[eDroit Park Conserved Government of the District of Columbia

Ivlarion S. Barry, Jr. Mayor July, 1979

Historic Development

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Original boundary of leDroit Park

McGill buildings 1873-1887

Buildings constructed during 1880's & '90's

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LeDroit Park~ Conserved l

Washingtonians Dtvi~•on OlSTRJCT OF COL .. : ~IA

PUBUC LIBRARY

prepared for the

D. C. Department of Housing and Community Development

by Carr, Lynch Associates

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPAfn.-~ENT OF HOUSING A-"-0 COMMUNITY DEVElOPMENT

WASHINGTON 0 C

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SEP 1 1979

To the Citizens of the LeDroit Park Historic District:

This book is for all the residents of the LeDroit Park Historic District who wish to improve their homes or work places. It is not a list of regulations; it is a guide for the historic restoration of buildings in your community. We had these guidelines prepared because your area is unique and has historic significance worth preserving. The Department supports this report and intends to use it as a guide in all discussions with your community. The guide­lines should assist staff and homeowners by expediting reviews and avoiding mistakes that could cause delay.

For these, or any guidelines, to work successfully , the staff and citizens must have a mutual respect and under­standing for each other's objectives. The prime considera­tion of these guidelines is the maintenance of the LeDroit Park Historic District. We include in maintenance the stabilization of the community's existing population , which means we hope to avoid any displacement. For this reason, what a person can afford when he or she wishes to fix up a property must be taken into account. We intend to remain sensitive to the needs and economic restraints of people in LeDroi t Park while we also attempt to fulfill our public responsibility to the area's historic character by keeping unwelcome or unwanted changes to a minimum.

You will note that these guidelines are grouped in three categories. The first , the preferred category, is labelled, "this is the preferable way to do it," and contains changes which are best practice. In the second category, "sometimes a good way" are changes which, under certain circumstances , may be good practice. The last category , "generally unacceptable" lists changes which are discouraged. We urge people to choose the "preferable way," if they can afford it , for it will give the best results to the individual property as well as help the community. The middle category, with the sometimes acceptable items, recognizes that not everyone chooses or can afford the recommendations of the preferable category. We believe that this middle category gives maximum opportunity for the DHCD to consider the individual

Wast!ingtoniana DI~ V'T f) COU rl\1

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conditions of each owner and i. 1:: moderat e ly priced improvements -of c hanges are included in a peJi application will undergo review.' a permit applic ation is for chan "preferable way " or in the "gene We in the DHCD know that every c its own mer its . For example. so i terns ar e always wron g while. de others may occasionally be ace ep matter of ge neral practice, any · all his or her c hanges from t~e ' category can generally expect prl review by our Department.

People do not have to do any til in !' if they don't want to. so long a~ regulations suc h as the Building Zoning Regulations. It is also r improve a home such as some lands having to get permission f rom the no requirement that owners must r But if you want to do something t building whic h requir es a buildin should be consult ed.

Under D.C. law , this Department r applic ation for demolitions. exte construction within your historic • uses one of the government prog r ru of this book , whic h make money av: distric ts or community de veloprnenl furth e r reviews , as listed. All r~ guidelines.

All of the staff of the Departmenr assistance to the community as its gu ide book. The e ntir e contents ar review and eva luation and possible and th e community take into account or the availability of r esour ces. explanation of our int ent will re~ to our objectives and methods.

Contents

A Brief History 7

The Architecture of LeDroit Park 13

How to Conserve a House 45 Basic Principles 46 Wooden Walls 55 Masonry Wails and Chimneys 61 Roofs 66 Windows and Doors 71 Porches, Steps and Rails 79 Fences, Yards and Landscaping 86 Signs and Other Modern Fixtures 90 Minor Additions 94 New Buildings and Major Additions 96

Resources 99 The Process of Design Review 100 How to Check the Condition of

a House 103 Notes on Buying a House or Getting

a Building Permit 107 Glossary 108

\\'asbingtonia a Division DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Introduction

The LeDroit Park Historic District lies just south of the grounds of Howard University, and above the junction of Florida and Rhode lsland Avenues, between Bohrer Street and 2nd Street, N.W. It is an outstanding exam­ple of the American Romantic suburb. Having passed through many changes, it still retains that basic character. Lying just outside of the "Boundary Street" (now Florida Avenue) of the original plan for Washington , it is an early example of the growth of the city as directed by private speculation. It is also an example, much less frequently found, of the successful integration of architectural and subdivision design. The Secretary of the Interior has formally recognized the heritage and special qualities of the LeDroit Park Historic District by listing it in the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic preservation is a growing move­ment which has shifted in recent years from meticulously restoring individually significant landmarks to conserving entire neighborhoods for their residents. Change is recognized as a necessary element of neighborhood conserva­tion; if carefully managed, it can permit full use and enjoyment by those who are living today, while retaining and enhancing an area's significant architectural and historical qualities. This handbook is written in that spirit, expressly for the citizens for the LeDroit Park Historic District. Its purpose is to help them improve their houses and their streets.

A Brief History

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A Brief History The LeOroit Park Historic District was origi ­nally located in Washington County just north of the Federal City. This land was divided into large tracts and was either uncultivated or farmed. During the Civil War. the Camp­bell Military Hospital was located in this general area. and in 1865 it became the Freedmen's Hospital. In 1869, Freedmen's Hospital was moved to the grounds of Howard University where buildings were expressly constructed to house its needs . Howard University, located on the northern periphery of LeDroit Park, was chartered by Congressional law on March 2, 186 7. General 0.0. Howard (1830-1909), founder of Howard, was the University's first presi ­dent, serving from 1869-73. General Howard was also Commissioner of the Bureau of · D ~!··- ~-- D- ~- ~·-- -·- - _ J At_ 1 T

(the Freedmen's Bureau). This Bureau not only assisted in providing food and work for refugees and freedmen, but also provided education for former slaves. General Howard and the Freedmen. s Bureau were instru­mental in establishing Howard University -vvhich was to be open to all races. but has tradionally been a black university .

Another trustee of the university, Am7.i L. Barber, married the daughter of a successful real estate broker named LeDroit Langdon. resigned his trusteeship in the college and purchased some 40 acres of University lands on a Sl1 5,000 promissory note. without down payment. In 1874, the Executive Com mittee of Howard was in financial difficulties

and accepted an offer from A.L. Barber & Company for $95.000 in full payment of Langdon's note. Barber hired James McGill to design his new development, and named it for his father-in-law. The new subdivision appears on the map in 1873, romantic in intent and architecture, if not in its standard street grid. Packaged for the affluent, it emphasized seclusion, fine houses. a ''rural'' atmosphere, genteel neighbors and easy access to the city. It was built for the "merchant, professional man, or government clerk.·' Despite its origins and the proximity of Hmvard University. leDroit Park was to be exclusivelv white. It was enclosed by a wood and iron fence along its public front. and a high board wall at the rear (where Howard University and a black settlement called "Hmvard Town" lay). There were gates and watchmen to keep out the unwanted. One gate was at 3rd Street and Rhode Island Avenue.

By 1877, 41 new houses had been erected. at a cost of $200,000. Some were for clients and some were built on speculation, but all were designed by McGill. They were hand­some examples of romantic eclecticism -Italian Villa. Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Second Empire and Italianate -designed for show and individuality. These buildings were built at a time when architectural technology was rapidly changing in the U.S. Building

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nation, and machines could stamp, grind, turn or cast complicated parts. McGill's cata­logue lists such specialty services as bell hangers, slate roofers. fresco painters and stair builders, as well as suppliers of dumb­waiters, bronze hard~vare, mantelpieces and gas fixtures.

The houses were set back within formal gardens. An ornamental park circle, decorated with trees, flowers and a fountain, was estab­lished at 3rd and T Streets as a focus for the development. $50,000 was expended on street improvements, including paving, water, sewers, gas, brick walks, and ornamental lighting, and $4,000 on planting alone. There was a private trash collection service, as well as the private watchmen.

The new development became the residence of generals, professors, congressmen, busi­nessmen, and bureaucrats, as well as McGill, Barber, Langdon, and McClellan (one of the original pre-war land owners). By 1887, there were 64 houses here, but the pace of develop­ment was slowed as LeDroit Park weathered the economic catastrophes of the '70s.

Meanwhile, agitation arose to breaK tne color ban. Legal action was at first unsuccess­ful. A mob broke down the fence in 1888, but the fence was replaced with barbed wire . Finally. the District government took over control of the streets and they were opened to public access. In 1893 the first black resident moved in. A bullet went through his window while he was sitting at dinner, but he refu ed to leave. Gradually, other black professionals and officials made their entrance into the exclusive Park, which for a time was inte­grated. Howard professors moved in, and th~ area received the nickname of "Collegetown."

In these same late years of the '80s, the areas adjacent to LeDroit Park were sub­divided and developed, and it became an inte­gral part of the fabric of the city. The build­ing of single houses for wealthy clients ceased, within the original subdivision, and the remaining lots were sold to speculators, who began to erect rather elaborate Queen Anne row houses. Along Florida A venue, residential buildings were converted to com­mercial use, and the new apartment hou es incorporated shops into their ground floors.

By the beginning of World War I, almost all of the white residents had moved away, and the last row houses had been built. LeDroit Park had become the most exclusive area of black residence in the city. Many prominent people lived there: scholars, law­yers, musicians, journalists, and professional of many kinds; Mary Church Terrell, women's activist and first black woman on the Board of Education; her husband, the first black municipal judge; the first black con gressman after Reconstruction; Paul Lawrence Dunbar, the poet; Ralph Bunche, leader in the UN, and first black Nobel Prize winner; Senator Brooke of Massachusetts; and the first black mayor of the city, Walter Washing ton. Older residents remember lawn and block parties, Sunday band concerts, and the fine .

An elegant Wa~hington Row on 5th Street

Just before World War II, a second shift began . Some of the population moved to the upper northwest section of the city and the northern suburbs. During the war, two large halls were built to house government workers, and these were later converted into Howard dormitories, one of which is located in the historic district. The trend accelerated after the war, as low income blacks moved in and the well-to-do fled. Some of the old McGill houses were divided into apartments. One of the finest of these, the original McGill house, was demolished in the '60s to make way for a Safeway store and its parking lot. Absentee landlords and a lack of maintenance allowed some of the structures to slide toward

LeDroit Park resident

decay. Street maintenance and trash collection deteriorated, and the old park circle was bi­sected by street paving. The benign relation with Howard University turned to conflict, as the institution sought to expand south into its residential neighbor. Large new University buildings arose on the edge of the area. The University now owns a large number of vacant houses , and has generated a traffic and parking burden. Today, the population of the area is mixed with both middle-income and low-income blacks and Howard University students.

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The brick walks are spotted with asphalt patches, streets are broken and many alleys are unpaved. Most of the street trees are gone, although small new ones have been planted on 2nd and on Florida. On the houses, lintel arches have fallen here and there, corners are broken, slates are loose and roof crestings gone. Some 60 houses are boarded up, half of which belong to the Uni ­versity. But the neglect is recent and there are signs of more recent recovery. Many of the McGill and row houses have been main­tained in good condition throughout their existence and many more are being rehabili ­tated. The buildings \vere solidly built. and they are still sound.

The undulating walls, complex rooflines. elaborate cornices and window frames, wrought iron steps and carved doors, and the rich array of materials - molded brick, stone, slate, pressed stone, terra cotta, wrought iron, stained glass - all catch the eye. The houses and rowhouses are boldly made. Much of this detail can be recovered. ~nd a restoration of the varied 19th century color schemes and formal gardens would still further enrich the landscape. Utilities have already been placed underground, and some of the old street lights remain. The LeDroit Park streets, rela­tively treeless, narrow, and urban, depend on h. •• : J.-1:- ~~ ~--' -~--=--~ c __ .L _:_ •. : __ __ , __ , ..

A notable concentration of McGill houses remains on the 400 block of U Street an area to which the somewhat more modest single and two-family houses \vere apparently relegated in his plans. This complete row of houses in the Italian Villa style may be unique in the United States . A good number of McGill houses still exist on the 500 block of T Street, and at the focal circle at 3rd and T Streets . Third and T were the two show streets of the original development, and this focus should be recreated. In sum, LeDroit Park is a remarkably preserved specimen of an early romantic suburb, in which street and house designs were coordinated by one good hand. More than that, LeDroit Park has played a central role in the history of the black leadership of this city.

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The Architecture of LeDroit Park

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The Architecture of LeDroit Park The late nineteenth century architect or builder could choose from a wide variety of styles and motifs in the design of a house or shop. Roof types, styles and house plans varied widely, and yet there was a consistency in material and details. Pattern books and builder's catalogues were a com­mon source of metal work, wood trim, ornamental brick, stone and slate. Many of these decorative details are still intact, and are worth conserving. By understanding the style and components of a building, we can identify those ele­ments that are critical to its appearance.

Between 1873 and 1887, James McGill designed some sixty houses in LeDroit Park. Most of these detached single or two family houses were built of brick, with wood and pressed stone details. Many are illustrated by engravings in the promotional literature for the neighborhood published as LeDroit Park Illustrated (1877) and The Architectural Advertiser ( 1879).

Like many architects of his day, McGill worked in many styles, including Italianate, Italian Villa, Second Empire, Victorian Gothic, and Queen Anne. Some houses combine several styles. Although the roof shapes, building outlines and decoration vary a great deal from house to house, these McGill houses share a common exuberance of detail. This can be seen at the window mouldings, string courses, brackets, cornices, cupolas and towers, ornate porches, deco­rative metal work and patterned slates on the roof. These decorative elements are all part of the "high styled" home.

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slate roof

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light-colored painted ---+­brick or stucco walls

plain wooden porch --+ posts with simple

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Italian Villa

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This style was inspired by the Italian farm house, which often included a prominent, flat ­topped, corner tower, a simple box or L-shaped plan, a low gable roof, and a plain light-colored wall surface. It was popularized in books such as those by Andrew Jackson Downing as appropriate for the "country gentleman'', symbolizing a simple and pastoral life. The Italian Villa style houses of LeDroit Park have L-shaped or symmetrical plans with long porches, arched windows, and gable roofs with deep overhanging eaves . Originally , some of these residences had roof cresting and truss work at the gable ends .. But there is a noticeable absence of the elaborate detailing of cornices and door and window heads that is seen on other houses by McGilL

Wall surfaces are plainer and the original color scheme simple - usually cream or buff \Vith darker trim, although varied colors may have hcen used later. Much of the 400 block of U Street is in the Italian Villa style. Here, rather than on the grander 3rd and T Streets. McGill placed his more modest houses, and they \Vere designed in a style appropriate to more modest budgets. The survival of this continuous row of houses in the Italian Villa style produces a streetscape which is possibly b

unique in the U.S.

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a) Shown here. the U Street blo<.k between llh .md 'Sth Streets is perhap-. one of the mtlst interestin~ in ld)r.nt Park. It represent~ the only remaming street of enllreh ,\\cGill destgncd houses and looks very much todav J\ 11 thd when the area wa\ first de\eloped. ·

b) An example of the type of Italian Villa house found 111 thts block: notice the low pitch to the rooL the wmmetmal facade. and the relative absence of ornate detail on corniCe. doors and windows.

c) The plam light colored wall with contrasting tl.lrk tnm ts a characteristic feature ot the Italian Villa stvle: the umformitv of color treatment on houses on this block helps 10 'tsu.tlly. tie the hou~es together a~ a special group

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d) Like the Italian farm houses which inspired this "villa" style. this McGill -designed house on Elm Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets is modest in siz:e and relatively plain in its decorative treatment. The low pitched roof, deep overhanging eaves. and wooden entry porch are common features of a house style popular in the 1800's. as suitable for the ·'country gentleman of modest means''

e) Ornate detail so characteristic of other McGill designed houses is. in these ·'Italian Villa'' examples. confined to decorative chimneys, patterned slate roofs, iron roof crestings and finials. and an occasional wooden pendant at the gable end. A number of these decorative features can be seen in this photo. Notice how dramatically different the house on the left looks, stripped of its coat of light-colored paint. Such major alterations can be questioned not only for their incon · sistency with the original style, but also for the potential surface damage which may occur on the newly exposed brick walls .

low hipped (or flat) roof

asymmetncal mass1ng and facade

paired windows and round-headed windows

are a hallmark of this style

projecting wooden entry porch with decorative

carved and turned brackets, and posts

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deep projecting cornice

ornate wood brackets

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bracketed hoods over windows and doors

large 2/2 double hung windows of tall, narrow proportions

seen in brick, frame or stucco

paired wooden doors with a glass transom

In contrast to the simple detail and balanced mass of McGill's Italian Villa houses, his few ltalianate houses in LeDroit Park exhibit asymmetrical facades and a greater variety of wooden decorative trim. A low roof and deep overhang are still seen, but the plain cornice is replaced by elaborate brackets often accom­panied by carved panels in the flat wo den boarding just below the roof edge. Brackets under the porch roof, and under the heavy window and door hoods, are also characteris­tic. (These ornate brackets are the hallmarks of the style, but they caught the fancy of the American builder, and may often be seen in later buildings. ) Arched and paired windows with ornate mouldings are common . There are cupolas and panelled, decorative doors.

