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Item 7 - LG Preservation Guidelines' ' National Trust for 1-!istoric Preservation . . WEST COAST OFFICE 802 MONTGOMERY STR EET SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORN I A 94133 {415) 9S9-642S Los Gatos Pres ervat i on/R ehab ilitati on Guidelines Traditionally, one of the problems in dev e loping community rehabilita- tion and restoration program s has been the lack of adequate criteria and guidelines to guide the rehabilitation process. Insensitive remodeling and well-intentioned, but oft en misguided "restoration" work can have the effect of eroding the character of an area , ju s t as can actual demolition of structures. ~l h e n the scale, ma teria ls , prop ortion s , etc. of a building are altered in r emode ling, so is the character of a building. The following design guidelines have been formul ated to direc t future pr eservation efforts in Los Gatos. It is the intention of the se gu id e li nes to outline prin.cipl es of de s i gn that will allO\<J compatible addi t i ons and improvements to be made to existing buildin gs without destroying their character or that of the neighborhood i r'I v1hi ch they are 1 oca ted. Stree t scapes Any hi s toric ·di strict possesses a strong identity that is creat ed by a repetition of elements that produ ces an impre~sion of relatedn ess and cohesion. These elements must be identified and pre se rved 1f the int egr ity of the district is to be maint a in ed. Stre ets in Lo s Gatos are fl anked ·by sidewa lk s that are separated from residential lots . by f ence s , maso nry wa ll s and land scapi ng. Combinati ons of these eleme nt s act to create continuous, cohesive "walls of enclosure" along th e street, crea ting one of the di st r ict's most nota ble visu a l characteri s tics. H tad q u•rtcrs Oflirr : 7 ~0 -7~8 J ><·k <on Pl.cc, N .W., W»hir.i;1<u1, 0. C. 20006 (20 2 ) 382-)}04 Mi.d ,·•t.11 O r1i cc: 1800 !>oud1 p,.;,;c Avenue, C hior,o, rllinoi< f.0 616 (Jtn 8·12-0 170 MEETING DATE: 12/13/17 ITEM NO: 7 .• r "• . •' Along certain streets, sidewalks are separated from 16ts exclusively by fences or by low masonry walls. The consistent use of either element unifies the street and adds to the ho mogeneity of the streetscape. The mass and l ocat ion -~of l andscap ing 1s also i mportant to the street. . . Tall plant materials are generally l~cated at the side and rear property .. . lines between houses while lower plants surround the houses and front (street ) property line. Looking down the street, this p ~tt ern creates a definite rhyth m that is a characteristic of the district. Trees have been planted between the street and the s idewalk along some streets. Hhere this occurs the character of the street chanqes. The t rees create the principle enclosinq wall along the street and the fence or wa ll at the property 11ne becomes a secondary enclosure defininq the pedestrian space. Th e p1 acern~nt of a house upon a lot and the relationship of the fac :i.de to the curb arc {mportant to the ch aracter of a street. In Los Gatos houses are set back a uniform distance from the curb line, creating lines .. of building faca~es. '.Occasionally porches project beyond this 1ine, but the mass of the house r ema ins behind it. Along a street, lots tend to be uniform in size and houses are centered on the lot. This creates a rhythm of recurrent building masses with spaces between them. As mentioned earlier, tbese spaces are often filled with plant materials, creatinq the effect of recess ed and projectinq solids. The relationship of entrances to the sidewalk creates a rhythm. In Los Gato s most entrances are in the center of the facade and occur at regular intervals along the street. Often they are emphasized at the ···I .· -3- sfdewalk by a sm all pergola, or garden gate, crcnting a pleasant break in the rhythm of the fence or wall. Pavi1_1g materials arc; an important part of the streetscape . The y.:con- tribute to the color and texture of the street. Roads are either concrete or blacktop. Curbs are either brick or concrete. Sidm'lalks are concrete . A final consideration relatin g to streets cape is utilities . Telephone poles and power lines run ~arallel to streets. Teleph on e poles support streetl ightinq and are spaced equidistant from one ano ther, creatirig a definite rhythm. Fire hydrants are painted yell ow to -attract attention. To preserve the stree tscapes of Los Gatos, the foll ov ling guidelines are proposed: 1. Existfng fences and masonry walls at the pr opel'ty line alon~J the street should be preserved and should be well maintained . 