Bungalow Design Guidelines. Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative & The City of Berwyn Investing in Berwyn s Neighborhoods and People

Transcription

1 Bungalow Design Guidelines Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative & The City of Berwyn Investing in Berwyn s Neighborhoods and People

2 Table of Contents Introduction 3 What is a Chicago Style Bungalow? 4 A Chicago Bungalow s Exterior Features 5 Individual Registration 5 Do and Don't» Decorative Features 6» Front Porch, Entryway & Doors 7» Windows 8» Additions, Expansions & Garages 9» Masonry 10» Roofs, Gutters & Chimneys 11» Interior 12 What Is a Certificate of Appropriateness? 13 Why Is a Certificate of Appropriateness Needed? 13 Contacts 14 Bungalow Design Guidelines 2

3 Introduction to the Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative Design Guidelines A Chicago style bungalow is generally defined as a rectangular shape, 1-story brick home with a low-pitched roof built between 1910 and Most of the bungalows in Berwyn, Illinois, were built in the boom between 1920 and 1930 when the population more than tripled. The Berwyn bungalows were honored in a 2007 article in American Bungalow Magazine (Issue 54, Summer 2007) as Chicagoland s Greatest Treasure mainly because they incorporate architectural detail and a level of ornamentation seldom seen elsewhere. The author of this article, Mike Williams, lives in a Chicago bungalow in Chicago but he states that the best example of the Chicago bungalow is in Berwyn. When you walk down a bungalow block in Berwyn, you notice that these brick houses with limestone and other architectural details create a rhythmic streetscape and a neighborhood feel that many urban planners try to replicate in new developments, but can t. It s for these reasons that the City of Homes organization developed the Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative. The initiative provides homeowners interested in rehabbing their bungalows with guidelines that provide recommendations for maintaining the historical aspect of a bungalow and the integrity of the neighborhood. These guidelines are by no means exhaustive, and are only related to the streetscape, primarily the front 20ft of the bungalow. The guidelines are not intended to overburden the homeowner with unrealistic rules about what he or she can or cannot do to his or her home. The required guidelines are clear and straightforward and focus on preserving the streetscape view of your home. An additional benefit of the Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative is Historical Designation. If you choose to have your bungalow certified as a local historical landmark by the City of Berwyn, you will be eligible for a number of benefits, ranging from the State of Illinois Property Tax Assessment Freeze program to various grants as they become available. Bungalow Design Guidelines 3

4 What is a Chicago Style Bungalow? A Chicago style bungalow in Berwyn is a single-family brick house built between 1900 and 1945 within the City of Berwyn. The Chicago style bungalow is, in most cases, originally designed for living all on one floor, with an unfinished attic and a basement with exit stairs. The basic plan of a typical Chicago style bungalow consists of two to three bedrooms and one bathroom on one side, the living room (also known as the front room), dining room and kitchen on the other side. The typical features of the Chicago style bungalows in Berwyn include:» Built between 1900 and 1945.» Brick construction, with face brick on the street facing sides.» Limestone insets ranging from intricate and complicated decorative stones to windowsills, stair and pier caps.» Low pitched roof with overhang.» Predominant roofline perpendicular to the street.» Generous windows, often with leaded or stained glass.» Situated on narrow lots, feet wide.» Single family residence with a basic floor plan configuration, with few exceptions, consisting of 2-3 bedrooms, with one bathroom on one side and the living room, dining room, and kitchen (in order from front to rear) on the other side. The subtypes of Chicago style bungalows differ based on the structure s entrance, façade and roofline variations. The primary entrance into a Chicago style bungalow affects the configuration of the façade as well as the floor plan: Offset front entrance most common entry allows for open living and dining room space Side entrance understated entrance at the side of the house that allows for more windows and light in front room Central front entrance least common among Chicago style bungalows likely because it is not conducive to the narrow floor plan of the Chicago bungalow The primary feature of the front façade of the Chicago style bungalow is the front window: Flat simple and most common Square flat protruding bay from the main central mass of the bungalow Polygonal distinctive 3, 5 or 7-sided bay protrusions Curved least common with softened or rounded corners Bungalow Design Guidelines 4