The Morningstar Baptist Church at 1901 6th Street, formerly a residence, is an excel­lent representative of the more elaborate Italianate house. 330 T Street is a good example of a simpler, but handsome version. Beautifully detailed brackets under the eaves of the gable roof frame a central round arch window.

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a) This impressive ltalianate McGill House. one of only a few remaining in LeDroit Park, is on the corner of 6th and T Streets. Although the color scheme is similar to the Italian Villa style, (light walls with dark trim) the roof windows and porch are all crowned with carved wooden brackets and heavy overhanging cornices. These decorative features are the hall­mark of the ltalianate style house.

b) Heavy brackets under the eaves, a round-headed window, and bracketed wooden porch distinguish this brick residence on 330 T Street as an ltalianate house.

c) A detail showing the deep over-hanging cornice and elaborate! y can•ed brackets (or "consoles"' as they are some­times called when of this shape) of the house on the corner of T and 4th Streets.

d) Carved, lathe-turned, and sawn wooden ornamentation is often seen on the ltalianate style house. Here. a detail of lath turned \vooden porch posts.

d

decorative brick chimneys with pressed brick panels

polychrome (many-colored) patterned slate roof

narrow pointed arch windows -+-~Loll

of modest size; a ··cottage" -

Victorian Gothic

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---1---l~- tall , narrow proportions to house

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brick (or frame)

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The interest in medieval art began in Great Britain in the 18th century as part of a funda­mental sh ift in society and culture. T he Gothic Style caught on in the U.S. by 1830, and was first used for churches and schools. Few people could afford stone houses. but the invention of the jigsaw allowed the con truc­tion of light wooden imitations of Gothic forms . with "gingerbread, detail. McGill drew on the English and German Gothic tradition as illustrated in the common pattern books. As he promised in his advertisements, he used his inventiveness to give each house a unique appearance. But there are common elements to these Gothic houses. These include an irregular roofline, tall, pointed gables and towers and an asymmetrical

arrangement of plan and window placement. Pointed arches appear at windows and in the gable. Wooden trusses and hanging pendants at dormers or gable ends are common. Chim­neys are often elaborate. Color was important in the original designs: patterned roof slates and high-contrast trim colors were used. The colorful roofs remain today.

51 7 T Street is a perfect example of the pattern book Gothic cottage. Many of its original details are still intact.

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a) Only two McGill -designed Gothic Revival houses remain. This one, a particularly fine (and enchaming) example of the style. is on T Street between 5th and 6th Streets. The steep. narrow pitch to the gable roof is the most prominent dis­tinguishing feature of the Gothic Revival style .

b) While quite different in character. this too is a Gothic Revival house. as can be seen by the steep gable at the center and the arch motif above the porch posts. This McGill house is on the corner of 3rd and lJ Streets .

c) The same house on U and 3rd Streets. as originally designed and dra\vn by architect McGill: this is reproduced from the Arcbitectural Aduerti;;er of 1879.

d) A detail of the ,gable. The decorative carved board under the roof edge is called a "bargeboard " (or "\·ergchoard"'): the vertical member suspended under the peak of the gable is called a ·'pendant'·. Thi~ decorate treatment at the top ut the gable is common on Gothic Revival hou;,es. although this example is more elaborate than most.

Mansard roof

projecting entry ~w~~om bay and porch

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Second Elllpire

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Second Empire architecture developed in France under Napoleon III. His rebuilding of Paris made it the most modern city in the world, and two international exhibition popu­larized French design. The style was influen­tial in the U.S. from 1860 until the decline of French prestige in the 1880's. The steep Mansard root originally used to circumvent the legal height limits in the rebuilding of Paris, is the distinguishing feature of the style. It will also show up in later LeDroit Park row houses. (Today, in degraded shingled form, it is a cliche for giving "style" to a commercial building along many a U.S. high­way. ) Other Second Empire details are similar to ltalianate: window mouldings, porch details, brackets, eaves, and prominent cor­nices and string courses. The Second Empire

house is usually square or rectangular in plan with a projecting bay window and an entry porch. Ornate metalwork, patterned, multi­colored slates, and elaborate dormers are characteristic roof features .

The residence at 525 T is a particularly handsome example of the Second Empire Style. However, there are relatively few examples of this style in LeDroit Park.

a) A page from the Architectural Advertiser, printed in 1879 to advertise for sale the early McGill houses in LeDroit Park. A good proportion of the houses are no longer standing: this is a fortunate survivor.

b) One of the few McGill-designed Second Empire style houses remaining in the neighborhood. [n June 1978, when this photo was taken, the building was boarded up. It was recently renovated by new owners. The preservation of this McGill building represents a major contribution towards maintaining the features of LeDroit Park which make it a unique Washington neighborhood.

c) A detail showing the characteristic "Mansard" roof with its decorative slate covering. The decorative ironwork around the edge of the small corner tower is called ''cresting''.

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a Queen Anne window --+++llbl type: small square panes

of glass in upper sash

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H-4~-+-6/1 double hung windows

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different building materials, textures,

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Queen Anne

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The Queen Anne style began in England in the 1860's and \\'as popularized in this coun try by the 1876 Centennial. Basically. it was a revival based on the medieval English country house . J\kGill designed a number of houses in this style: 421 T Street is an example. The Queen Anne house is usua lly a la rge one. and most often a frame s tructure. It includes many kinds of materials and decorative treatments. >vhich \vork to­gether to produce a rich. exuberant appear­ance. The silhouette of the Queen Anne building is complex, asymmetrical. with tur­rets, ornate chimneys. and projecting dormers and bays. The surface is highly modelled . often using decorative shingles. The texture rna v vary from floor to floor. The Queen

Anne house was multi-colored - different colors being used to emphasize the variety of surface materials, texture and detail. A brick building could be elaborated with pressed or carved stringcourses, ornate brickwork, terra­cotta panels, and metal or wood details chosen freely from the many pattern books of the day. Many sizes and kinds of double hung windows are combined. The bottom sash is usually a single piece of glass, while the upper one is divided into small panes of colored or plain glass.

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b c

a) A McGill-designed Queen Anne house on 3rd Street. Typically Queen Anne houses are very large buildings: this house is no exception. The variety of roof shapes, the porch. the decorative chimneys, and the small panes in the upper sash of the windows, are all characteristic of the Queen Anne style.

b) Perhaps because of their large size, (and cost to heat and maintain) many Queen Anne houses have succumbed to decay and demolition. as has this house on U Street (between 3rd and 4th Streets). where only a portion of the original structure remains standing.

c) Among the ruins , a few fine Queen Anne detaib remain; this "sun burst" designed bracket is a decorative pattern seen frequently on this style ot architecture.

d) This porch bracket on a later LeDroit Park building is also derived from the Queen Anne "sunburst" or "fan" design.

Row Houses In the late 1880's, the construction of the large single and double family houses designed by McGill came to an end. For the next three decades, row houses filled the empty spaces, creating a higher density residential pattern. The days of the suburban retreat were not over, but the urban housing type was changing to accommodate the smaller, servantless household.

Rowhouse styles ranged from the highly detailed and tur­reted Queen Anne of the earlier years to the more austere Georgian Revival of the final filling-in. A strong street facade is created by the uniform setback, the long attached rows, and the consistent two and three story elevations. The street wall is decorated with the ornamental iron steps, handrails, and fencing. Color and contrast are provided by the mixing of materials and details, and by the shifting forms of window openings, projecting bays and irregular rooflines. Small yards at front and rear are common, although some rowhouses (along Florida A venue in particular) are built to the lotline .

Toward the tum of the century, the LeDroit Park row­house was noticeably less adorned. The rich wall surfaces of the earlier Florida Avenue rowhouses, for example, with their slate, stone, and terra-cotta details, can be contrasted with the straightforward metal cornices and plain wall surfaces of 2nd Street's Georgian Revival rows.

finials T1

+ 1~ /A~~------ projecting bays

/~ ~ and towers

r---, 1~~~~~~~J.~,J..~l~:~.l' :t cresting tall decorative chimneys-~ ~ , •

towers, bays project up v ~~\jF~D ~ ::rt:~~of from roof and out from entry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~l-l to create complex facade ~ 0 ..., [

and rhythm along street !1. r 111 double hung wind·

decorative pressed brick or terra cotta panels

. ~~ ... II" ;;;.:;.

~~~~ l~

•· ·-til--+- round-headed window often seen

-~~--~~~~~~~==~~~~~~~~~~bc~:!~::~~-brick detailing and string course stringcourses in high relief ~\ J..... keystone

f---JI---_.__, ~·" ~- '!:: .._:" 1::::::: transom over entry do - n -ro- ·~ (often paired doors)

niT .....•. ![ il::=: ~ ;; ~ paired doors and -f--HR=~IFU=It-tRITitt-

windows often seen l~~~~~il·~ioJ!!~. ij~a-g~--~~~~~--~~I~:::J~· ~·~1~~~iltJ I I~ highly textured surfac lsp;l J;;:;;;il i---1\ 1 L often mixing brick

L~_llbd lt:J I \ l I 1 .. It Ll and stone

Queen Anne Brick

- Complex, slate-covered, steep roofs and tur­rets with varied gables and dormers are char­acteristic of these more ornate LeDroit Park row houses, built in the late 1880's and early 1890's. Brick, stone, terracotta, and metal features are imaginatively combined. Orna­mental iron and ceramic tile frequently enhance the entrance, which often has a tran­som and a recessed entry bay. Basement apartments and above grade entrances are common. There may be a rusticated stone base with Romanesque details.

Straight or segmental arch rusticated stone sills and lintels, and molded brick voussoirs (the wedge-shaped pieces that make up an arch), frequently surround the tall, "one over one'' window. (That is, the window has a

single piece of glass in each vertically sliding sash. and thus has ·'one over one' ' panes of glass.) Windows and doors may be paired. Rounded bays and oriel windows (small pro­jecting bays) accent the front facade, in addi­tion to stone and brick stringcourses, pressed brick panels. and stained glass.

Characteristic Queen Anne rowhouse streets include: the 400 to 600 blocks of Florida Avenue; portions of the 300 block of U Street: 1900-1921 2nd Street; the 1800 block of 5th Street: and portions of the 300 block of Elm Street.

b

c

a) This street vie\Y could have been taken in any one ot .1

number of Washington areas. since the Queen Anne brick row house i~ a common building type throughout the district. (House~ on 2nd Street).

b) Two story examples on .'lrd Street.

c ) Three storv Queen Anne row houses along Florida Avenue.

d) Examples of the decorative detail characteristic of the Queen Anne Row; one ot the earliest and mmt elaborate of

d

W'!lk"'c------"'=-t- scalloped or hexagonal shingles in gable end

clapboard on main body ~~~~~:~~~~!;~llilll~l:lll[~ paneled frame around

of house bay windows painted contrasting color

shingles fishscale shingles

mult i-paned upper sash in double-hung windows (often 6/1)

projecting 2-story bay -fll-ftH-+ wilh variety of materials

and color

QueenAnne­Fratne

While of the same basic style, the wooden Queen Anne rowhouses are quite different in effect. The facade is still exuberantly modelled, but the general appearance is sim­pler and more domestic The walls are covered in clapboard, with patterned shingles in the gables or above the projecting bays. The roofs are simpler in form. There is an entry porch, and sometimes one on the second story, as well. The windows are rectangular and more uniform, with small divided panes of glass in the upper sash. Wooden panels occur below the first floor windows, or panelled frames appear at the sides of windows. Textures and colors are designed to contrast with each other.

A good example of the Queen Anne frame rnw m::~v I1P "PPn nn thP P::J"t "iriP of 6th Street.

a

b

a) A view of six Queen Anne wood frame houses along 6th Street. The repetitive gable fronts and front porches make this an unusual and particularly interesting LeDroit Park Street.

b) Good examples of the LeDroit Park Queen Anne frame house. Notice the small panes of glass in the upper window sash, and the triangular panes of glass in the gable window on the house on the right .

c) The front porch is a major feature of these houses . Porches can go across the full front, or can be smaller entry porches, as seen on these houses along T Street between 5th and 6th Streets. Renovation which strips these buildings of their decorative shingles , clapboards and small paned \\'indow~ as in the house at the left. can cause an irreversible change in their character.

c

tall, narrow dormers

a distinctive Chateauesque window type

Chateauesque

"half timbering" effect A----.....4~-+-+- dark trim with light wall

surface

brick (or stone) construction

The Chateauesque st.yle was derived from the design of middle 16th Century French build­ings. Briefly popular around 1880 in the USA, residences in this style are character­ized by an inventive mixture of Renaissance and Gothic elements.

This style in LeDroit Park is seen in a number of developer-built, 3-story row houses. 1900- 1906 6th Street are good examples. While modest relative to the grand New York City Vanderbilt mansion which typifies the style. (and modest. too. relative to the earlier McGill houses), the Chateauesque design fea ­tures on this middle class housing type are distinctive. These houses are always of brick or stone, with very steep sided roofs. Some are Hat-fronted with the upper story made to

look like a roof with a pointed gable pattern. A tower (or "tourelle ·' as they are called when, as here, they project out from the second story), or oriel window is the single major feature. Gothic elements such as nar­row windows topped by steep gables. and Renaissance details like the low round­headed arch, are seen freely mixed on the same facade. Decorative panels of pressed brick, terra cotta or metal, are common. The floor levels are marked with horizontal bands. Typically, the entry is close to street level.

a) Chateauesque style row houses on Florida Avenue.

bl The major features of the LeDroit Park Chateauesque row house can be easily S('<"n on this 6th Street house: pointed gable form. dark wooden banding around a lighter colored flat wall surface: oriel v.:indows at the second story.

c ·1 This row house on 6th Street is a fine example of the Chateauesque style as seen in the LeOroit Park neighborhood. T vpical of the later revival style row houses, the building is basically a flat -roofed box. However. a builder-designer . through the inventive addition of a few touches. has created a building with a good deal of interest and pleasing character. The application of a dark outlined gable form on the top of the building recalls th<> appearance of the steeply pitched roofs and the "halt timbering·· wooden bracing with light colored swcco intill - .seen on the early English hou\('S which inspired thi\ stvlr. The .'>ccond story hay window lcalled an "oriel" window. when. as here. the h.l\' does nm extend to the base of the house ). is also a hallmark of the Ch..tteauesque stde.

b

c

d e

d,e) Other Chateauesque style row houses in LeDroit Park.

---single house--- -::-H-:--------double house-------

l;-,:~ffiffij~~~~~~~iil'""'iWi~WJ;~-m~~~~mm~~~~~T deep projecting • llllllllll·IJ-'U i!Ut ;t rH ilt:"iUIIIJ.II'I.IUI cornice

corbeled brick ~ ~ ~ 1::1 ~ ElJ ~ J111UI I 0 ~ 0 0 0 . d Q .0 0 D a [J tl tj [J 0 ,___ decorative brick "brackets" under paneling below

cornice L ' . ;;;;;;; .-j1~~§~iil~~- ·j~·,·,~~b---1~/~-5~.......,~-Ji~~i\_J_ brick (often ~ =-- D D r--1-lll.._ - Ill _,, . 1, J ~?~d~t~ry oriel

pressed brick) r l o,· ~ bd facade t ; 11 ~rJ 1/1 double hung

_ ll ~L windows

~----_._--?--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~raised stringcour~ transom window ~~-A;:::;:-;rr.;;;-..~-+.1~~......;:::::::_;;:: ~ !.._ ~ .. . ~·- -~smooth, often

above entry door~ ,...__:::J~.blL::::1

([·:~=~·«.T~UQ ~~ 1./0~ -.....t ,,, = ~~~~t-~~~C:~~ bricl narrow recessed --ii---m:~-w="''''--+

f-Ht---t- entry on entry bay ' recessed wall

2 story projecting raised entry with -f!===:::=::==:::flJL::d~ bay

c~~~ir~;n~~~\~ ~ ll=====t ~~~~~=i!t··~~~::_~E~f:i!~~~~<~'· ~:=ni:!;-r-1 story projecting J6......W ~~~ T Q CJ ( t...,_· -----4 I:J C t:=:=l_j bay

Washington Row This is a familiar style in the City of Wash­ington, and is given its name for that reason. Constructed in quantity by 19th Century builders, it is however not so frequently found in LeDroit Park. One group is on U Street at the corner of 4th. In essence, it is an Italian­ate style, done in brick and in a simpler, more severe form, which makes a more regu­lar street wall. Probably it was designed for a somewhat less affluent client than the Queen Anne row. The roof is flat and therefore invisible. There is a straight, deep projecting cornice, whose ornate. corbelled brickwork echoes the ltalianate wooden bracket. A one or two story rectangular bay projects forward , while the raised entrance with its cast iron

steps and handrails is set back on the princi­pal plane of the facade. Doors are tall and relatively narrow, with many panels and a glass transom above. The windows are wide and double hung, often "one over one" . with a segmental brick arch across the head. The brick walls are smooth, often painted in light hue, while the wooden trim is m a con­trasting dark color .

a

a) A handsome example of the Washing ton Row house type. on 5th Street. Notice the prominent cornice and the bracketed wooden entry porch.

b) Another 5th Street example. T ypically the Wa~hington Row house is a two story huilding .

c) The segmental arch douhle window is commonlv seen in \Vashington Row houses. .

c

round-headed doors and windows

often seen

decorative pressed brick panels

rusticated stone first floor

entry typically close to

f ~====~~~~~~---------- deep decorative brick f cornice

m~~mm i . .

::·. .

. ··.··· .:;. .::· .· ·>·.

corbeled brick "brackets"

1/1 (sometimes 2/2) windows

r----, ---- ..---..... · l stone lintels and sills

transom over door

raised entry with iron stair and handrail

grade le~v:e~l J:~=~~l~IT~~O~~~~~~~~t:!l_L __

Renaissance Revival

The Renaissance Revival was a later imitation of Italian building. In this case, however modest the copy, it was the urban Italian palace of the 16th and 17th centuries that was the model: solid, dignified, and rather austere. These rows are flat-fronted, two or three stories high, and the entry is typically nearly at grade. The facade is brick, but usually the first floor is faced with large, rough surfaced stones (a ''rusticated'· front). There is a tall projecting brick or wooden cornice. supported by brick corhelling which may be shaped to imitate brackets. There are decorative brick friezes below the cornice, brick panels below the windows . Stone lintels or segmental brick arches bridge the open­ings. The windows themselves are "one over

one or ··two over two··. and sometimes are round-headed. Those of the top story are often shorter than those belm.v. Examples of the Renaissance Revival may be found on Elm Street between 3rd and 5th Streets.

c

d

a) Unlike earlier style\, the Renaissance Revival row house ahvays ha:, a flat front facade. In this three story example. notice the rusticated first tloor.

b,c,d) The variety of surface texture created by demrative brick construction detail gives strong visual interest to an othPrwi•r m oitP nl,.in hnn•P tvnP !ThP•P Px:lmniPs ~rP on Elm .

~ ~~