2. Deteri orc.ted members of fences and masonry wa 11 s should be replaced in the ~rigin a l ma nner with materials identical to the ori ginal . 3. Property owners wishing to construct fences or low masonry \·ia11s at the p'roperty :line along the street may do so if such walls or fences currently exis ~ elsewh ere on the block. New walls or f en ce s ~hould be similar in size, design, material, texture and color to those existing along the street. If no fences or walls currently exist on a block, property owners should not construct such fences of walls unless documentary evidence indicates such fences or walls did exist in the past . 4. The massing and placement of new landscaping should be consistent with that currently existing in the district. 5. Existing set backs should be respected. No additions should be made to the street front of a house . Existing porches on t he street facade should not be enclos~d with any material other than glass. .... ~ .· .;. - .· . -4- .... 6. The existing rhythm of entrances along a street shou1d not be altered unless such alterations re-establish a rhythm that once existed. Existinq qarden aates ~nd rer9olas should he retai ned and well maintained. Documentary proof fro ri old photographs and old descriptions should be used - to justify the alteration, demolition or construction or per~o1as and garden gates. 7. Public utilities and street furnishings, when painted, should be painted in dark receding colors that will blend these elements with the streetscape rather than calling attention to them . Houses The houses in the historic district contribute to its ch aracte r and charm. While different, c~a ch house hus certain elements in com;non with its neighbors. It is these elements of relatedness that establish archi- tectura 1 compati;bil ity \·1ithi n the di str'lct. It is i mportant to consid er and to preserve each eleme nt during remode lin g or the quality of the district w111 be lost. t .. ... L Heioht .' The height of buildin gs in the district varies from one to two stories. The hei ~1hts of additions and alterations shou l d be co m- patible with those of the existing buildings •. The floors and ceilings of new construction should line up with those of the old~ No addition should be more than tv10 stories tall. If a two story add -:t 1on 1s to be made to a one story building, it should be made to the rear of the ex1stin~ building. This will minimize the visual i mpact of the addition and help preserve th e visual continuity of the street. 2. Proportion of~ build'lnq facade. There is a relationship bet"'•een the height of a buildin~'s facade and its width called proportion. The ... . ' -5- .... , p·roportions of additions should he compatible \·lith those of the existing building, especially 1f the addition will be seen from the street. 3. · f_r oportfon _of· .op eninqs ~i th in !_he fllcnde. The relationship between the width and height of existi\ftg old \·lin doh'S and doors should be repeated by the openings in new construction. Hhen existing openings are enlary-ed, multiples of the existing open1ngs should be used to create the new op~ning. For example, assume an existing window is three feet by .5ix feet. To create a larger opening, two three feet by six feet wind ow s should be used side by side. If original windows are deteriorated and cannot be repaired, they s hould be replc::ced by new \<11ndo ws of the same size and type of tile original: they should fill the whole aperture of the oriqina.1. If for somn reason the 1nterfor ceiling must be 1 owered, the full height of th e window should be r etained and the ceilin g should be recessed at the windo w to the heinht of the window • . 4. Directi'onnl e,xpression. Th e combined proportions of the ope nings and the building itself ~fve a general effect of vertica lity or hor1- zonta1ity to a ~uilding 1 s facade . This directional expression of each building should be maintained. The directio1al exp ression of new openings should match that of existing openings. New architectural elements should contribute to the existfn~ direc tional cxpresi1on. 5 . Rhyth m of solids to voids. In each facade of a building there is I ---- a relationship between the total area of solid wall surface and the total area of openings. This solid-void relationship establishes the basic appearance of the building . In new construction , the rhythm of the width of openin gs to the width of wall betwee n should be co mpat ible with the existing rhythm. ,, t;. .• ,• ; -6- 6. Scale. Each building has an apparent size that relates to the size of a human being. This relationship fs called scale. Scale is determined by the size of construction, architectural detail and bu11ding mass. The predominate elements of scale in Los Gatos are porches, windows and door openings, and the mass of the buildings. New construction should maintain the existing scale through compatible design and attention to detail. 