5 A Chicago Bungalow s Exterior Features Decorative Features: The decorative elements that adorn most bungalows are stone planters and brackets, stone accents, exterior wood moldings and trim add architectural interest and make the design of each home distinct. Front porch, entryway and doors: A front entryway may consist of a simple ground level entrance with an overhanging roof or a porch raised several steps from the ground and built into the corner of the facade. Particular entry configurations often defined the style of the homes on an entire block. Front porches are typically not enclosed with windows, screens, siding or brick. Front porch brick wing walls matching the face brick are typical to the front steps. Stairs and porch are not carpeted, tiled or painted. Windows: Windows are a key architectural detail of a home and help to define its visual character. They are typically double-hung sash windows, with the upper window featuring a stained glass or a muntin configuration. Masonry: A wide variety of face bricks with distinctive colors and textures were used in the construction of bungalows to provide architectural interest to groupings of homes along the street. Roofs, Gutters & Chimneys: Typical roofing material for Chicago bungalows are asphalt or clay shingles. Individual registration In order to qualify for individual registration as a local historic landmark, a structure designated as a historic Chicago style bungalow must exhibit all of the defining characteristics of a Chicago bungalow. The seven characteristics that define a Berwyn bungalow are that it must be a brick, one and one-half story, single residential structure, built between 1900 and 1945 in the city of Berwyn, with a rectangular plan, low-pitched roof with overhanging eaves, and a full basement. In addition to these seven characteristics, the bungalow should retain sufficient integrity to evoke its historical character of its style and subtype, and should boast a majority of its exterior features. If the structure has been expanded, it can still qualify for designation as a local historic landmark if the additions and/ or expansions are compatible to the original building in material, style and proportions without radically changing streetscape visible character-defining roof shape as a result of incompatible design or improper installation. As such, for a bungalow with a second floor addition to be eligible for individual registration, the addition shall be set back a minimum of 20 feet from the front edge of the building, and be of a similar roof pitch as the original structure, matching window openings, trim eaves and other details as close as possible to the original building. However, a bungalow with side dormers that is set back less than 20 ft from the front edge of the building, may still qualify depending on the type of bungalow, the overall design of the dormer and its visibility from the streetscape. Bungalow Design Guidelines 5

6 Decorative Features The decorative elements that adorn most bungalows such as stone planters and brackets, stone accents, exterior wood mouldings and trim add great architectural interest and make the design of each home distinct. These details should be preserved. A B C DO Do retain masonry or stone planter box brackets when and where they exist (A) Do retain historic planters and planter boxes when they exist (A) Do restore or replace missing original planters with new appropriate planter boxes when brackets exist on the front façade (A/B) Do restore or replace missing cast accents at the historic locations with appropriate accents Do restore or repair ornamental exterior wood mouldings and trim to match the original (B) Do replace missing original planter urns located at the entrance stairs with appropriate replacement urns (C) DON T Don t remove or replace historic planters when they exist Don t remove or replace existing stone planter supports on building front Don t use plastic or wood planters Bungalow Design Guidelines 6

7 Front Porch, Entryway & Doors A front entryway may consist of a simple ground level entrance with an overhanging roof or a porch raised several steps from the ground and built into the corner of the facade. Particular entry configurations often defined the style of the homes on an entire block. A B C D E F DO Do restore existing historic wood doors (A) Do replace non-historic doors with compatible new styles including compatible original period hardware (B) Do add thin profile storm door similar in size, shape and color of existing door Do retain and repair historic light fixtures. Replace later, non-historic fixtures with new or restored historic fixtures that match the original design (C) Do repair and restore porch steps to their natural material and color Do repair or rebuild front porch wing walls with brick and mortar that match the face brick and joint profile and color DON T Don t remove or radically change entrances and porches that are critical in defining the overall historic character of the home so that, as a result, the home s character is diminished (D) Don t replace original door at all Don t enclose porches in a manner that results in a diminution or loss of historic character by using solid materials such as wood, stucco, screen, or masonry (E) Don t remove historic porch brick wing walls. Non-historic ones can be removed if desired, but should be replaced with walls of compatible design and material Don t carpet, tile or paint stairs and porch (F) Don t paint address numbers on steps Don t remove original stone planters Bungalow Design Guidelines 7

