A. Introduction. Commercial Buildings

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1 Commercial Buildings A. Introduction Historic preservation has played a major part in the economic revitalization of many of Virginia s older downtowns including Strasburg. Appropriately rehabilitated facades located within the downtown historic district create a natural setting for commercial activities. Customers and visitors expect an attractive, well-maintained central business district. Each building improvement helps generate the next project. These guidelines reflect the pragmatic approach that historic downtowns continue to evolve and adapt with each new generation. Physical changes to historic assets are managed carefully, but no attempt is made to stop change. Over time the framework of historic preservation and economic development can work together to keep downtown viable, and help it continue to play its role as the historic heart of the community. One of Strasburg s most unique features is the retention of historic second-floor gallery porches over a number of its historic storefronts on King Street. Recessed entries and large plate glass windows resting on wooden bulkheads, and capped by decorative storefront cornices are typical of Strasburg s historic commercial structures from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Table of Contents 1

2 Table of Contents 2 B. ELEMENTS OF A STOREFRONT Commercial buildings from the districts early development mirror the styles and forms of simple residential structures. Most historic late-nineteenth to early-twentiethcentury commercial buildings in Strasburg follow the traditional main street design and contain ground-floor retail businesses that require display windows. The upperstory space is used for housing, storage, or offices. As a result, the primary elevations or facades of historic storefronts have a predictable appearance. Generally, commercial buildings in Strasburg are two to three stories and nearly all have flat or sloping roofs. Traditional commercial buildings have three distinct parts that give the facade an overall unified appearance: storefront, upper floor(s), and cornice. Most of the historic commercial buildings in Strasburg are vernacular adaptations of this later form. Typical Elements of a Commercial Facade and Storefront Cornice The cornice decorates the top of the building and may be made of metal, masonry, or wood. Some decorative cornices project from the building while an ornamental band delineates others. The top of the wall may have a patterned brick band or may have a coping of brick, concrete, or metal. Upper Facade Upper facades are characterized by smaller window openings that repeat on each floor. These windows may vary in size, type, and decoration but usually are the same for each floor. Other facade details may be present on the upper level facades such as brick banding, corbelling, metal grilles, or decorative panels. Storefront The first-floor storefront is transparent and is framed by vertical structural piers and a horizontal supporting beam, leaving a void where the storefront elements fit. An optional storefront element seen on some examples is an entrance to the upper floors. Later buildings may lack several elements of traditional storefronts such as transom windows or decorative details. awning SIGN building cornice bracket double-hung window sign board storefront cornice transom window transom bar display window brick pier bulkhead recessed entry

3 C. STOREFRONT REHABILITATION Over time commercial buildings are altered or remodeled to reflect current fashions or to eliminate maintenance problems. Sometimes these improvements are misguided and may result in a disjointed and unappealing appearance. Other improvements that use good materials and sensitive design may be as attractive as the original building; and these changes should be retained. The following guidelines will help to determine what is worth saving and what should be rebuilt. MAINTENANCE Follow Maintenance for Wood and other materials found in Chapter 10. INAPPROPRIATE TREATMENTS Do not remove or cover character-defining storefront elements including display windows, partially glazed period doors, or bulkheads. Avoid creating false historical appearances or other designs that include inappropriate elements such as pent eaves between floors, metal awnings, plastic shutters, inoperable shutters, or shutters on windows where they never previously existed. Avoid using materials that are incompatible with the period of the building. These may include aluminumframe windows and doors, aluminum panels or display framing, enameled panels, textured wood siding, unpainted wood, artificial siding, and wood shingles. False historical appearances such as Colonial, Olde English, mansard roofs, or other theme designs should not be used. Photographic research could help create a rehabilitation plan for these storefronts. When decorative wooden trim is well-maintained and painted in appropriate historic colors, it adds a character-defining element to a storefront. Table of Contents 3

4 Table of Contents 4 GUIDELINES for storefront rehabilitation: 1. Conduct pictorial research to determine the design of the original building or early changes, when necessary. 2. Conduct exploratory physical investigation, not to exceed six square feet, to determine what remains and its condition, when necessary. Note: consultation with the ARB before the removal of any material is strongly recommended. 3. Retain, and where necessary restore to their original appearance, second-story porches on commercial buildings. 4. Remove any inappropriate features, materials, signs, or canopies covering the facade. Remove any roof-mounted signs. 5. Retain all elements, materials, and features that are original to the building or are sensitive remodelings, and repair as necessary. 6. Repair, or when necessary replace, original storefront elements in-kind. 7. Reconstruct missing original elements such as cornices, windows, and storefronts if documentation is available. If not, design new elements that respect the character, materials, and design of the building. 8. Maintain paint on wood surfaces, and use appropriate paint placement and signage to enhance the inherent design of the building. See Chapter 10 for further information about painting. 9. When designing new elements, conform to the configuration and materials of the traditional storefront design. Second story porches on commercial buildings must be retained. This King Street storefront has been well-maintained and many of its original features retained. The overhang of the second-story porch shades the plate-glass storefront windows which allow passersby to better see into the interior displays.