7. Re1ationsh1o of roof sh~es. Roofs of alterations and additions should maintain the fonn and pitch or slope of the \"Oof on an existing bui1dir,9. Eaves should intersect whcm new construction is the same number of stories as the original building. Flat roofs may be compatible with pitched roofs; however, they shou1 d not be used on str.eet fronts. 8. Mnterials and textures. When rehabilitating a house it is always best to match th~ original materials as closely as possible. Doing so mfnimfzes the differences between new and old nnd preserves the character of the house. In some cases 1t is necessary to u~e m0dern materials. These may be acc<:ptable if attention is paid to the design of the mate.rial, the \'lay they are used and to finishes. Some materials are definitely unac- ceptable. These are the artificial bricks nnd stones, asbestos wall sh1nq1es, brightly colored roofing materials and bo~1us metal and plastic "historical 11 detail. Each material has inherent qualities that create a unique appearance. Texture ts one of these qualities: \·mod is generally smooth, while brick is always rough . Buildings also have a texture that is a visual compila - tion of the materials used and the way they are u~ed. Brick are laid in patterns called bond. The bond used w111 contribute to the texture of the wall. The same fs true of wood sidings. Shingles create different ...... _, '· ~"--7- textures than clapboar·ds. For this reasor., it is important to select materials whose textures are ~1mi1ar to the original materials. A. Sidings Clapboarding and drop siding ,.are the most corrrnon sidings found in Los Gatos . Both have unique dimensions and detail that are not reproduced by oth er materials. Wood ts the preferrca s iding material for additions . The spac ing between horizontal lin es of the siding should duplicate that of the existin g house. Where existfog siding is trimmed by a corner plate, a corne-r plate dup1icating the 1·1idth of t,he existin9 should be used on the addition. Vinyl or aluminum sidings are not recommended, bccnuse they arc imita- tion mnterfols th at cannot reproduce the subtleties of wood. If used, th ere are sever~l points to remember. Avoid effects like 11 woo d-grainin g11 tha t are not common to wood sidings. Apply artifici al sidings in the same direction as the original siding and do not change directions when curved -surfaces a re encountered. Select a sidfng that approache$ the same spac ing between hor izontal lines as the original. Reproduc e the full width of the corner boards. Do not remove trim from arou nd \·Jindows, doors or gable ends • . Do not cover decorative wood shingles with s1dinqs. Since the color is an integra-1 and permanent part of vinyl and aluminum sidings , select siding colors with care . Patterned wood shingles are often found in the gable ends of Los Gatos houses. Th ese shingles should not be replaced by any materia l other than wood sh-Ingles . Hhen repairs are made, the decorativ e pattern should be retained . .. •' -8- '" Wood shingles should not be used on buildin gs that were not originally shingled. In all instances, replacement sidings !'.;hould du plicate original material · and appearance as closely as possible. B. Windows and Doors The· preferred materia 1 for windows nnd doors is wood. Metal \;dndow units are usually too thin to blend successfully with the ch aracter of older houses. Glass in windows, doors and transoms should be clear except where documenting evidence indicates the original presence of colored glass. Plnstic materials should not be used in place of glass. Where alumfoum storm sash and scre~ns are in use, they should match frames and sash of windows in a white, bronz~ or black finish, a nd should not be aluminum in color . Th~se guidelines also hold true for ~1u m 1num stonn and screen doors. c. noofs Originally, houses in Los Gatos had wood sh"lng1e roofs. Many of these roofs have been ~overed with composition roofing materials. Wood shingles are the preferred roofing material and should be restored whenever possib ~e. Composition roofing materials are acceptable when dark colors are used. Patterned roofs should be discour aged unless docu me ntary evidence indicates the orig1na1 roof had decorative shingles. In all cases, new roofing materials should approach the character and appearance of the original material. 