8 Windows Windows are a key architectural detail of a home and help to define its visual character. Historic windows on the primary façade should be retained and repaired for the designation. If original windows have already been replaced, new windows should match the historic window as closely as possible. A D DO DON T Do retain and repair original window sash, frames and trim whenever possible Do re-caulk around the window frames and repair window hardware Don t remove art glass windows Don t replace an entire window when repair of materials and limited replacement of deteriorated or missing parts are appropriate B C E F Do replace non-historic replacement windows with windows that are an accurate representation based on historical, pictorial, and physical documentation; or use a new design that is compatible with the window openings and the historic character of the home Do restore and retain existing art glass windows (B/C) Do add thin profile storm windows similar in size, shape and color to existing windows (A) Don t use vinyl replacement windows on street facing elevations Don t replace existing double hung or casement windows with single fixed glass picture or slider windows Don t install glass block in-fill windows on street facing elevations Don t enlarge or reduce window openings to fit a stock window frame or change the shape of the window frames Don t replace existing attic windows with a slider window on the street facing elevations G Don t obscure historic window trim with metal or other material such as awnings or anodized storm windows or grills (G) Don t install window air conditioners or metal awnings on the street facing elevation Don t replace an entire window when repair of materials and limited replacement of deteriorated or missing parts are appropriate Bungalow Design Guidelines 8

9 Additions, Expansions & Garages Before constructing or altering additions, carefully consider how the existing space may be reworked by modifying the interior walls or expanding into the existing attic space. If an addition is the best solution, it should respect the existing building and streetscape. A B C DO Do build expansions that are compatible to the original building in material, style and proportions Do locate additions on the rear or least character-defining elevation of the building Do build second floor additions with a similar roof pitch as the original structure Do match window openings, trim eaves and other details as close as possible to the original building Do erect garages and rear additions that match the existing house materials, colors and details DON T Don t expand the size of the bungalow by constructing a new addition when the new use could be met by altering non-characterdefining interior space Don t attach a new addition so that the character-defining features of the bungalow are obscured, damaged, or destroyed (C) Don t design a new addition so that its size and scale in relation to the historic building are out of proportion, thus diminishing the historic character (B/C) Don t build attic expansions that are uncharacteristic of the period and style and material of the building and surrounding neighborhood (A/C) Bungalow Design Guidelines 9

10 Masonry A wide variety of face bricks with distinctive colors and textures were used in the construction of Berwyn s bungalows to provide architectural interest to groupings of homes along the street. Since most of a bungalow façade is face brick, it is one of the most important elements of the house to maintain. A B C DO Do repoint masonry with mortar that matches the original in color and joint profile Do grind out old mortar 3/4 when repointing to ensure an adequate bond Do clean masonry with low-velocity (less than 400 psi) water or steam cleaning Do repair or replace damaged masonry with matching materials Do remove existing building materials that do not match the original materials and characteristics DON T Don t repoint masonry with Portland cement, concrete or masonry cement Don t use a mortar that is stronger than type N (1-1-6) Don t over fill the mortar beyond the face of the brick Don t paint masonry or limestone (A/B/C) Don t use masonry sealer Don t change the width or joint profile when repointing Don t sandblast, high power water wash or use muriatic acid to clean masonry or remove paint Don t grow vines onto the building walls Don t use imitation materials such as synthetic stucco, vinyl or aluminum siding, stucco, pseudo stone or metal panels over masonry Don t patch concrete without correcting the source of deterioration Don t remove a masonry feature that is unrepairable and not replace it or replace it with a new feature that does not convey the original appearance Bungalow Design Guidelines 10