~~~~~~~~~;~~t~ steep (almost vertical) sloped slate ~ c~l 1 u· covered roof

;;;;;;~'Y-rT~a~1 ffi~¥===1~ ~ ~ ~ JEffil ~rt:r::t::rt:"":::::-;.....1~ dormer

R~u5=5iu:!U~..Ii'-l~l~uU~M~---u~u~u~r~uu~ ... ~\~ wooden classical cornice with dentils

- .... l ltr.: L=.,..l--._ light colored lintels and sills on windows

EtB B 6/6 (or 1/1) double hung windows

tm e I

r-_J~========:;t- wooden porch with plam cornice and wooden columns and rail

r

Georgian Revival

j_j_

'-multi-paned transom and door sometimes seen

- 3 bay facade with raised entry

The Centennial celebration of 187 6 sparked an interest in the early buildings of America, as well as in the Queen Anne work of Great Britain. Designers looked to early colonial models: English, Dutch and Spanish . The Georgian revival , which relates to the English colonial prototype, appears in LeDroit Park about 1900. It represents the last phase of rowhouse building. The style is restrained and the houses more modest than those built previously. since now they were being built for people of moderate means. The flat brick facades are usually two stories high with a short slate-covered false roof (the echo of the Mansard form ) concealing the flat roof be­hind. There may be false cornices in sheet metal. The cornice is of wood or pressed mPt<IJ mith thP hP<I\1\T rlPntik nf thP r!;:J<;<;l(a]

tradition. The "six over six" double hung windows have straight. light colored, stone lintels and sills . Usually , there is a full length \vooden porch, \vith a plain cornice, Tuscan or Doric wood columns and wooden railing. Red brick with white trim is characteristic but light cream or lead spot brick also appear. These rmvs are at times set back to give a substantial front yard, which breaks the more uniform street pattern of the earlier styles. Porches. windows and doors of many of these b

houses have been altered, and a number of the structures, although they are the most recent of the "historic" buildings, are in poor repair. 1836- 1854 2nd Street, 407-4 19 Elm Street, and 1824-183 2 4th Street are typical examples of the Georgian Row.

c

a) A row of Georgian Re\·iva l houses along 1nd Stree t. The wooden tront po r~h is the prominent de~ign feature of this stvle.

bl Notice the b lse dormers on the roof. adding .1 tLluch of grandeur to ,1 ~imple huildin,~; .

r) Smaller scale \·e rsinns of the ~:ww hnmc type .tlong Elm Street between .'\ rd and lth Streets. :'\Jot ice tha t the buildings are onlv two hays wide . The po rches on these house' have suffered an unu ~ual Jmoum o f decay .md alteration due w the moisture pro blems encounte red in this des ign . Wood members are in such dose com act w the earth that wate r deterio ration is ine\·itable.

basically a '·Georgian Revival"

builder's row house with a " Spanish"

curvil inear top

Spanish Revival

. ~- · - · -:.....n -·- ·-· - ·: .

' 1 ~ ~ ~ d ~ : - i' . : ! ' [i

1~~ lur-Tt, ~ ) I ·,. A'~ ! ' ,, .. ··-~

. ---~ ~· ' ----~r:>­LeDroit Park Neighborhood ·,. ~c::::'

I 1 r"":"

plain walls of brick or stucco

projecting one story be

Elsewhere this was an important revival style, using stucco walls, tiled roofs , stepped and arched parapets and gables, round arched brick-trimmed doors and windows, projecting rafters and massive, heavily decorated en­trance doors. Here in LeDroit Park the Span­ish Revival is used primarily as a variant form by the builders of the Georgian rows. Often it is no more than a stepped, curvilinear gable tacked on to the Georgian brick facade . Such a row occurs on Elm Street at the corner of 4th.

a

a) Like most of the later row stvles tn LeDroit Park. Spanish Revival houses are usually four{d in long repetitive rows. This block on Elm Street between .'3rd and hh Streets is Jn impress1ve grouping.

b) A closer look at one of the building-; in this grouping: basically a box, with a few simple decorative features.

c,dJ This example can be found on 2nd Street, intermixed with Georgian Revival row houses. Except for the design of the top third of the facade. they are essentially the same building. (Compare >nth photo on p. ·HJ).

b

d

c

a) Ga~e Eckington School seen from 3rd Street

b) H oward University Hospital seen from U Street

20th Century Buildings Although the last substantial building activity came to an end by 1920, change continued. Buses and cars, the growth of Howard Uni­versity to the north, the construction of new institutional buildings, and the demolition of older structures are features of this change. The park circle and its landscaping were de­stroyed by paving a trafficway through its center. New buildings have broken sharply with the character of the neighborhood.

The large-scale buildings which have changed the appearance of the neighborhood include two Howard University dormitories (originally war housing), the Gage-Eckington School, and the Safeway Store at 3rd Street and Rhode Island Avenue (which replaced a fine McClellan house). To the north , the Howard University Medical School makes a hard institutional edge of parking lots and large buildings. To the south the former com ­mercial activities along Florida A venue are closed. Despite all this, the core of LeDroit Park remains in sound condition, still a most impressive example of the 19th Century Romantic suburb.

How to Conserve a House

--~~---·- - - - ---~--:...~ _--...::..: ---. ______ _ ------------ - ~~----_:. ._-=-_~ ·- =- - - -~-- ~~~ ... ~- - ~ =-=-~-

- :::-:~~ -~--~ .....:::. -=----·=_=_-_---=-

Arrest Deterioration

Conserve

Improve Function and Appearance

Basic Principles The first rule of conservation is to arrest deterioration, while avoiding any changes that are irreversible, that is, which seriously damage the original materials and structure of a building, or which make it difficult for any future owner to restore the building's esthetic and historic character if he wishes to. This is the principal basis for saying that certain changes should never be permitted.

The second rule is to restore the historic appearance of a building, while also improving the way in which it functions today. Buildings must change, if they are to remain useful. We cannot exclude changes which respond to modern func­tions or technology, but we should try to make them in harmony with original architectural character. Past changes in a building may also have historic meaning and can be worthy of conservation. It is essential to see that change connects what was and what now exists - that the area remains eloquent of its past.

Original features should be retained and repaired where possible, and replaced only when necessary. However, cost may require that decorative elements be replaced with sim­plified versions of the originals. Neighborhood character and scale should be conserved as well. Any new additions must respect the form of the surrounding buildings, as well as the nature of the structure itself.

These principles must be applied with some flexibility, not only because high costs may at times make historic accuracy difficult to accomplish, but also because facades which are not visible to the public can often be treated with some individuality and freedom, just as house interiors are. More­over, new technologies and new ways of living will in time make some of these recommendations obsolete. Accumulated experience will surely modify some of them. Clearly, then, these guidelines must be reviewed periodically and applied with judgment.

\.....uusiuer 1. our r'ieignoors

Except for some of the early houses designed by the architect James McGill. most houses in LeDroit park are row houses which form a solid built edge along the street. The individual houses were designed to have simi­lar features - size, materials, window place­ment, turrets, towers, porches, etc. - so that each building works with its neighbor to create a larger wall of buildings of uniform height. with a regular rhythm of projections and entries along the street.

Changes made in an individual house can disrupt the continuity created by these design similarities from house to house. So think carefully about any changes to your house, beginning first ·with a close look at other houses on the block which still retain their original character.

Elements of a LeDroit Park Street I ,

similarity of materials and color from house to house unify appear­ance of the street

uniform " setback" of

I buildings (distance back from street)

, , variety of details in iron

handrails and steps, and wooden porches and rails add interest to the street

uniform height of raised first floor entry

similar size and place­ment of door and window openings establish rhythm along the street.

fences continue the edge of the sidewalk between houses

Parts of a House ; bay

~ififii~ffi~~iiiffill~=-=-= roof cornice I' corbeled brick " brackets"

U -~~~~~§~~~=-- decorative brick ~ paneling

frieze (flat area below cornice)

lintel

p~;;;;;;n;;;;;;;;;;;;;;$.§i1JJ;;;,;! __ iron entry stair and rails

The face of this house is divided into 3 major divisions by its windows. These major divisions are called "bays".

Roof Types

Gable Hip Mansard

Pitched Cross Flat , (with dormers) Gable with parapet

dormer

porch

The Facade

--I I I I

/) /

/

The "facade" is the front plane, or " face" of the house, and is its most public and important feature. Projecting architectural features, such as porches, dormers. towers , or bay or oriel windows. are a part of the building 's facade.

Know Your House LeDroit Park boasts a great variety of hand­some buildings of different architectural styles. To know your house you should first deter­mine its style. But even houses of the same style can be designed \Vith different features, so look closely to identify the specific design and detail features which give you r bui lding its unique appearance. These are the elements you will want to respect and retain as you undertake renovation or maintenance repairs.

In this guidebook. buildings are described using architectural terms. The drawing on this page will help you with some of the more general terms (cornice or transom, etc.), but if you find an unfamiliar word. turn to the glos­sary at the end of the book for definitions of architectural terms .

Identify Key Design Features Of Your House

deep cornice gives house a "top"

raised brick string­courses and window sills emphasize hori­zontal quality of house

raised entry gives house a "base"

Identify Key Design Features Of Your House

design similarity and relationship to adjacent house is essential

entry porch forms outdoor room

raised entry gives the house a base

2/3 113

proportion of windows and bays gives rhythm to house

1/1 windows with dark contrasting color on trim emp~asizes window ~ openmgs ~

arch and transom houses act together over door, and detailed along street to form iron stair emphasizes solid wall with rhythm importance of entry to of narrow recessed house entries

DODD rhythm of mass and openings; 113 entry bay, 213 projecting bay

1/3 213 variety of different textures and colors form bands along vertical face of house

heavy wooden cornice

small-paned glass adds to the "textured " look of this style house

scalloped shingles

panels

Renovation Simplifying Original Details Which Respects the Character of the House

replacing shingles with clapboard in gable

modern fewer-paned windows are a less desirable, but acceptable, replacement

note: the basic massing and proportion of the house and its features - cornice, porch, bay -are retained. This is the key to a successful simplification.

~li--N-- variety in painting of trim can approximate effect of different textures on original

simplified door, posts and rail in _____ __,L.__ _ __..JL------1~-.JL--.....U..~--..J_--L..---L.--:same size and material as orig ina I

EXISTING RENOVATED

Renovations Illustrating Guidelines The guidelines on the following pages are designed to assist homeowners in making decisions about renovations or maintenance repairs to buildings in LeOroit Park. While it is almost always best to retain the original materials and features on your house, this is not always possible. Original details may already have been removed or may be deterio­rated beyond repair. Some alterations to an older house can be accomplished without diminishing its attractiveness or hiding the character set by its architectural style, as illustrated above. Other changes or additions, even minor ones. such as "colonial" eagles or doors on a Victorian building, can spoil what is special about the individual house. Determining which changes will fit with the design of your house and vvhich will detract from it is not always easy. The guidelines provide alternatives and assistance for these

decisions. Two general principles for renova­tion of older buildings can guide you, however. As the drawings on the next page illustrat~, it is almost always a mistake to remove, cover up or alter major features of your bouse (such as dormers, towers, or horizontal bands of paneling on a projecting bay). Compare the houses illustrating altera­tion at the right with the original houses below. It is also almost always a mistake to try to change the style of the building,· for instance, to ''modernize'' or '' colonialize ·' a house.