9. Color. Color choice for bui1dfng exteriors should expres s individual taste but must always contribute to the historic character of the district. Colors should be based upon historic precedent. Exterior colors should harmonize with other colors on the sam~ building and on the -9--· streetscape. Exterior colors should complement the colors of neighboring buildings and should not produce an effect of visual competition or discord. Exterior.colors should .be selected to be mutua'lly supportive and beneficial to the overall historic character of the streetscape. \4here \>1ooc.I or metal surfaces of windows, doors, porches and details are to be pa inted. a range of color choices is avail~ble. During the late 19th centur.Y, muted colors and earth colors were favored. They included gray, dark bro •,1m, dark greGn, blue-g~ay, beige~ brick red and terracotta. The lead contQnt of white paints at the time produced a sli9htly grayish white that was used both for mzijor surface areas and for details. Lead white is an approprfate color for .wi nd o\·J sashes and fnmes and for oth er detn i1 s . Paiht colors that were not produc ed or used during the late ninet eent h century should not be used in the h1storic d1str1ct. Bright new colors shou1 d be avof d~, even when used sparingly. Pa.stel s were not favored in the late nfn e t ee nth centv :~y and should not be used now. The use of high gloss paints should also be discouraged. Minimizing the number of colors used will maximize the effect. In general, ~he use of polychrome (or multiple colors) fn the late ninetee nth century was confined to the use of different c·o1ors on major design and stru c tural elements. Incised panels, brackets, consoles, denti1s, scroll- work, sti.les and rails, lintels and sills, cornices, fascias and other mil 1work elements were not accentuated by polychrome. The intr Jduction of color competes with the geometric nature of these elements a nd produces a visually distracting effect that should be avoided. 10. Deta ils. A famous twentieth .century a rchitect once said "God is 1n the details." Me -was referring not only to the architectural clements .· ;,, l 0- that embellish and enrich a building's facade, but also to the way 1n which materials are put toqether to create a complete building. When rehabilitating old houses, attention must be paid to the details if the unique cliaracter of the house is to be preserved. A. Siding Sidings have been discussed under the materials section. Attention to thts detafl is extremely important to the visual character of a house . B. Windows The visun1 quality of a window is det erm ined by the materiu1s from wh'lch ·it is constructed, the dfv1sfons vdthin the vdndow and by the clcm1(.mts that surround it. Great care should be taken to preserve sills, lintels, frames, sashes, munt1ns and glass in e~1st1ng windows. When these elements must be r ep l aced, the replac ements should duplicate the ori ginals in <les ·r~m nnd materials. The "double-hung" window sash 1s the most co mmo n \'dndow type 1n Los Gatos . Windows are usuai ly "one-over-one" or 11 two-over-t\·to, 11 ref erring to '· the number of subdivisions 1n each mnving sash. Both forms are typic a l for late 19th centu,·y architecture and should not be altered or replaced. New windows with horizontal panes should not be used 1n the rehabilita- tion of old houses. Picture windows w1th a horizontal emphasis are 1napnro- pr1ate, as are windows with sash s11d1n g 1n a horizontal direction. Windows with "eight-over-eight" or 11 twelve-over-twe lve 11 sash configurations are ei ghteenth century window fonns and should not be used in the historic di strict . The original proportions of wall op en ings should be retain ed. Blocking of existing openings to accommodate stand ard sashes and glass size,_ . .. ..,,_ or to hide cei11n 9s 1o"r;ered beneath the tops of existing Hindows, or for any other reasons is il}appropriate . Decorative \vood 1 inte1s, brackets and any other trim shou1d be preserved and resto·r e d where missing . Genera11y , exte rior window shutters are not common in Los Gatos . The use of thin metal or plastic replicas of shutters should be avoided . When docu ment ary evidence indicate s that shutters once existed on a house, new shutters should appear to work. Each should be of a width and height suffi- cient to cover half of the window to which it is attached. C. Porches and Doorways Original doors, sidelights and transoms should be preserved. Modern flat panel doors often look 11 dead 11 wh en applied to an older bu·Jlding; it is best to r etain exi ~ting fabric whenever possible. The application of metal and plastic decoration, hardware and canopies should be avoid ed . When original elements are deteriorated, new elem ents should match the original as closely as possible • .