construction of new side covered porch at a Contributing rated, one-story, single-family residential building.
HDLC Design Guidelines:
Section 12, Pages 14-19 and 18 of the Guidelines for New Construction, Additions and Demolition state that except for camelbacks, most residential additions expand the footprint of an existing building by constructing more space at the rear or side of an existing building. If appropriately designed, additions to existing buildings can provide increased space while maintaining the historic character of the original building and streetscape. In conformance with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, an addition to a historic building should be subordinate to the historic building and read clearly as an addition. The subordinate appearance of an addition can be achieved through its scale, form, massing, materials, and details. Additions to existing properties should not obscure, damage, or destroy significant architectural material and should be compatible with the design of the property, as well as the neighborhood. Whenever possible, additions should be constructed in a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the existing building would be intact. When constructing additions to existing buildings, property owners are encouraged to consider the integrity of the existing building and its historic significance. Similar to the principles for new construction, additions should not duplicate historic building details, but should be visually compatible. The HDLC also requires:
The preservation of the cohesive ambiance of historic buildings and neighborhoods with compatible, sympathetic construction.
Compatible siting, proportion, scale, form, materials, fenestration, roof configuration, details and finishes at all additions.
Construction of additions at secondary elevations wherever possible, subordinate to the historic building, and compatible with the design of the property and surrounding neighborhood.
Construction of additions so that historic building fabric is not radically changed, obscured, damaged, or destroyed.
In the same way that form and mass of an addition should be compatible but not necessarily copy historic buildings, new details should be compatible but not necessarily copy historic trim and details. Existing details and trim may be used as the basis for those on additions and be simplified to provide compatibility without requiring duplication of historic features. Using similar forms such as those found at parapets, rooflines, windows, doors, trim, porches, balconies, galleries and other façade elements can help establish continuity and compatibility within a building, block and the historic setting as a whole. Detail and trim should be used to accomplish purposes similar to those used historically. Examples of functional and decorative elements include cornices, lintels, arches, balustrades, chimneys, shutters, columns, posts and other common details. When used, details and trim should create a unifying effect on a building and should be compatible with the context of the neighborhood.
Previous ARC & Staff Recommendations:
08/07/24: August Commission meeting cancelled due to lack of quorum.
07/23/24: The ARC voted to recommend conceptual approval with the final details to be worked out at the Staff level. The ARC also agreed that:
The proposed column at the new side entry porch should be simplified with standard flat trim.
The proposed new porch access stair should be centered on the porch to align with the existing door opening. This may require modifying the previously installed permeable pavers at this area.
Staff Recommendation: Approval