"Modernization" Completely Hiding The Character of the House

installation of vinyl or aluminum siding which is wider than original clapboards should never be done

shutters as a decorative feature are always

:ii~~~~~~~~~i~~i~~~~i inappropriate unless they were an original feature of the house

r+ttH:Htit--- never install a siding material with a vertical pattern ; here the siding has covered up the horizontal bands of different texture which made the bay a major decorative feature

~~~~~~~l~~~llimW~B~~m~- of the house porch removed ; avoid this at all cost

lrl61f3-H+--.+-H+--++++i..._.l+l++--- " colonial " eagles, lights and doors are inappropriate for the 19th century houses in LeDriot Park

HOUSE IN ORIGINAL CONDITION MODERNIZED AND "COLONIALIZED''

Alterations Which Can Hide A House's Character

removing decorative brickwork from chimneys

.--------removing finials or crest ing

,~~~~~~~jlfj-~~~~oving patterned slate roofing and replacing with metal or asphalt

removing tops from ~~§§~=~;;a;~, towers or bays f ijj;::=Jg~~~~1~~:1:1+-- removing a dormer

using stucco or " form--f-+---+-- i stone" over existing brick

or clapboard: decorative detail will be lost, and window openings will

look " swallowed up" by the new thicker wall

ALTERED HOUSES

How to Use These Guidelines Following a general comment on saving energy, the guidelines are stated briefly for each type of structural element. After each set of guidelines there are more detailed notes on the reasons for them and on how to accomplish the work suggested. A final sec­tion , entitled "The Process of Design Review'' , tells the owner how to go about getting changes approved. It also suggests where to go for help, and tells the owner something about various subsidies that can provide financial assistance for fixing a house . In the appendix (at the end) there are some useful notes on buying and judging an old house .

The guidelines themselves are stated in three levels. First are those actions which are preferred, headed: ''this is the preferable way to do it." However, the "preferable way" may sometimes be too expensive, or would not work in some particular case. So there is a middle category, labelled "sometimes a good way'': actions which may be reasonable in some cases and not in others, or which require special attention and design. Then there are those actions which are almost always damaging to any historic building, although even here, for some very special reason , one of these potentially damaging actions may be the only sensible route to take. They are labelled "this is a generally unacceptable way.'' So these three levels can be summarized in three words: ''yes", "maybe" and " no," but no set of general guidelines can be expected to cover every contingency.

Conserving Energy First, a note on saving heating (or cooling) costs - no small item in the family budget. The greatest loss of house heat is through the openings around doors and windows. Simply putting weatherstripping around the edges of doors and windows is therefore a very effec­tive heat saver. Aluminum storm windows are a useful addition, if well fitted and caulked, since they tend to seal those openings, and to create an insulating dead air space between themselves and the old window (as well as protecting it from the weather). Storm doors, on the other hand, save little heat (although they may be desirable for other reasons), since they cannot be made airtight. Weatherstrip­ping the edges of the old door is the best way to stop heat loss.

The next most critical element in energy loss and gain is the roof, where much \vinter heat escapes (since heat rises), and summer heat penetrates (since the sun beats down on it). Insu lating · · batts ·' (narrow rolls of thick, matted fiberglass) may easily be laid agai nst the inside of the roof. or between the joists of an unfinished attic floor, to stop this energy loss. The batts have a vapor barrier on one side, to prevent the condensation of water vapor \Vithin the wall, roof. or floor. This bar­rier should always be turned toward whatever will be the warm side of the surface. These fiberglass batts are a simple and effective insulation. [See Condensation, page 60]

Finally, one considers insulating the walls . Insulating batts should be applied to the walls of any ne\\' addition or building, as it is con­structed. In an old house, however. putting on those batts requires taking off either the inside or the outside sheathing of the wall -generally impracticable except during a major renovation.

utner types ot msulatton can De blown mto the cavities of an old wall without stripping the sheathing, but this insulation has prob­lems of its own. Blown insulation does not allow for installing a vapor barrier. If it is a loose. solid material , such as cellulose, it may settle. or spread poorly. Urethane, another loose material of this kind, disintegrates in time. Urea-formaldehyde avoids some of those difficulties, since it is sprayed in as a foam which solidifies. It also has the highest insulating value. Unfortunately , the spray

Sources of Heat Loss

single thickness window glass

22%

uninsulated ./ walls / 30%

air infiltration

20%

Because heated ai r rises. much of the heat loss from a house is through the roof. Every old house will benefit from attic insulation.

Single thickness window glass plus gaps around old window frames account for large heat loss.

Heat is conducted through wall . Brick. wood and plaster are good conductors of heat and so they are poor insulators.

Air leaking through small cracks and holes in a building's exterior is a major source of heat loss. U you add together all the small openings on the typical old house (including cracks around doors and windo\vs), you would have a hole 3 to 4 feet square. That would be like having a \..,·indo\v open.

may clog around proJecttons wttnm the wall, and it shrinks and gives off water while setting. Recent tests indicate that it also may continue to give off irritating fumes inside the house, even for years after installation. Urea­formaldehyde is not recommended.

In short, it is good sense and saves money to weatherstrip doors and windows, to install storm windows, and to insulate the roof or attic with fiberglass batts. One should get the advise of an expert (one who has no interest in selling insulation) before doing more .

How to Insulate

insulate attic floor

vent

To prevent heat loss in an older house start at the top. A wall vent under the eave of the roof will allow air to circulate so that there will be no condensation of moisture in the attic. Insulation on the attic floor will keep your heat dollars from literally going .. out the roof." Be sure, however, that you in· stall a vapor barrier under the insulation before it is laid (or. in foil covered roll insulation, be sure to place the foil side down .)

Installing insulation in side walls where none originally ex· isted can be an expensive project . For an energy savings return on money spent it is often more efficient to install storm windows . They ~hould be tight -fitting and should match the design of the existing windows.

Reducing air infiltration into an old house is by far the most etfective method of controlling heat loss. Make sure that exterior paint is in good condition. that mortar joints are tight, and that caulking or weather stripping around windows and doors is ade<.~uatelv fillin11 any holes or 11aps in the

Installing a Vapor Barrier

Yes No

Condensation occurs in co.d ~·eather. MoiSt, warm atr moves through walls and soon OO:omes cool a10ugh so that some of the moisture wrll ;tart to condense usually on a hard sur face. This promotes dampnl'Si insid: a wall 11hrch can rtduce insulation value and promatc rot Visible sr~ns are ~lin~ or stained wallpaper and paint.

Vapor barriers m used to prmm rnoisture from gettin~ into walls. Vapcr barners should alwa)~ be placed on the warm side of the :nsJiation · neYer on the cold side.

Insulating a Crawl Space

floor

insulation batt

No Yes

Insulation should bo: installed so UlJtair mo,·emenl.l resulting from infiltration are blocked. hffi thoogh the insula:ion looks neater when stapled to the oouoms of the jo~ll. the air space which is le1 allows drahs and leJks through cracks in the floor and greJtly redoce~ the insu1tion value.

Venting Excess Moisture

using wooden wedges

using metal vents

airflow

~met al vent

b scme cases it is impossible to install a vapor barrier. If condensation is a problem additional venting of the wall can help to al.eviate it. Small wooden wedges can be inserted under a few rows of clapboards at the top of the wall. For Sf',ere ca,es, metal vents can be inserted into drilled holes. The.;e should be placed at the top and bottom of a wall so tho! ai r em circulate and carry the water vapor away.

Insulating an Attic

loose ins ulation

batt insu lation

vapor barr ier

cei ling joi st

Careful stuffing and fitti ng of insulation is the only way to reduce leaks and drafts. 6 • or 8" batt insulation should be used on the attic floor. For additional insulation, an extra inch or two of loose insulation over the batts and ceiling joists will reduce conduction by the joists.

Wooden Walls If your house has the original wooden clapboard or shingle siding, whether it is exposed or hidden under other coverings, then:

This is the preferable way to do it: • Uncover, retain, and repair existing clapboards or shingles.

• Replace missing or rotted pieces.

• Retain decorative trim, including corner boards.

• Install vapor barriers when applying insulation.

• Repaint regularly in a color appropriate to the house and harmonious with the neighborhood.

This is sometimes a good way: • Strip off badly deteriorated clapboard siding and replace it

with smooth aluminum or vinyl siding which, as closely as possible, has the same lap dimension and crossection as the original.

• Replace corner boards or trim with aluminum or vinyl of the same dimensions.

This is a generally unacceptable way: • Covering old rotted siding without correcting the cause of

rot.

• Use of aluminum or vinyl siding which is textured, or which has substantially wider lap lines than the original covenngs.

• "Burying" (apparently recessing) corner boards or trim by applying new siding as an additional layer on top of the old, or removing this trim without replacing it at the same dimension.

• Use of wooden shingles where they did not originally appear.

• Use of asbestos siding, asphalt shingles, formstone, or

Installing a Vapor Barrier

Vapor -f'-+1.-~111 barner

Yes No

Condensation occurs in cold weather . Moist, warm air moves through walls and soon becomes cool enough so that some of the moisture will start to condense - usually on a hard sur­face. This promotes dampness inside a wall which can reduce insulation value and promote rot. Visible stgns are peeling or stained wallpaper and paint.

Vapor barriers are used to prevent moisture from getting into walls. Vapor barriers should always be placed on the warm side of the insulation - never on the cold side.

Insulating a Crawl Space

floor

insulation batt joist

No Yes

insulation should be installed so that air movements resulting from infiltration are blocked. Even though the insulation looks neater when stapled to the bottoms of the joists, the air space which is left allows drafts and leaks through cracks in the floor and greatly reduces the insulation value.

Venting Excess Moisture

using wooden wedges

using metal vents

~metal vent

ln some cases it is impossible to install a vapor barrier. lf condensation is a problem additional venting of the wall can help to alleviate it. Small wooden wedges can be inserted under a few row~ of clapboards at the top of the wall. For severe cases. metal vents can be inserted into drilled holes. These should be placed at the top and bottom of a wall so that air can circulate and carry the water vapor away.

Insulating an Attic

loose insulation

batt insulation

vapor barrier

ceiling joist

Careful stuffing and fitting of insulation is the only way to

reduce leaks and drafts. 6 • or 8' batt insulation should be used on the attic floor. For additional insulation, an extra inch or rwo of loose insulation over the batts and ceiling joists \viii reduce conduction by the joists.

Siding Materials Replace wood clapboards w1th matching wood clapboards . When th1s IS not poss1ble smooth alummum Siding wh1ch matches the origmal clapboards in appearance and width . (provided no details are stripped dunng s1d1ng Installation). can be an acceptable solution.

I I I.

Wood I Alummum s1dmg Clapboards

Yes l\ilaybe

Wooden Siding vs. Synthetics

Verllcal Siding

Staggered Butt Shm gle

No

The original wooden siding is both durable and beautiful. Wood siding will last 100 years if painted regularly (about every 5 years).­There are many varieties of this siding. Look carefully at what you have, and try to match it where it must be replaced. Synthetic materials cannot fully duplicate its appearance . While wood shingles make a good durable surface. they are out of character in LeOroit Park. when used to cover an entire wall. Original! y, they were confined to gable ends and decorative features. Corner boards and trim, and their projection from the wall, define the form of a building, and set its char­acter. These features should not be lost, sim­plified, or buried.

Formstone or Permastone

Gra1ned vmyl and Gra1ned Al um1num

Asbestos Shingle

Vmyl or Alummum w1der than ongmal c lapboard s

lt is usually cheaper to repair and repaint wood than to cover it up. especially \Vhen the required repair is not extensive, and the owner can do this himself. Covering over rotten boards, or places \Vhere moisture has caused paint to deteriorate, \Vill simply make matters worse . Even if a clapboard wall seems beyond repair, it probably looks worse than it is. JVlost clapboard can be rene\ved \Vith a little patience. Pry open split boards. apply waterproof glue, and hold the board back in place with finish nails until the glue sets. Flatten boards which are convex outwards bv inserting screws along centerlines. and -gradually tightening. ?.'hile periodically wet­ting the board. Flatten concave board; by nail­ing finish nails along edges in pre-drilled holes . Set all nails and screws belmv the sur­face, and fill the holes with putty. Rotten pieces are cut out \Vith a saw and chisel after removing the nails. Wedge up the upper board, insert a new matching piece. and renail. Putty all joints.

Corner and Sill Boards /// ////

/'shing les or /

~si l l board removed -corner board replaced with thin strip -often seen on viny l siding installations

clapboards with / no corner board -only i f original on Queen Ann e houses

Yes No Maybe

Cornice and Window Trim Treatment bric k or frame hou ses

D

UUUUUUUUULl l H

~ PZ ll l L Jl '' j_ II

II II u //. ft n / .,-/l n r 1 l J

/Y L I n ["' 1 II

l Jl l l J Jl l l l_ J. J I

[QJ] n L r l 1\ _jJ II

~ I 1 l

[QJ] r 1

[[OJ original =t: ~ . Jb! detail si mplif ied; r-2-::I important j_

basic shape - II det ail -=r: detail re tained- 'd- maintai ned L 1r removed - II lf -J [ j

~

Yes Maybe No

Asphalt siding can be stripped off with a claw hammer and wrecking bar to reveal the old \Vood siding below. Then proceed as above, making sure to putty all nail holes and to give the wall a chance to drv out before painting. This may take six months.

Aluminum and vinyl siding do not require painting during their life span. In fact, they cannot easily be repainted. Aluminum fades somewhat in time, dents easily, and is difficult to repair. Vinyl fades and may become brittle in sunlight, burns faster than wood and emits poisonous fumes as it does so. Both synthetic materials do not "breathe" as wood does, so that moisture is trapped behind them, causing walls to deteriorate (the moisture which encourages rot comes from condensation within a house as well as from outside). The energy savings of synthetic sidings are low, since their insulation values are lower than wood. However, insulation can be installed,

when any new siding is being put on. Alumi­num siding lasts about 30 or 40 years . The life span of vinyl siding is unknown. ''Wood­grained'' vi nyl, aluminum, asbestos and asphalt are only parodies of the real material.

Nevertheless. if much new siding must be installed, aluminum and vinyl are 25-3 5% cheaper than new wooden clapboard. More­over, since LeDroit Park is in the fire zone, wood siding cannot be used if more than half of the old siding must be replaced. Thus, while not ''best practice,'' the use of syn­thetic siding may often be the most sensible course to take . If the lap dimensions are matched as closely as possible with the old siding, and if the old siding is first removed so that the old or replaced trim is not ob­scured in the added thickness of the new wall covering, then the result can be quite har­monious with the character of the old wooden houses.

1. Con vex Boards

) ~ screw flat

·~-----

~

2. Concave Boards

screw flat

3. Replacing Boards

wedge

chisel

new board

seam

~-wood block

1. Convex Boards To flatten convex boards, drill several holes along center of board, insert wood screws and tighten gradually . Keep board wet to avoid splitting.