\ Most houses; in Los Gatos have a front porch of one kind or a nother. These arc an arcl1itectural element of major visual importa nce and should be retained. Wooden posts, balusters and decorative trim should be preserved. When it 1s necessary to replace these elements, replacements should dup1i- cate the original material and form; metal and brick are inappropriate replacement materials. If it is impossible to reproduce origira1 porch detail, replacem cmts should appro ximate the size and form of the original. The original floor and ceiling heights should be maintained . Lowering porch floors or raising porch ceilings alters the proportions and direc- tional expression to the detriment of the facade. Porches should not be .• : ._; ~ . •' -12- ,, filled in as an addition. As mentioned in the streetscape section. there is a definite setb~ck line along the street. Filling in a porch with any- thing other than glass or screens increases its mass and destroys the continuity of the setback line. The glazing or screening of porches should not be encouraged. If done, glazing and screening materials should be installed behind posts, balusters and decorative trim, leaving these elements exposed to the street . Porch steps should be constructed of wood . In most cases. the texture, mass and color of brick and concrete 1s inappropriate to the architectural· design. of late nineteenth century wooden . hou~es in Los Gatos. tJhcn used, brick and concrete should replicate _:the form and mass of the original steps as closely as possible and should be painted to blend with the house. Masonry materials are also unaccept able a1t ernatives to the woo den skirts around crawl spaces under houses and porches. Where wood skirts . exist, they should be preserved. D. Roofs Hip, gable, :gambrel and gablct roof forms are common in Los Gatos. Roofs retaining their original shape should be maintained. When making additions to old houses, the roof of the addition should replicate the form and pitch of the original roof. Flat roofs may be appropriate when additions w111 not be seen from the street. The gable ends of houses in Los Gatos are often embellished with brackets, vergeboardsf decorative shingles, stickwork and decorative windows. These elements should be preserved, especially on street f acades. Original dormer windows should be maintained. New domers should be compatible with the des1gn and slope of the roof or with existin g dormers. . ' . ' -13- They should relate to the windm'/s in th e 1t1al1 beneath. Replacement sash in dorm ers should maintaiD the proportions of existing windows. E. Light Fixtures Exterior light fixtures should be chosen with care. "Early American," "Colonial" or other ''theme" fixtures are inappropriate to laternineteenth century architecture. Compatible contemporary designs are encouraged. The use of recessed lighting is appropriate. F. In no instance should existing buildings be altered in an attempt to imitate Colonial or Federal architecture . The hi storic districts of Los Gatos·passess an architecture expressing the history and culture of the community . "Antiquating" existing houses 1s a denial of the co mmu nity 's heritage . .. ~ -14- ... • Biblio graphy Bullock, 'Orin, Jr. }he Restoration Manual. Norwall, Conn.: Silvermine Publishers, 19 66. Desion Guide, Exterior Residential Rehab ilitat io n. Baltimore, Maryland : Housinq and Cor11nunit.v Development, 1974 •. Edgerton, Hillia~ H., et al. How to Renovate a Bro wns tone. New York: Halsen Publishing, 1970 . Exte r i or De coratfon: Victori an S:olors for Victorian Houses . A rep rint of the Devoe Paint Co mp any's 1885 book. Re printed in 197 5. Distributed . by the American Life Foundation, Watkins Glen, New York, 14891. Greater Portl and Landmarks, Inc. Advisory Service. Some Note s on Livin a with Old Ho~.· Re vised, Portland, 1974. Housing Authori ty of Savannah. "De sign Criteria for New Bu ildin fJS in Historic Savann a h ,11 Historic Pres e r vat'io n Plan for the Central Area Ci enera l Ne i C1h borhood Re nev1a 1 Area, Sava nnah, Georc::!..Q.. Insall , Dona ld. Th e Care ~6f Old Bu il dings Today: A Practical Guide~ -----__ __..,_ Lon don: Th~ A~chitectural Pr es s, 1972. Revitalizinq Older Houses _i!l Charlestown. Boston: Boston Redevelopme nt Authority, 1973 . Stanford, Deirdre and Martha Starrm .: Buying and Renovatinq a House .:!.!l t he ill..Y_: A Practical Guide. r~ew York: Alfred A •. Knopf, 1972 . Steph en , Geor ge . Remode linq Old Hou5es Without Des troyi n'l Their Chara cter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972 . The Old House lJournal. Pub li shed mon thly by T'1e Old House Journal Company, 199 Berke l ey Place, Brooklyn, New York, 11217. ..-.... '• r