5 D. NEW STOREFRONTS By the mid- to late-nineteenth-century storefronts were typically included in any building that had retail/commercial functions on the first floor. Traditional storefronts are twenty-five to forty feet in width and are generally clear of major vertical except at the end piers. Storefronts are primarily transparent to allow for display of merchandise, allow natural light, and encourage street vitality. GUIDELINES for NEW STOREFRONTS: 1. Street level facades of all building types, whether commercial, office, or institutional, should not have blank walls; they should provide visual interest to the passing pedestrian. 2. To provide visual interest, there should be no more than ten feet of unadorned wall space at the street level of commercial and office buildings. 3. When designing new storefronts or elements for storefronts, base designs on the configuration and materials of traditional storefronts. New structures may offer the opportunity for more contemporary interpretations of the traditional storefront design. 4. Keep the ground-level facades of new retail/commercial buildings at least 80% transparent up to a level of ten feet. 5. Office buildings should be at least 50% transparent at the street level, and their design should incorporate storefronts or large windows. 6. Include doors in all storefronts. If a building has multiple storefronts, each should have its own door. 7. Articulate the bays of institutional or office buildings to provide visual interest. 8. Any parking structures facing onto important streets or onto pedestrian routes should have storefront elements such as display windows or other forms of visual relief at the street level. This storefront reinterprets the typical storefront elements in an updated design. The simple design of this storefront retains the transparency at street level and a more contemporary awning design. This more contemporary development is based on traditional commercial building elements and uses many of the principles covered in the New Construction chapter. With its storefront windows and awnings, this type of design may be appropriate for parcels zoned highway commercial such as those in the Hupp s Hill district. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Planning a Project 3. Architectural Styles 4. New Construction 5. Additions 6. Commercial Buildings 7. Signs 8. Awnings 9. Rehabilitation 10. Materials 11. Site Design 12. Demolition 5

6 Table of Contents 6 E. REARS OF BUILDINGS The area behind commercial buildings is often forgotten and neglected. This area may be a utilitarian space for deliveries and storage of discarded goods. However, in some cases, the rear of the building may provide the opportunity for a secondary entrance. The appearance of the back area then becomes important to the commercial area of the district and to the individual business. Customers may be provided with direct access from any parking area behind the building. In these cases, the back entrance becomes a secondary entrance to the store or business and is the first contact the customer makes with the business. Potted plants and an awning make the rear entrance to this building attractive to customers entering from a parking area to the rear of the building. New steps and a railing provide access to a secondfloor rear entrance, and potted plants discourage use of an areaway below. GUIDELINES for rears of buildings: 1. Keep entrances uncluttered and free from unsightly items such as trash or recycling materials not in containers. 2. Leave enough space in front of the rear entry for pedestrians to comfortably enter the building and meet all handicapped requirements. 3. Consolidate and screen mechanical and utility equipment in one location as much as possible. 4. Consider adding planters or a small planting area to enhance and highlight the rear entrance and create an adequate maintenance schedule for them. 5. Retain any historic door or select a new door that maintains the character of the building and creates an inviting entrance. Note building and ADA codes when and if changing dimensions or design of entrance. 6. Maintain the original windows and window openings when possible. Windows define the character and scale of the original facade and should not be altered. 7. Repair existing windows when possible and avoid replacement. If they are replaced, ensure that the design of the new window matches the historic window and has true divided lights instead of the clip-in muntin bar type. 8. If installation of storm windows is necessary, see Chapter 9: Section I regarding proper procedures. 9. Remove any blocked-in windows and restore windows and frames if missing. 10. If security bars need to be installed over windows, choose a type appropriate for the window size, building style, and required level of security. Avoid using chain link fencing for a security cover over windows. 11. If the rear window openings need to be covered on the interior for merchandise display or other business requirements, consider building an interior screen and maintain the character of the original window s appearance from the exterior. 12. Install adequate lighting for customer and store security. Ensure that the design of the lighting relates to the historic character of the building and is shielded. 13. Consider installing signs and awnings that are appropriate for the scale and style of building. 14. Install adequate security including alarm systems and hardware for doors and windows. Design and select systems and hardware to minimize impact on the historic fabric of building. 15. Ensure that any fire escapes meet safety regulations and that no site elements inhibit proper egress. 16. Ensure that any rear porches are well maintained; and if used as upper-floor entrance(s), are well lit and meet building codes while retaining their historic character. 17. Maintain existing historic condition of alleyways and passages from the street to the rear of commercial buildings.