2. Concave Boards To flatten concave boards , drill two sets of holes along top and bottom of board . Insert wood screws and tighten gradual­ly. All screw holes should be countersunk.

3. Replacing Boards To replace damaged board, make saw cuts with small saw. Remove nails in damaged board and board above. Remove damaged board and insert wedges under board above. Chisel out excess pieces of damaged board . Patch any holes in tar paper underlay with asphalt cement. Remove wedges and in· <:: P rt nPn• hrv::~ rrl in nl"lrP flA nnt h'lf"T'H"TH:> r h n -:lrrl rltrPr tlu - n<~

Use of Color The color of your house establ ishes its " person ­al ity' '. Although many 19th Century houses were poly­chrome (many-colored), great care must be taken when using more than two main colors on your house. The best way to use color is to use a neutral matte color for the body of the house- #1, and a lighter or darker shade of the same color for the trim - #2. Often bright contrast­ing colors were used to further emphasize archi­tectural features- #3. This extra color should be used sparingly; otherwise the house can soon look too busy! Bright gloss paints should be limited to the door- #4 .

Painting Paint is the essential and traditional weather­proofing of the outside of a wooden walL It can be done by the owner over a period of time. Since the cost of paint is small com­pared to the labor of painting, always use the best grade of paint. Latex and alkyd resin paints have replaced the traditional linseed oil paints. Latex is best on new wood, since it allows trapped moisture to escape. However, do not use it on old oil paint since the paint will lift off the wall. For that reason, it is best to use an alkyd resin over previous coats of oiL Scrape off all loose paint by hand, with a putty knife or scraper (never by sanding with power tools , or by using a torch or paint removers made from lye or alkali, all of which may damage the wood surface). Scrub off any mildew or dirt. Treat the bare wood with pentachlorophenoL Paint only when the sur­face is drv and clean and the temperature

between 50 ° and 90 °F. Do not work in direct sunlight on a hot day.

The choice of color is personal, but that choice affects the entire street. Use colors which do not clash with neighboring build­ings, and which might have been used on yours. White and yellow paint was favored by early 19th century builders. But the builders active when most of LeDroit Park was devel­oped liked to use many colors, particularly earth tones with contrasting trim . Typically, the wall paint was a matte surface (that is dull or without gloss) while the trim was glossy or semi-glossy. Occasionally, two trim colors were used. A number of good colors for 19th century wooden houses are indicated below. The attached number refers to the code of that color, as manufactured by the Benjamin Moore Paint Co. This is only for better iden­tification of the hue, since other good paints are available. These are not the only

"correct" colors, but they are attractive and reliable. If an owner is interested, he can often discover the original color of a house by carefully scraping off the successive layers of paint on a small patch of wall and trim.

The following color combinations are for frame houses . Few LeDroit Park brick houses were meant to be painted . In general, painting brick is not recommended, since it is not his­torically appropriate and will create a sub­stantial and unnecessary maintenance cost.

A wide variety of colors are appropriate for doors and window and cornice trim on brick houses. Matte or semi-gloss paints are best for trim ; bright-colored high gloss paints are best used only on doors . Some attractive colors for trim on brick houses include black. forest green, slate blue. bronze, chinese red, deep brown and buff.

>th Century Colors Schemes

tie bei)<e lxxh· CB .36 ( 1 7 9) arkertrim CB34 (17-12) tutters (opt. ) CB )) (17 1-1 ) ·arm brown >ody ghter trim tutters (opt. )

ght golden >rown body ~rker trim tutter~

OP 32 (.1 -46) OP 33 (.1 45) OP 31 (3 47)

GB I 5 (2 69 ) GB 1·1 (2 71 ) GB I 'l l2 72)

~;ht gray body G:\ lj8 ( H1 9) ~rker trim G~ lj(, ( I(, 12) tutters (opt. ) G~ ·15 ( 1(, 14)

~epgray G~311 ( 194-1 ) ghter trim GN 3(, ( 19-41 ) ;utters (opt. ) GN 33 (1946) .ive body GB (,8 (18·8) m trim GB 71 (18 13 ) ·own body CB 57 (18-104) ~ige trim CB 12 ( I 7 I 0 ) .ive shutters GB 6 7 (31 10)

ght yellow >Ody ·own tnm

YL 22 (1 26) CB if9 ( 17 16 )

Light vellow body

\Vhite trim Blue sash Umber shutters

YL 2) ( I 26 ) ow 1!\ ( 1 5 19) Aj 52 l!O 59)

(opt. ) ST )7 (!JAR)

Rose bod\· OP 52 (01 3) Pale ro~e - trim OP 51 (·I l )

Peach body OP · I (1 H I Pale peach trim OP 6 ( 1 5 lOA) Light olive body GB 68 ( I 8 8) Straw trim YL 10 ( 1-291

Sorrel bodv CB 39 ( 18-116) Tan trim · GB-70 ( 18 13)

(Queen Anne) Brown body

(1st fl. ) Deep rose body (2nd fl. )

Rose gable Beige trim

Pumpkin body Brown trim

ET 25 (18-8!\)

ST 37 (4 -48) ST 39 (lt -1 6 ) CB 65 ( 18113)

OP 3 1 (348) ET 2 (31 8)

Deep rose body ST 37 {IJ ·18) Golden tan trim CB M ( I 8 1 ()!I )

:.Jte: All Benjamin Moore color numbers in parentheses refer to old tmbering system, due to expire in 3 year\.

Condensation Paint seals the wall from outside moisture, but a wall must also be protected from the water vapor generated within the warm in­terior of the house . When this invisible vapor strikes a cold wall, it condenses and encour­ages rot. So, a vapor barrier - aluminum foil, aluminum base paint, or a polyethylene plastic sheet - is installed on the warm side of the wall . Installed by itself, impermeable synthetic siding acts like a vapor barrier on the wrong side of the wall (the cold side), and simply catches the condensing moisture be­tween itself and the wooden framework of the house . If a vapor barrier is not installed at the same time on the inside of the wall, then this impermeable synthetic siding must be vented to the outside.

Since insulation increases the difference in temperature between the two sides of a wall, condensation is more likely after it is in­stalled. So insulating should always be accom­panied by a vapor barrier.

The earth beneath a house is also a source of moisture, and so vapor barriers are placed on any dirt surface in the crawl space or cellar beneath a house. [See Water and Masonry , page 63] Another way of combat­ing damp is to be sure that enclosed but unheated spaces - like cellars and attics -have small screened openings to the outside , through which the water vapor can escape. Persistent blistering of paint can sometimes be stopped by installing small ventilation plugs, to vent the air space within the wall .

Masonry Walls and Chitnneys If your house has brick walls, foundations, or chimneys or a stucco finish, then:

This is the preferable way to do it: • Arrest any settlement of the wall, and repair arches and

lintels above the openings.

• Identify the source of any leaks, to stop further damage.

• Prevent water from lying against the foundation wall.

• Repair the minor cracks in brickwork and stucco.

• Patch any gaps with new bricks of matching size, color and porosity, laid in the same way (that is, in a matching brick pattern, or ''bond,'' and with a matching mortar joint).

• If necessary, repoint the old brick joints (that is, replace loose and lost mortar) with a lime-cement mortar of proper color and composition.

• Paint where the brick or stucco was previously painted, or if it requires that protection, using a porous masonry paint.

• Retain original chimney details.

• Increase the height of the chimney if needed, to improve draft or to meet code requirements .

This is sometimes a good way: • If needed, clean the brick, but only with a non-abrasive

cleaner.

• Remove a small internal chimney which is no longer needed.

• Use bricks of a different size, or bond, or a different color and then paint the entire wall.

Replacing Brick

This is a generally unacceptable way: • Sandblasting the brick, or using any other abrasive

treatment.

• Covering brick with wood, synthetic siding, stucco, or permastone.

• Patching brick with asphalt, concrete, or other materials.

• Use of cement mortar, or mortar of a color which does not match the original mortar.

• Coating brick with silicone, or the use of caulking or sealants to fill open joints.

• Coating chimneys or walls with roofing cement, asphalt or tar.

• Using paint which will not adhere to brick, or which seals in its moisture.

• Painting stone trim.

l GOODMATCH ~~~~~~~ OFOLDANDNEW

'W.~i]ZdZ:r{}::rz::l~ mortar joints and bricks #-~;z:z:i7fl:W;;7,Z~ are matc hed in original and new sections

Yes No

Water and Masonry Moisture is the principal enemy of masonry , and indeed of most structural materials. If foundation walls are wet, water will rise with­in the wall and destroy the brick above. Wet­ness is indicated by spalling (or the cracking off of pieces of the surface), cracking, the rusting of fasteners or an appearance of white salts coming to the surface. The outside ground should be sloped away from the building . Better, a drainage ditch can be dug along the wall, a collector pipe laid at the bottom, and the ditch refilled with crushed rock.

When a wooden frame is set on a masonry foundation, it should be at least 8 inches above the ground, to prevent its rotting from soil moisture. A crawl space should be at least 18 inches high and a vapor barrier be laid on the exposed ground below. The ground may have to be dug away to accom­plish this. Any wood that is close to the ground should be pressure treated with preservatives, and should not be a structural ptece.

The diagonal shear cracks often seen under windows in a brick wall are the normal resuh of expansion and contraction. They need only be repainted as described below. But long vertical cracks mean that a foundation is giving way. This is serious, and the move­ment must be stopped . The most frequent cause of foundation failure is due to water lying against the walJ, but major structural flaws of this kind must be diagnosed and dealt with by experienced builders.

Types of Brick Mortar Joints

--- 'deep raked' joint -1 -r-~---T~r'"T'-'&..-.;t poor water resistance

• · · · ·:..: :. • •• -- overlap joint 1-7__.,-r-,·~·~· J"'·.-·_,.· .... · ~· poor water resistance

Maintaining a Masonry Wall Brick walls must occasionally be repainted, that is. the loose mortar in the joints must be picked out and replaced. Corbelled brick cor­nices are an important feature of many LeDroit Park structures. (Corbels are the pro­jections made by stepping each course of brick out beyond the one below.) The exter­nal brick chimneys add much to the character of the houses, particularly those chimneys with corbelling and recessed brick panels. The old soft lime mortar must be repainted occa­sionally because it absorbs the effects of vibra­tion, expansion and settlement (which is just as it should be). Usually, a safe mortar mix for old brick walls is a matching composition of lime, cement, and sand. Old mortar colors can be matched with color agents available at masonry supply stores. Joints should be raked with hand tools to match the old form of the joint, which should be shaped to shed water. Modern mortars contain a high proportion of Portland cement. Since this cement is stronger than old brick. any movement of the wall may cause cracks in the bricks themselves. a damage that is expensive to repair.

Properly maintained. stucco is a durable finish. appropriate to some late 19th and early 20th century buildin.gs (but sometimes it was added onto earlier buildings. at the expense of much decorative trim, a mistake that should not be repeated). If there are minor cracks in the stucco surface, thev can simply be filled with a mortar of ceme~t, lime. and sand. If a larger patch needs repair. then the old stucco in that patch should be removed down to the lath. and the new stucco applied in two base coats and a finish coat. The work should be done in "\\'eather warmer than 50 a F. and the fresh stucco kept damp

for a few days while curing. Whether patch­ing or filling cracks, the composition of the old stucco should be analyzed and matched. Matching the old weathered color is improba­ble. It is best to paint the stucco. to achieve a uniform wall.

Cleaning, Painting and Coating Masonry Brick has a warm. rich appearance and a long, weatherproof life. However, brick is attacked by water, air poll uti on, and plant tendrils. In particular, its hard outer surface must be protected. Sandblasting and other harsh chemical and abrasive cleaning tech­niques destroy this skin, and the brick \viii then disintegrate in the \veather. Even '''ater cleaning may have undesirable effects, and should never be done under high pressure or in cold \Yeather. Cleaning may be desirable, due to the dirty appearance of the wall , but is not a structural necessity.

While brick was often painted originally, such treatment is usually not necessary. How­ever, when brick is porous and thus not weather-tight. it does require repainting. Because old paint on brick or stucco is not easily removed, walls previously painted will look shabby unless paint is reapplied. In that case. the loose paint must first be removed.

Many LeDroit Park brick rowhouses were painted a muted Venetian red. In general, darker tones, such as forest green, rust, ochre, and gray, are preferable to the bright hues , on bricks. Stone trim, on the other hand, was never painted, and should be left bare. Paint can peel off, or seal in moisture, if not properly applied on brick or stucco. Special masonry paints are available which allow the brick to "breathe." A porous alkyd resin paint should be used on walls formerly painted, after all loose paint is removed. Latex masonry paint is better on virgin brick. But remember that, once painted, brick or stucco must be repainted about every five years .

Cement and tar coatings on brick are messy and, once applied, they are irreversible. Furthermore, tar coatings on a chimney may be a fire hazard. However, low brick founda­tions (and also chimneys which are invisible from the street) can be coated with cement ("parged" ) to protect them from water. The same treatment may be necessary for party walls made of soft, common brick, once they have been exposed by the demolition of an adjacent building.

Brick is a fine material. Unfortunately, its repair is labor-intensive and thus expensive, unless done by the owner, who must have some training to do so. Since it is time­consuming, it makes no sense to skimp on materials. Avoid cheap, fast treatments that do not.solve the basic problems of water damage or wall movement. Ask a mason to diagnose your problem. There are no short­cuts to the good conservation of brick.

Repairing Mortar

To Repair Mortar: 1) Carefully remove old mortar to depth of 1 • or more with

hammer and cold chisel. or appropriate tool, to avoid break­ing brick .

2) Wash out joint with hose. 3) Use trowel and 'rod ' to best match the existing joint. 4) Remove excess mortar from bricks with stiff scrub brush

after allowing to set.

Roofs Whatever the type of roof on your house:

This is the preferable way to deal with it: • Retain the original roof, and repair it with the original

material.

• If the roof is badly deteriorated, replace an original steep metal or slate roof with the same material. Install a new metal roof on slopes below 3 on 12 (that is, a roof which drops less than 3 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run) and a tar and gravel roof on very flat slopes.

• Replace galvanized iron flashing with lead, lead-coated copper, or an alloy of lead and tin (teme metal). Never put dissimilar metals in contact with each other.

• Replace or repair damaged gutters.

• Paint metal roofs every five years.

• Repair and retain original cornices, whether of wood or pressed metal.

• Retain or replace crestings, finials and other decorative details at the roofline.

This is sometimes a good way: • Replace a badly-deteriorated metal or slate roof of over 3

on 12 slope with asphalt shingles of a color similar to the original roof.

• Replace a badly-deteriorated metal roof of under 3 and 12 slope with roll roofing.

• Replace a badly-damaged cornice with a simplified one, which has the same form, visual texture, and scale as the original.

• Remove damaged gutters, and provide for drainage around the house at grade.

• Remove badly-deteriorated crestings, finials and other roofline details.

Where Water Will Attack An Old House

It's always a good 1dea to do an annual ··spring check.-up"' of your house. Th e moisture and freezmg temperatures of w1nter can cause cracks and deterioration which, if unchecked. will leave the house open to serious and costlv detenoration. Most of these " trouble spots" can be detected by careful visual inspec tiOn.

• If necessary to add usable space, add dormers where they cannot be seen from the street, or, if visible, see that they do not break the ridgeline, and are compatible with the character of the original roof.

But this is a generally unacceptable way: • Sealing major leaks in metal or slate with tar or asphalt.

• Removing a cornice without replacing it .

• Blocking up or removing original dormers, or changing the roofline.

• Use of bright colored or patterned asphalt shingles.

Vhere to Flash