11 Roofs, Gutters & Chimneys Routine maintenance on the roof and regular clearance of gutters and downspouts can prevent more expensive work becoming necessary in the future. Regular inspection is invaluable for the preservation of the bungalow. A B C D DO Do replace or repair the roof with asphalt shingles or clay tile matching the historic color and pattern Do replace or repair metal or copper gutters and downspouts where leaks are discovered (A) Do add insulation and vapor barriers in the attic and add vents to prevent moisture build-up Do make sure all downspouts direct water away from the foundation Do reuse historic brick when rebuilding the chimney DON T Don t strip the roof of sound historic material such as clay tile or slate Don t use roll roofing, which is not the same as asphalt shingles and more common to use in utility buildings Don t use caulks, sealants or tar as a flashing material (C) Don t locate satellite dishes or TV antennas within 20 feet of the front of the bungalow so as not to be visible from the public way (D) Don t change the configuration of the roof by adding non-historical features on the streetfacing elevation Do keep the chimney flashing and cap in good repair to prevent water leakage Use metal flashing (B) Bungalow Design Guidelines 11

12 Interior An interior bungalow floor plan, the arrangement and sequence of spaces, and built-in features and applied finishes are individually and collectively important in defining the historic character of the building. However, there is often a need to update a bungalow s interiors to accommodate changes in technology, lifestyles, and peoples needs. Please note that the primary interior spaces of a bungalow are part of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency review if the tax assessment freeze is being sought. Additional details can be located at: DO Do maintain the individual space configuration and essential proportions of the primary spaces (entry, front room, dining room, and hallway) Do retain, and preserve historic interior features and finishes, such as historic wood strip floors, lighting fixtures, wood trim and decorative fireplace. Do remove damaged or deteriorated paints and finishes to the next sound layer using the gentlest method possible Do rehab attics or basements to provide additional living space if desired. Do rehab and update kitchens and bathrooms to meet contemporary code and accessibility needs DON T Don t install permanent partitions that damage or obscure character-defining spaces, features, or finishes. Don t remove historic, character-defining features, such as a mantel, or wood trim. Don t remove a finish that could be repaired. Don t remove a damaged feature and not replace it with a new feature that matches. Bungalow Design Guidelines 12

13 What Is a Certificate of Appropriateness? A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is an approval given to the property owner of a local historic landmark or property in a local historic district for alterations proposed by the property owner. In addition, because the City of Berwyn is a Certified Local Government in the State of Illinois. If your bungalow is certified as a Historic Local Landmark, you may need a COA as part of the permitting process for projects you decide to do on your home. Why Is a Certificate of Appropriateness Needed? Obtaining a COA assures that your historic bungalow maintains its historic integrity. The qualities that make your bungalow historically notable should be maintained or enhanced when alterations are made according to the guidelines in this document. The COA is needed when changes are made to the exterior façade visible from the street or the public right of way. If you are performing routine maintenance, a COA is not needed. When replacing or restoring, it is helpful to remember the phrase like for like. This means the replacement materials should be as close as possible in design, composition, and size to the original materials. Many times obtaining the COA coincides with the need to obtain a building permit, as such, the following are examples of building permits requiring a COA if your bungalow is a designated local historic landmark:» Concrete, Pavers or Asphalt work» Fireplace installation» Demolition work» Additions and Dormers» Interior and exterior structural alterations» Garages and Accessory Buildings» Replacement windows including glass block windows» Decks, Porches, Stairs, Hand railings» Siding, Gutters, Soffit and Fascia» Stucco or Brick replacement» Tuckpointing» Pressure washing» Roofing Bungalow Design Guidelines 13

14 We strongly recommend that you seek assistance from the Berwyn Historic Preservation Commission or the Berwyn Bungalow Preservation Initiative coordinator to assure that the COA process can proceed smoothly and efficiently. City of Berwyn BBPI Coordinator: Historic Preservation Commission City of Homes/Berwyn Bungalow Preservations Initiative For additional information and details visit: All photographic examples are of homes in the city of Berwyn, IL. Photography generously provided by Jesus Arellanes, Sean Gallagher, Matt Schademann, Trent Weable. No images may be reproduced unless written permission by photographer is provided. Bungalow Design Guidelines 14