~~~~~-----chimney and any vent openings

~~~~~?;------dormers

::it:~~~--- where two roofs meet - "valley"

~H-~~~~~~~-f--- joint between wall and porch roof

joint between wall and window or door hood

The Different Types of Roofing Slate is virtually permanent , and so is a copper or a lead roof. but all these are ex­tremely expensive today. On a slate roof, the old flashing and fastenings may eventually corrode. but this can be corrected bv a skilled craftsman without damage to the sl~te. Individual slates can be replaced. although an entirely new slate roof would now be prohibi ­tive in cost. It is also possible to take slates from invisible rear slopes to repair the street front of the roof. while re-roofing in the rear with asphalt shingle. Never remove a slate roof before it has been checked by a roofer with experience in slate. Do not walk on it· the slates are thin and brittle. '

Today. mineral-coated asphalt shingles are usually installed on roofs whose slope is greater than 3 on 12 (that is, which drop more than 3 inches for everv 12 inches of horizontal run). Asphalt shi~gles are moder­ate in cost, and last 30 to 40 years.

Kidge t lashtng

minimum overlap

A galvanized iron roof is substantially cheaper than slate, while more expensive than asphalt shingle. It must be painted everv five years. Metal roofs, unlike shingle or sla-te, can be used where the slope is less than 3 on 12 (so can asphalt roll roofing. but it has only a 10 to 15 year life). Do not step on the st~nd­ing seams of a metal roof. Major repairs of slate or metal with tar are short-lived, arid tend to make an unmanageable mess in time. However. small leaks in metal can reasonably be patched with three layers of fabric and asphalt roofing compound.

Finally, when a roof is flat, it is best covered by a completely sealed surface, made up of layers of roofing felt mopped with tar or asphalt, and finished with a layer of slag or gravel. This "built-up " roof is put on bv specialists, and has a 20 to 40-year life. -

On any roof. the flashing (the metal strips that seal the valleys and the joints between wall and roof) is the weakest point and justi­fies the best material. Rusted flashing should be replaced immediately. Lead-coated copper is best. if it matches the existing metal. Its apparent high cost is small compared to its value. the small quantity needed and the cost

Flat Roof Repair

1. Cut out damaged section of roofing - remove only as many layers as are damaged. 2. Shape matching patches from new roofing felt . Cover the edges of the hole liberally with asphalt. Lay in patches one at a time, coating the edge before each additional patch. Each patch should be well set into asphalt - stand on the patch to remove air bubbles and to seal the edges. 3. When the patch has been built back up to existing roof level, nail last patch with special roofing nails. 4. Cut a final patch that is 2" longer and wider than the opening. Spread asphalt under the edges and nail in place. Cover the edge with asphalt once more and pour sand over asphalt to protect it from weather.

In summary, an existing slate or metal roof is best conserved. If it is hopeless, and has a slope which is over 3 on 12, replace it with modern asphalt shingle. If the slope is less than 3 on 12, the effective substitute is a new galvanized iron roof, which will require paint­ing every five years. Or asphalt roll roofing can be used, but it will be short-lived. On a flat roof, however, a built-up roof is the correct solution. In general, the repair or replacement of the roof is best left to skilled workmen.

Flashing

Gutters

AN ALTERNATE TREATMENT FOR ROOF WATER RUN-OFF

IT--- gutter

c====;ff:::::::._ __ soffit

PEELING PAINT AT UNDERSIDE OF SOFFIT CAN MEAN ROTTING WOOD GUTTERS.

ron Roof Cresting Patterns From 1880's Pattern Books & Catalogues

Cornices and Gutters The elaborate historic cornices, which appear just below the edges of the roofs, are essential features of these old houses. Removing them causes a marked change in character. But cornices can be simplified, if the replacement is of the same size and general appearance. If pressed metal cornices are only partially rusted, scrape off paint and all loose scale without damaging the metal underneath and prime them with an iron oxide primer (one designed to cover firm rust - not red lead or other primers which are for clean metal). Then repaint with two coats of good enamel.

Roofline decorations and picturesque turret roofs are part of the charm of the houses in LeDroit Park. The roofline is second only to the cornice in establishing character. Most elaborate roof finials and crestings are made of iron (although they are painted copper green), and so they will rust. A good ornamental metal shop can duplicate them, or they can be made of wood or plastic, which is cheaper. The wood must be treated with penta-chloro­phenol, and given three coats of paint.

Gutters protect trim and walls, but must be promptly repaired, and cleaned twice a year. If clogged, they cause serious leaks within the building. Wood gutters can be repaired by fill ­ing cracks and joints with an epoxy filler and then treating the gutter with a 50/50 mix of pentachlorophenol and water repellent. If the damage is substantial, new wooden gutters

Cornice Flashing

cap flash1ng where cornice flash ing meets

base flashing

built up roof

gravel tar felt

cornice flashing

roof cornice

Gutters may also be made of aluminum or vinyl with an enamel finish. Never use gal­vanized steel, since when it is cut in the field for installation, a break is made in its defenses against corrosion. Gutters must have down­spouts, and the concentrated flow from the spout must also be led away from the house, or, where possible, connected to a storm sewer.

It is also possible to remove the gutter en­tirely. Take care that no cracks are opened in the wall in this process. The roof water will then fall directly to the ground, and must be drained away from the foundations. If that drainage can be provided, removing the gutter is a trouble-free strategy.

W tndows ana uoors In dealing with your windows and doors:

This is the preferable way to do it: • Retain the original size of the openings .

• Retain and repair original wooden sash, and the original doors, transoms, and sidelights wherever possible .

• If beyond repair, replace the sash with new wood sash which is identical in size, and in the arrangement of the panes of glass.

• Retain and repair original trim, including decorative cornices, brackets, lintels, pediments and hoods with their columns and mouldings.

• Replace a missing or deteriorated door hood with one which reproduces the material, scale and detail of the original .

• Weatherstrip doors and caulk and weatherstrip windows.

• Retain and repair any stained glass, covering it with a shatter resistant plastic if necessary.

This is sometimes a good way: • Replace a door which is beyond repair with one of similar

material and design, reducing the door openings only if absolutely necessary.

• Add a new door hood where none previously existed, if it can be designed to be compatible with the original facade.

• Add a screen or storm door of simple design, painted to match the trim, which does not obscure the door behind it.

• Alter window and door openings, if necessary, and if not visible from the street.

• Replace wooden windows with new vinyl-clad sash of similar dimensions.

• Install aluminum storm windows made of two single panes of glass.

• Install burglar bars of simple design.

• Use canvas awnings for sun protection.

• Add wooden or synthetic slatted shutters to a house which might have had them originally, if the shutters are attached to the window frame and would fit the windows when closed.

• Plain glass may replace stained glass which cannot be repaired.

This is a generally unacceptable way: • Replacing an original door with one of substantially differ­

ent material or design.

• Adding a door hood which disrupts the old facade.

• Removing or blocking existing glass, sidelights, or transoms.

• Changing the size of window openings, or enlarging or substantially reducing a door opening, on the facades visible from the street.

• Replacing wooden windows with new metal sash, or with sash of a different design.

• Removing original trim and detail around openings with­out replacement.

• Installing aluminum awnings.

• Adding shutters which do not fit the window opening when closed.

Traditional Doors Appropriate for Older Houses

~~. ~~- .~~ DO DD DO DO

double doors

Door Types To Be Avoided on Older Houses

~ . . • •

0 •

DOD ODD oao ooq DOC· DOC DCC

DO

D~~ DO

screen

screen

Window and Door Openings Window and door openings are the most expressive features of any building. Entrance doors, in particular, are the feature that we take most notice of in our daily life. Altering openings, or removing their decorative trim, sadly reduces the character of a house. Block­ing them up gives a house a look of boarded­up vacancy.

Old wooden sash which has rarely been repainted may be in poor condition. But since a new window is quite expensive, the old one is well worth repairing. Rotted sash can be repaired by an experienced carpenter. He can take it apart, cut out and replace the damaged part, and reassemble the whole. The bottom bars are often in poorer condition than the remainder of the sash, and frequently only the corner joints need to be tightened. If needed, new wood sash of the right size and glass

arrangement may be in stock. Sash can be made up for special cases, but this costs money.

Window frames usually suffer less damage than the sash, but sills may need to be re­placed or repaired. Generally, it is enough to remove the old paint, apply linseed oil to the cracks, fill them with putty or an epoxy wood filler, and repaint. If worse, the whole sill can be taken out and replaced.

)oors- Avoid These Alterations to the Doorway l J ~= ~2 t:;"::: _-_-_-_-----_~_j

~ ! /~' / ' I ,. \

I \

' I I r-- DO

f DO 1--- DO c::J

DO

remov1ng deta1l and bricking up transom

removing lintel or door hood

When sash are so badly damaged that they must be replaced, then install new wood or vinyl-clad windows of the same dimensions and color as the original. Modern metal win­dows should not be used, however . They have thin frames, and look wrong even when painted. Moreover, unlike the wood or vinyl­clad windows, much heat is lost to the out­side by transmission through the metal frames. The pattern of the panes of glass is also specific to each style, and should be copied in the replacement. In some cases in LeDroit Park, these matching replacement windows are still standard items today. Thus, it may not be necessary to have a window custom made, which is costly. In any case, the window opening should not be altered, unless it is invisible from the street.

brickmg up entry or wmdow opening

0

lowering entry level and changing door proportion

Stained glass adds beauty to a window and should be conserved. Shatter-resistant plastic (' 'Lexan'' is one brand) can protect it from breakage, but this will change its exterior appearance. Broken stained glass is very expensive to replace, and clear glass can be substituted for it.

Unfortunate! y, it is more difficult to replace an old door than an old window, if the original size and pattern is to be maintained. Door sizes and designs are far less standard­ized. You may check the salvage and wrecker· s yards to approximate an original, if you have the time for it. Keep the old hard­ware if it is still usable. A slightly bigger door can at times be cut down to fit an opening. A new or used door which is slightly smaller than the original opening can be fitted by blocking out behind the door frame , and adjusting the trim around the door. It is usually a mistake. however, to enlarge the opening by cutting away the wall, or to block it down by means of large top or side panels . Original sidelights and transoms should be re­tained. Of course, a new custom door can be made to any design to fit any opening, but

Traditional Windows for houses after 1850

~Queen- [ill Anne ITIJ

Parts of a Window

wooden lintel

upper sash

molding

lower sash

s i ll

--

-

-::-:_

Decorative Trim

-

rn

pane (sing le p iece of glass)

mul lion

a "212" window (2 panes per sash)

In these 19th century buildings, ornament was concentrated around windows and doors , as well as at the cornice line. [See Cornices. page 70, and Porch Features, page 83.] Window and door trim can be replaced with stock that approximates its width and scale. New ornate detail is very expensive, yet it is part of the rich character of these buildings. What you have should be conserved. Scrape off loose paint, and glue in any missing parts

tffi ~ I-~

~~- .....

r-Georgian Revival only

s=r=B 1- Queen H:::rfJ Anne

D -double· hung w indow

with new wood carved to approximate the original bulk and form. Fill cracks and gouges with an epoxy woodfiller ("Marine-T ex " or equal), treat bare wood with 5% pentachloro­phenol in mineral spirits, and give the whole two coats of good exterior alkyd resin paint. On the other hand, when ornate detail is almost completely rotted away, be sure to photograph it and save characteristic pieces as a basis for designing its replacement, even if this investment cannot be made until later.

Door hoods (the small decorative canopies which project above doors) were original to some houses, and serve the useful function of protecting both the opening and also the person who stands before it from the weather. Existing hoods should therefore be retained and repaired, and replaced if lost. It may also be desirable to add a hood to a house that never had one, when that house has no porch to protect the entrance. Such an addition is difficult to do in a way that will not disrupt the old facade. It requires a careful design.

in dow Types to be A voided 1s1der carefully window rep lace­lis for your 19th century or y 20th century house.

Don 't use " snap-in" plastic muntins, or multi-paned windows if they were not original to your house.

door or window hood

Wood details can often be buill by the homeowner from a combination of stock lumber pieces.

D -

D 1----

-picture windows

Weather Stripping

felt strip between upper and lower sash if possible. (or on top edge of lower sash)

felt beh ind track

foam strip along bottom of sash

- casement window

awning window

Replacing Putty Around Windows

1. Chip out all loose putty with putty knife. (Use wire brush to remove dust and dirt.)

2. Next, paint exposed areas with linseed oi l.

3. Lay in a bed of new fresh putty and smooth flat with putty knife.

Storm Windows, Storm Doors, and Other Accessories Modern aluminum storm windows are a useful addition to a house, if well fitted and ~aulked, since they save energy, protect the mner sash and make the openings more secure. The bare metal is at first glaring on an old house, but it is thin, and soon oxidizes to dull grey. If one wishes, they can be painted to match the trim when they have ~eathered for two to three years, or even Immediately, after a treatment with zinc chromate. A single panel of glass in each storm sash will obscure the old sash behind them as little as possible. Storm doors, on the other hand, save little heat, since they cannot be made airtight. They obscure what is the focal point of the house, particularly if they are of elaborate design, and are best left off entirely. If wanted for security or other re_asons, they should be a single pane of glass, Wlth a narrow bottom rail. Weather-stripping the edges of the main door is a more effective way to save heat. . Aluminum awnings are garish and obtru­

stve. They call too much attention to them­selves and may cover interesting features of the building. They dent and fade and are Oiffirn]t tn rPn-:.ir -:.nrl n-;,jnt r-:.nl;<><: -:.nmino<:

are easier to repair, can be rolled up when not in use, and are in better keeping with an historic facade . Unfortunately, they only last for a few years.

Shutters were originally used on colonial houses for weather protection and security. Later, in the late 19th and early 20th cen­turies, they were used as decoration. Shutters are appropriate to certain styles, but in LeDroit Park they may have been used on other house styles. They are still enjoyed for their symbolic connotations, and will even ward off sun and snow, if they are louvered, hinged and sized to fit the window. If made of wood, they require rather intricate painting, so that permanently colored plastic is often preferred. Some windows are spaced so that operating shutters are either impossible or must be hinged in sections as they fold back against the wall.

Burglar bars also alter the look of a house, but may be a necessity . They can at least be simple in form and painted to match the trim. Awnings, shutters, and bars have one merit: they do not permanently damage an historic building. If values and conditions change in the future, they can easily be removed.

indow openings

D

full height and width of original opening should be retai ned

I

Shutters

ra1l

louvers ----1f.k~

rn -..,........

II T 1 ......, v

avoid DODD upsettmg _ rhythm of openings

avoid blocking down

avoid enlarg ing -----+---tt­opening size

lfH=~- shutters should fasten to window casing. not to wall .

shutters should be able to lie flat against the wall .

k 1

0 0

1

[[] D II \ J D

shutters should be the same size as the window opening and should cover window when closed .

No

Porches, Steps and Rails H your house has a porch, or front steps:

This is the preferable way to do it: • Retain and repair the original porch.

• Keep and repair original trim, railings, posts and brackets, or replace parts to match the originals.

• Repair or rebuild the wooden floor and apron to match the original, and isolate it from any contact with the earth.

• Retain and repair original steps and railings.

• Add a new front porch to a house which had one originally.

This is sometimes a good way: • Install a concrete slab floor if the wooden porch is badly

rotted or cannot be isolated from contact with the earth, provided that other elements of the porch are retained.

• Replace missing wooden posts, brackets and porch railings with simplified parts which reproduce the proportion, form and character of the originals.

• Enclose a porch with glass or screens which run behind the posts, brackets and rails. The new framing members should not draw attention from these original features.

• Enclose a porch at the rear, while retaining the porch roofline.

• Change the porch to admit light or access to the base­ment, but retain porch roofline, and other key features such as posts and railings.

• Replace deteriorated original steps with new steps and hand rails of similar material and proportions, or with brick or concrete steps fitted with hand rails similar to the original ones.

Consider Porch Post Alterations Carefully

But this is a generally unacceptable way: • Removing the original porch, unless completely deterior­

ated and unsafe.

• Changing the roofline of the porch.

• Enclosing a front porch with opaque material, or so as to obscure its design.

• Replacing wooden columns with masonry piers or metal trellis.

• Replacing porch railings with metal, masonry, or wood of incompatible pattern.

• Removing brackets and detail without replacement.

• Replacing original steps with masonry alone.

Yes Maybe Maybe No

THE " VICTORIAN" PORCH simplication approximation replacement

Yes

THE "CLASSICAL" PORCH

Yes No No No

not on frame house wide masonry base masonry replacement (brick houses only if an original feature)

Porch Treatments

Yes

ong1nal porch re ta1ned

heavy corn 1ce

simple wood posts

concrete

Restoring Porch Spindles

AFTER:

t d proece1~ dry area

1 ~ <;;

1 ~· -~ part1al rot

d d res ore en s\

~

former tops; new bottoms

~ i

s; _....

Ill

concre te bl ock

No

remov1ng porch

When you are painting your porch trim, or are giving your house an annual spring "check-over", don 't forget to look for evidence of dry rot at the bottom of porch balasters (or "spindles" ). As their bottoms come in contact with rain water (the tops are protected by the handrails), they are prone to water deterioration. If you find this is the case with your porch spindles, consider removing them: treating the partially rotted ends with penta; and reinstalling them upside down. If the design of your spindles is symmetrical, there will be little visual change, and the reinstalled spindles, with proper paint­ing, should last for up to 70 years .

The Role of the Porch The porch is a prominent feature of many LeDroit Park houses. It is highly visible, and still useful today. II the porch is stripped away, the house looks bare, scars remain on the walls, and an important social function is lost. II the porch is enclosed, particularly on the front or sides, the whole mass of the house is altered. However, screening or glass set behind the posts and rails has a less dras· tic effect, especially if the new framing is co­ordinated with the original porch supports. In some cases, new functions demand light and access to the basement, and the porch and its floor must be disrupted to do so. This can at least be done without removing such key features as the posts, railings , and roof. While a porch may sometimes be successfully added to a house that had none originally, and to whose type it was appropriate, it requires a careful design to do so.

Screening A Porch

If a screen porch is to be added. it is important that the porch reflect design features of the house. The width of screens. for instance, should reflect the positioning of the house window\. Handrail height can be the same as window sill height. And if there are small panels on top of the screens, they can reflect the size of the transom panels over the front door.

Porch Features )f all the parts of the porch , the roofline and :he columns are its most visible features , and .he ones most sensitive to alteration. Wooden :olumns are handsome, easily repaired, and as iurable as brick. They are more durable than netal trellis, and more easily maintained. iVhile the general form, proportion, and risual texture of the detail is important, its :xact form is less so. When parts must be re­.Iaced, there is some room for individual nvention if it would be expensive to make xact duplicates . The original details were hemselves copied fro~ pattern books and ·roduced by craftsmen of modest skill. Haw­ver intricate, they were a mechanical pro­uct - having been turned on lathes, or 3.Wn from flat pieces , or assembled from [mpler parts. Their form can be approxi-1ated by similar means. Journeyman carpen­~rs - even owners, given a little train[ng nd invention - can make their own details , sing lathes or handsaws, or by assembling :ock mouldings. Replacement trim of period ~sign can also sometimes be found in salvage :trds . The wooden porch floor is characteristic

1d pleasant, and it is preferable to retain it. nfortunately, it will rot if near the earth and a favored attack point for wood-eating in-

:cts. It will also rot, if more slow I y, from .inwater lodged in its crevices. It must be re­tinted yearly. If replaced with pressure-eated lumber, it will last longer. The con­ete slab is less handsome, less gracious to e feet, but more practical. If used, its edge auld not look massive, but have the dimen­)flS and shadow line of a wooden floor.

Check for Evidence of Your Houses's Enemies

Dry Rot: Try the Pick Test (on Damp Wood)

use awl or angle

Sound Wood

Wood­Eating Insects: If you find evidence of these insects, ca ll in an exterminator!

Lyctus (or " Yonder

Post Beetle" )

wood-Eating Ant

Decayed Wood

Old House Borer

Anobid Beetle

Termite

Porches are Essential!

Front Steps On brick row houses, the metal steps and ornamental rails are prominent decorative fea­tures. They act as small porches, intermediate zones between the private and the public space. The steps may be deteriorated beyond repair, but handrails can often be salvaged, repaired, and fitted to new steps of metal or concrete.

Removing a porch on a house - particularly on a row house -has a detrimental impact on both the house and the streetscape. Avoid it at all costs.

Ornamental cast iron is a beautiful material and durable if repainted regularly. Modem ' wrought iron work lacks the same weight and flourish. To prepare old iron for painting, it should be cleaned by wire brushing. If cleaned to bare metal, prime it with red lead or zinc chromate. If only the loose rust is removed, prime it with iron oxide. Then paint it with two coats of glossy black enamel. Broken parts can be welded. Replacement parts can sometimes be found in salvage yards. Cast iron can still be made to order, but this is quite expensive. Cast aluminum is a less cost­ly substitute.

Existing Conditions

--------d~ ~ -

Plan for Basement Entry Without Destroying Existing Porch

~ A-

Uf'

Proposed Basement Entry Treatment

Fences, Yards and Landscaping When your house has a fence , or a yard, or there is a green strip in front of it:

This is the preferable way to deal with it: • Plant and maintain the yard with grass, small flowering

trees, flowers, vegetables, and shrubs. In LeDroit Park, formal gardens are appropriate.

• Water trees and protect them from vandals, especially while they are small.

• Take informal charge of the street trees and street verges (the strip between sidewalk and street) in front of your house. See that they are planted, protected and main­tained.

• Keep and repair an ornamental iron fence if you have one, consolidating the remaining parts to make a front fence, and adding iron replacements where necessary.

This is sometimes a good way: • Fence with brick or stone or use a low chain link fence

colored dark green or black, and backed with shrubs. New fences should be less than 3 feet high in front yards.

This is a generally unacceptable way: • Allowing a yard to run to waste, or to collect trash, or to

erode.

• Destroying healthy trees, or allowing them to be destroyed.

• Parking cars on your front lot, in such a way as to obscure the building.

• Destroying a salvageable iron or stone fence , or building a new front fence over 3 feet high, or one made of solid wood, fiberglass, concrete blocks or bamboo.

Yards: Planting & Parking

When possible, cars are best removed from street view.

·-.

Landscaping Landscaping is a fundamental element of neighborhood character. Elaborate planting is not necessary. Evidence of use and care is the important thing . Since young trees are sensi­tive to vandalism and to drought, they must be protected by those who live next to them and care about them. If deciduous trees are planted on the south or west sides of houses. they will help to keep them cool in the sum: mer, and yet allow the sun to warm them in winter. Trees and plants are inexpensive luxuries , and they demand commitment. Flowers. herbs and vegetables are useful to residents, and they add humane interest to the street. Formal gardens were originally

I I

well-placed planting for a large yard

Think carefully about size of plantings when full-grown!

planted in LeDroit Park, and they should be open to view from the front. But there is no reason why rear yards should not be enclosed by high fences or planting, if their owners want privacy. Fences over six feet high in residential zones - or ten feet in commercial zones - are prohibited by the building code, however, or require special approvals .

Concrete Blocks can Make a Driveway

section through driveway

concrete block

For an s· deep block, excavate 10' of soil and then lay in a 2" deep gravel base. Place blocks with 4 • between them and fill around blocks and in cores with soil. Sprinkle grass seed over area and wet down with hose .

Fences and Walls Ornamental iron fencing lends richness and variety to the street scene. The treatment of ornamental iron has been discussed above. When parts of an iron fence are gone, old sec­tions can often be brought together to make a continuous run along the front side of the lot.

The fence, along with the planting and the walk, sets the character of the street. If too high in front, it blocks the view of the house and the yard. Low hedges, brick and stone are good materials available today. Chain link is secure and widely available, but ugly. Giving it a dark color, and backing it with shrubbery, all tend to improve its appearance.

\Vhen a section of masonry retaining wall begins to collapse, it must be removed and replaced. When replacing a section of wall, be sure to tie it in to the remaining sections on either side. Put small weep holes through the lower portion of the wall for drainage, and see that the foundations go at least 18 inches below grade.

Parking Parked cars are intrusive enough when placed at the curb; they demean the street and the house if they sit on the lot directly in front of the building, or block the walk. On the other hand, most people want their cars close by, for security and for convenience. There is sharp competition for curb space in LeDroit Park today, and few alternative locations. The best location for any additional private park­ing on the lot is at the rear or side of a house, rather than in front of it. Perforated paving blocks will support parked cars and serve as house driveways, and yet allow grass to flourish between them - a much more handsome solution than asphalt. Ordinary hollow concrete blocks, buried flush with the ground and set four inches apart, can be used in this way if no special blocks are available.

Fences

Cast Iron

post top

Wrought Jlf~~ket Iron ~

Yes

Masonry Walls

Yes

Yes

Wood

Yes

Mild Steel ....-

.....

No

Chain Link

=:::::~::::-1 fb===~~ painted dark color

·-"'··"-"""'" 1-1-Hi'=~~-,y...,..k.-l'--- low planting

Maybe

behind fence

Concrete Blocks can Make a Driveway

section through driveway

concrete block

For an s· deep block, excavate 10' of soil and then lay in a 2' deep gravel base. Place blocks with 4 · between them and fill around blocks and in cores with soil. Sprinkle grass seed over area and wet down with hose.

Fences and Walls Ornamental iron fencing lends richness and variety to the street scene. The treatment of ornamental iron has been discussed above. When parts of an iron fence are gone, old sec­tions can often be brought together to make a continuous run along the front side of the lot.

The fence, along with the planting and the walk, sets the character of the street. If too high in front, it blocks the view of the house and the yard. Low hedges, brick and stone are good materials available today. Chain link is secure and widely available, but ugly. Giving it a dark color, and backing it with shrubbery, all tend to improve its appearance.

When a section of masonry retaining wall begins to collapse, it must be removed and replaced. When replacing a section of wall, be sure to tie it in to the remaining sections on either side. Put small weep holes through the lower portion of the wall for drainage, and see that the foundations go at least 18 inches below grade.

Parking Parked cars are intrusive enough when placed at the curb; they demean the street and the house if they sit on the lot directly in front of the building, or block the walk. On the other hand, most people want their cars close by, for security and for convenience. There is sharp competition for curb space in LeDroit Park today, and few alternative locations. The best location for any additional private park­ing on the lot is at the rear or side of a house, rather than in front of it. Perforated paving blocks will support parked cars and serve as house driveways, and yet allow grass to flourish between them - a much more handsome solution than asphalt. Ordinary hollow concrete blocks, buried flush with the ground and set four inches apart, can be used in this way if no special blocks are available.

Signs and Other ~odern Fixtures If you have, or intend to add, a sign, antenna , air condi­tioner, solar panel, meter, or other modern fixture:

This is the preferable way to do it: • Install a room air conditioner at the side or rear, where it

is least visible. Where this cannot serve the necessary function , put the device in an existing window, without disturbing the trim.

• Put a solar panel on the ground or wall at rear, or on a porch roof or a rearward sloping roof, if these positions are not shaded and face in the correct direction. Failing that, and if the panel must face forward to the street, put it on the ground, or on the wall where it blocks no open­ing or architectural feature , or on the roof, below the roof crest if possible.

• Put utility meters on foundation walls, or low on house walls where they block no architectural feature , or replace them with small digital readers connected to a meter inside the building.

• Keep trash cans covered, and put them out of sight when not set out for collection.

• Use security gratings which are fixed in place, to cover openings of moderate size. They should be of simple design and painted to match the trim. Large gratings for shop windows should be able to be removed or to be swung clear during business hours.

• Put TV antennas on roofs toward the rear, and do not let them project above the roof crest if possible.

• On commercial buildings, use small signs which are flat to the building wall and obscure no architectural features , which refer to the premises or give historic information, and which are lit, if at all, by a steady white light.

Modern Fixtures

But this is a generally unacceptable way: • Placing a solar panel or meter where it blocks an opening,

or obscures or cuts across an architectural feature.

• Allowing such a feature to project above a roof or cornice, or far out from a wall.

• Covering a shop facade or window with a fixed metal mesh or grating.

• Use of signs which are too large or brightly colored or intensely lit, or which flash or move, or which cover a window or project above a cornice or roof or far out from a wall.

• Putting an air conditioner in a wall.

l l J

D Do not cut holes into wal ls for air condit ioner installa­t ion ! Place air cond itioners in side and rear windows rather than fron t where poss ible.

- meters shou ld be placed in an inconspicuous locat ion -on side of house if possible

th ink careful ly about extras on the entrance­especially so-cal led " Colonial" items- too many can give the house a cluttered look

No

:ommercial Signage

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ALPHABETS

Signs using any one of the great variety of Victorian letter styles can add interest to your 19th century building.

The Apparatus of Daily Life Modern fixtures of the kind we have listed are generally considered to disfigure an his­toric area. Clearly, they are very visible features of the urban landscape . But they have important functions, and, if well de­signed, need be no more disturbing than the fixtures of the past. To deny the visible pres­ence of such things is to become involved in endless camouflage. Trash cans must be set out for collection, which is such a crucial problem in LeDroit Park. Public cleanliness depends on visibility and vigorous upkeep. Similarly, meters (or at least the small read­out devices attached to them) must be out where they can be read; air conditioners are a boon to sleeping rooms; and so on. We must be especially careful not to legislate away any potentially useful new technology, such as solar energy.

Signs Signs are always a special problem. The shop signs, street signs, billboards traffic signals, and public warnings are a dominant element of the urban landscape in commercial areas. Their function is to be seen, and so they can­not be made invisible. Signs convey necessary information, and, if harmonious, add to the visual character of a place. They should be controlled so that they are easy to read and yet unobtrusive . They should not obscure the quality of the buildings. The modern, inter­nally-lit, plastic sign is visible at night, and often furnished free of charge by large dis­tributors. It is often ugly, and it is easily broken. The traditional wooden sign board can be duplicated at modest cost.

!jnght colors, tntense ltghts, and large stgn sizes are disturbing in the normal urban land­scape, and are unnecessary for legibility if all signs are controlled in the same way. Moving or flashing signs capture one's attention involuntarily, a characteristic that should be reserved for public emergency messages. On the other hand, certain signs must be visible at night, such as those dealing with traffic or those connected with stores and services available at night. In any event, billboards and general advertisements which do not refer to the locality are intrusions and should be banned.

The shop sign should be integrated with the commercial facade. This requires careful individual design. Directly above the shop window is a good location for a sign, and so is lettering stencilled on the shop window. Victorian letter styles were ornate and richly varied. The use of one of them will give a storefront a distinctive image. But many modem type faces are equally handsome. A harmonious lettering style or set of sign loca­tions can easily be developed for a block front.

Commercial Signage Should Enhance, Not Overwhelm, the Building

Minor Additions If you intend to make an addition to your building, rather than simply to rehabilitate it, it becomes more difficult to lay down specific and yet general guidelines. Each addition must be considered in its context. Each requires careful design. So the list begins:

This is sometimes a good way: • Add to the rear or to sides which do not face on a street,

or add an open porch to the front and any sides, if the porch is appropriate to the original style of the building.

• Keep the bulk and height of the addition in scale with the original building.

• As far as possible, use the same covering material, and the same character of roof and trim as the original build­ing. However, the building code may require the use of non-combustible materials.

• Keep window and door openings similar in scale to the original ones, except that a larger glassed opening may be inserted where it is invisible from the street.

• Add dormers if similar in form and scale to those appro­priate to the original style of the building, and if they do not project above the crest of the roof.

• Build small balconies and roof terraces which add usable space to roofs or upper rooms at the rear.

• Add a new basement entrance to a row house, if this can be done without seriously disrupting the existing facade or porch, and if the new door is compatible with existing doors.

This is a generally unacceptable way: • An addition which by its size overwhelms an old build­

ing, or extends above it.

• Raising a roof, breaking the crest line of a roof, or adding a story or penthouse .

. r -• _.~...L __ .... L ... _ ---- ----h"'r-

• Use of a dissimilar material or building form where not absolutely necessary.

• Use of an altered rhythm of openings on facades visible from the street.

• Blocking the light of any adjacent building.

Additions add1t1ons here will require great design care to be successful

--,

Maybe No

addtttons should respect theongmal character of the house - 10 roof form, matenals wmdow stze and placement - tf they are to be successful

Additions in an Historic District The public, visual character of an historic dis­trict might most easily be maintained if no external additions were allowed, but flexibility is necessary if modern styles of life and the needs of growing families are to be accom­modated. As far as possible, residents should be encouraged to enlarge buildings to meet their own needs , rather than to be forced to move. Changes which allow a fuller use of a building are the important ones to accom­modate. Indeed, buildings which show a sue-

cession of harmonious adaptations are often those most interesting to look at, and the most "historic" , since they reveal the passage of time. Thus these guidelines permit conservative kinds of additions, largely unob­trusive to the public, not domineering in scale, and as harmonious as possible with existing structures. Since the form of an addi­tion is always a sensitive problem, additions will necessarily be subject to careful review and an owner should get design assistance as early as possible.

Ne-w Buildings and Major Additions The design of new buildings and substantial additions in an historic district is a delicate subject. They will be necessary to meet hous­ing and commercial needs, to re-establish the vitality of the district, and to fill gaps in the visible landscape. It is clearly a mistake to disrupt the harmony of any historic area by inserting new structures whose form has no sympathy to existing buildings. It is also a mistake to build elaborate historic frauds, especially if they are imitations of building types that never existed in LeDroit Park, such as colonial houses. The general aim is clear enough: to make new buildings which pre­serve the continuity of the historic district, while re-interpreting its spirit for modern pur­poses and modern ways of building. The most interesting areas of our cities have just this quality.

But this is easier to say than do. Rules do not guarantee new buildings of excellent quality , nor automatically prevent poor ones. They cannot directly communicate the spirit of a place. The possibilities inherent in crea­tive design are always unpredictable, and can­not be confined within a set of written state­ments . Each proposed new building and each major addition to an old building must be considered on its merits, in the particular context in which it will be placed. Any owner who intends to build such a structure should use professional design services, and enter early into a dialogue with professional ad­visers in the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Thus it is not possible here to make a list of specific ''best ways' ' , ''good ways '' , and ''mistakes.'' A few general considerations are possible, however. New buildings should be a· modest part of the visual background of the area. They should not compete with the older structures, although new and interesting detail can be a contribution to the scene. Normally, one would look for a building which has the same bulk and height as sur­rounding historic buildings, and whose use is similar or compatible to them. The scale of the street should be preserved: that is , the visually apparent width, height, and con­tinuity of the street space. The prevailing set­back of the buildings, the continuity of the facades , the roof forms and cornice heights should be respected .

New buildings might well employ the pre­vailing red brick of LeDroit Park. Town houses can be raised on half-basements, with front stoops and steps. A richer modelling of wall and roof than would be desirable in a more austere neighborhood could be accepted here. Facades with large glass areas, or con­versely. which shut themselves off from visual contact with the street, would not be wel­come. Colors could be varied, however, if within the ranges recommended on page 60.

These are no more than starting points. The accompanying drawings illustrate a possibility for sympathetic infill in LeDroit Park but each possibility must be judged for itself.

Four Bay Rowhouse- Brick Facade

Floor Plans

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d-

_ ...

concrete block party walls

porch roof on square section steel columns

Resources

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----- /

--·

The Process of Design Review-Since Le Droit Park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, all applications for permits involving demolition, new construc­tion and exterior alterations within the His­toric District must be reviewed by the Mayor or the Mayor's Historic Preservation Agent. The Mayor 's Agent is also the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development and the State Historic Preserva­tion Officer for the District of Columbia. Under the recently enacted D.C. Law 2-144, known as ''The Historic Landmark and His­toric District Protection Act of 1978'' *, if the Mayor's Agent finds that a proposed change is (I ) consistent with the purposes of this act, (2) necessary to permit construction of a project of special merit. or (3) that failure to issue a permit wili result in undue econom­ic hardship to the owner, the Mayor ' s Agent will then determine that the permit can be issued. The Mayor ' s Agent would be advised on these permit applications by the Historic Preservation Review Board, a citizen group with expertise in historic preservation mat­ters, established by the Act. The Mayor's Agent and Board would be assisted by the Historic Preservation Staff of the Department of Housing and Community Development.

How will the normal design review process work? In trying to answer this question, we must exercise caution . Since the D.C. Law 2-144 has only recently been put into force, new procedures are still to be firmly estab­lished. Further, these guidelines must be formally submitted to the Historic Preserva­tion Review Board for review and comment. In the interim, we have discussed this matter

with DHCD staff and what we indicate below is our best estimate - based on present pro­cedures - of the steps which would be fol ­lowed when an application for an alteration is submitted for review.

Say that a homeowner, who knows that Le Droit Park is an Historic District, is thinking of repairing or changing his or her house in some way; the first step would be to refer to the guidelines in this book in formu­lating plans. Such a review by the homeowner would be to see whether the proposed altera­tions correspond with the "preferable way", a ' ' sometimes'', or an ' 'unacceptable way' '. Homeowners should exercise caution in their analysis since some guidelines may not be appropriate for a given building. The staff of the Office of Historic Preservation will help interpret regulations, suggest possible solu­tions to problems, and show how to prepare material for the historic review process.

The formal process would begin when the owner applies for a building permit from the Permit Branch located in Room 105, 614 H Street, N.W. In addition to the usual permit material. photographs of the house and plans of what is proposed would have to be sup­plied. In the past, it was not unusual to have engaged a contractor for work by that time, or to have agreed to buy certain materials to do it. Should that be so, the owner should make sure that the contract allows him to drop or modify the work, if the review process should require some change.

The permit office would check for compli­ance with the Building Code and Zoning Ordinance, ''sign off'' on those requirements if all were well, and would pass the permits on to the Mayor's Agent and his staff. If a community preservation group is active, the staff would notify them of the proposal and could call in its representative if there is some

question. If the staff should find that the pro­posed change is compatible with the character of the Le Droit Park Historic District, and is authorized, through delegation by the Histor­ic Preservation Review Board to do so, they could then forward the application, with a recommendation for favorable action, to the Mayor ' s Agent. Such delegation is presently limited to minor alterations or those not significantly visible from public space. All other cases must come before the Board which will make a recommendation to the Mayor's Agent.

If the change should be questionable, the Historic Preservation Staff would call in the owner or architect to see if the plans could be modified to make them compatible with the character of the Historic District. If all then agree, and it is within the delegated authority of the staff, the permit could be approved. Should the Board recommend that the permit not be issued, the Mayor's Agent may then hold a public hearing on the application, and must hold a public hearing if the applicant requests it. The Mayor's Agent may, after such a hearing, agree to the issuance of a permit upon finding that it is (1) consistent with the purposes of the act, (2) necessary to permit the construction of a project of special merit, or (3) that failure to do so would result in economic hardship to the owner. Alterna­tively, the Mayor ' s Agent may also deny the issuance of a permit. *

Staff at the Department of Housing and Community Development can assist the owner in applying for some special grant or subsidy, if needed, such as a NIP or NHS loan, a 312 loan or some 2 3 5 mortgage assis­tance , a Home Purchase Assistance or a Weatherization Grant. Owners should also apply directly to the Historic Preservation Staff for information on certain special federal subsidies for historic rehabilitation.

All federally-assisted undertakings deriving from the above programs also require review by the Director of the DHCD, in his role as the State Historic Preservation Officer for the District of Columbia. The purpose of these reviews is to assure that Federal programs do not adversely affect the qualities which qualify LeDroit Park for listing in the National Register.

· T o supplement this review process, we have recommended that a Le Droit Park Desig n Committee be set up , consist­ing of local residents who are particularly interested in the issues of h istoric conservation . That committee would publi­cize the g uidelines and make people aware of the special qualities o f Le Droit Park . It would be available to help ci ti ­zens with the review process, should be no tified of all appli ­cations fo r hi!>to ric rehabi litation in Le Droit Park. and would be represented ar meetings in which applications are considered .

We have also recommen ded that the Department make avai lable a profess ional, preferabl y an architect famili ar with rehabil itation and historic styles. to serve the hiswric dis­tricts of Anacostia and Le Droit Park . This staff member could help homeowners to establish their needs and priori­ties. inte rpret the g uidelines fo r them, show them how to restore historic details. put them in touch with sources of material, and in general he lp them through the process of historic review . Such technical assistance should be available to all property-owners in Le Droit Park .

The principal special programs for historic preservation are:

Historic Preservation Grants-in-Aid These grants, from the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the U.S. Depart­ment of the Interior, can provide up to 50 percent of the cost of purchase and/or rehabili­tation of a building in the historic district. The remaining 50 percent can come from private funds or from other sources of public funds, such as an NIP Loan. The proposed rehabilitation must meet the Secretary of the Interior's ·'Standards for Historic Preserva­tion Projects .' ' Applications are selected for funding by the State Historic Preservation Officer, then sent to the Department of the Interior for final approval.

Historic Preservation Loans These loans are available from banks and sav­ings and loan institutions and are FHA insured. They can be used for rehabilitation, preservation or restoration of residential struc­tures within the historic district, providing that the State Historic Preservation Officer finds that the structure's integrity is main­tained or enhanced. Amounts of up to $15,000 per dwelling unit. not to exceed $45,000 per structure, can be borrowed at market rates of interest, with up to 15 years to repay.

Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating · Historic Buildings The Federal Tax Reform Act of 1976 pro­vides incentives to stimulate rehabilitation of historic commercial or income-producing buildings. These provisions permit a five-year amortization of eligible rehabilitation costs or an accelerated depreciation of the value of a substantially rehabilitated building. To qualify, the property owner must receive certification from the Secretary of the Interior that the property contributes to the historic signifi­cance of LeDroit Park and that the rehabilita­tion is consistent with the historic character of LeDroit Park.

The array of special financial boosts to homeowners is bewildering in its varied, shift­ing requirements. They are summarily de­scribed in the "Plan for LeDroit Park " which accompanies this book. DHCD staff can point out the one which will fit a particu­lar owner's need, and show him how to apply for it.

Like any regulatory process, historic review requires some time and effort from the home­owner. On the other hand, it is essential, if LeDroit Park is to be conserved and improved . These guidelines are meant to smooth and speed that process as much as possible. In addition, they should make it easier for the owner to improve his building in a way that is sometimes cheaper. and surely more practi­cal, more handsome. and longer-lasting. Thus we can be sure that LeDroit Park will be saved for the pleasure of present, as well as future generations .

How to Check the Condition of a House If you are restoring or buying an old build­ing, the following checklist may be helpful. Of course, any defect can be corrected with enough time and money. But a building is the single most important investment that most people will make. Measure your pocket against the task, so as not to tax your patience or deplete your savings.

The Roof A sound, tight roof is the first line of defense of a building. If the roof is in bad shape, you should plan on repairing or replacing it right away.

1. Pitched roof. Any sign of missing, broken or warped shingles or slates? This could mean that there is water damage inside.

2. Asphalt shingles. Are the mineral gran­ules getting thin, and do edges of shingles look worn? Does roof look new but lumpy? The new roof"may have been applied directly over old shingles, and some sins covered over.

3. Flat roof. Any sign of bubbles, separation or cracking in the asphalt? The roofing should be flat and tight to roof.

4. Flashing around chimneys and in valleys. Any sign of rusty , loose or missing flashing? Flashing is the weakest part of any roof. Copper is the best flashing, and will show a green patina.

5. Chimneys. Is the masonry cracked or crumbling? Do the chimney flues have a tile lining? If not, they could be a fire hazard.

6. Gutters. Are there any loose, rotted or missing gutters?

7. Does the ridge of the roof sag? This could be normal settling that comes with age, or it could be caused by rotted rafters or a lack of roof ties. Check further.

8. Cornice. Is there badly peeling paint on the cornice- especially on its underside? This can be a sign of a roof leak that is spill­ing water into the cornice.

The Attic 1. Any sign of leaks (such as dark wate: stains) on the underside of the roof, espeCially around chimneys, valleys and eaves?

2. Is the attic adequately vented? Check for signs of mildew on the underside of the roof boards.

3. Is any insulation visible between the attic floor joists? This is the best place for attic insulation.

Exterior Walls 1. Do exterior walls seem plumb? You can check this with a weighted string. Out-of­plumb walls can be a sign of serious_ founda­tion problems. Sight along the extenor walls. Any sign of major bulges? This could be due to major structural flaws.

2. Do doors line up squarely in their frames? Out-of-square doors can be another sign of possible foundation trouble. Signs of sag are not necessarily a major drawback, but it does mean that an investigation should be made to find the cause. Some sags require no remedy: others can be cured with a few. sup­ports. Still others require major foundat10n surgery .

3. Is paint peeling, curling and blister~ ing? This could mean a water proble~: et_ther a leak or a lack of sufficient vapor barrter m the wall.

4. Are there open joints around door frames, window frames and trim? These will have to be caulked.

5. Clapboards. Are many loose, cracked or missing?

6. Masonry walls. Any signs of cracks? Horizontal and hairline cracks in bricks are not a major problem. Cracks that run verti­cally through bricks and mortar are more senous.

7. Is the mortar soft and crumbling, are bricks missing or loose? Loose masonry is vulnerable to attack by water. Having a masonry wall repainted with fresh mortar is expensive or time-consuming.

8. Has the masonry been painted? It will have to be repainted about every 5 years . If it is not porous brick, it may be stripped, in order to make further painting unnecessary, but this is a major task.

9. Has insulation been blown into the side walls? In cold weather you can tell how good the wall insulation is by feeling the inside of an exterior wall, and comparing with temperature of an interior partition. They should feel about the same.

Termites and Rot 1. Termites. Any sign of vertical tubes of dirt on interior or exterior walls? These are termite tunnels. Look for them on founda­tions, under porches, steps and on cellar walls.

2. Wood near the ground should be probed with a pen knife to test for sound­ness. Check elements such as cellar window frames, sills, floor beams, posts, porches and steps. Spongy wood can be caused by termites or by rot. Rot can be arrested by shutting off the sources of moisture. Termites call for chemical warfare. If unsure about the cause of spongy wood, call in an expert.

3. Is all exterior wood at least 6-8 in. above the ground? If not, this is an inviting target for termites and rot.

4. Anv signs of rot in the cornice or attic beams? Leaking roofs and gutters often spill water into the top of a house, where it goes undetected for long periods.

The Attic 1. Any sign of leaks (such as dark wate~ stains) on the underside of the roof, espeoally around chimneys, valleys and eaves?

2. Is the attic adequately vented? Check for signs of mildew on the underside of the roof boards.

3. Is any insulation visible between the attic floor joists? This is the best place for attic insulation.

Exterior Walls 1. Do exterior walls seem plumb? You can check this with a weighted string. Out-of­plumb walls can be a sign of serious_ founda­tion problems. Sight along the extenor walls. Any sign of major bulges? This could be due to major structural flaws.

2. Do doors line up squarely in their frames? Out-of-square doors can be another sign of possible foundation trouble. Signs of sag are not necessarily a m~jor_ drawback, but it does mean that an invesugatwn should be made to find the cause. Some sags require no remedy: others can be cured with a few. sup­ports. Still others require major foundatwn surgery.

3. Is paint peeling, curling and blister~ ing? This could mean a water proble~: et_ther a leak or a lack of sufficient vapor barrter m the wall .

4. Are there open joints around door frames, window frames and trim? These will have to be caulked.

5. Clapboards. Are many loose, cracked or missing? 6. Masonry walls. Any signs of cracks? Horizontal and hairline cracks in bricks are not a major problem. Cracks that run verti­cally through bricks and mortar are more serious.

7. Is the mortar soft and crumbling, are bricks missing or loose? Loose masonry is vulnerable to attack by water. Having a masonry wall repainted with fresh mortar is expensive or time-consuming.

8. Has the masonry been painted? It will have to be repainted about every 5 years. If it is not porous brick, it may be stripped, in order to make further painting unnecessary, but this is a major task.

9. Has insulation been blown into the side walls? In cold weather you can tell how good the wall insulation is by feeling ~he . inside of an exterior wall, and companng wtth temperature of an interior partition. They should feel about the same.

Termites and Rot 1. Termites. Any sign of vertical tubes of dirt on interior or exterior walls? These are termite tunnels. Look for them on founda­tions, under porches, steps and on cellar walls.

2. Wood near the ground should be probed with a pen knife to test for sound­ness. Check elements such as cellar window frames, sills, floor beams, posts, porches and steps. Spongy wood can be caused by termites or by rot. Rot can be arrested by shutting off the sources of moisture. Termites call for chemical warfare. If unsure about the cause of spongy wood, call in an expert.

3. Is all exterior wood at least 6-8 in. above the ground? If not, this is an inviting target for termites and rot.

4. Any signs of rot in the cornice or attic beams? Leaking roofs and gutters often spill water into the top of a house, where it goes undetected for long periods.

Interior Spaces 1. Are there any signs of water stain or damp plaster? This means leaks coming either from the roof or internal pipes. Check top-floor ceilings, the inside of exterior walls, and the ceilings and partitions under bath­rooms.

2. Is there a noticeable bounce to the staircase when you jump on it? Substantial vibration may mean structural problems that will be quite costly to correct.

3. Is the flooring in good repair? Floors covered with carpet or linoleum can harbor problems. Do floors have a pronounced sag or tilt? Place a marble on the floor and see if it rolls away. This could be normal settling, or a serious structural flaw. Do floors vibrate when you jump on them? Possible causes: undersized beams, inadequate bridging, cracked joists, rotted support posts. Often this can be cured fairly simply with a few new supports.

4. Windows. Does the sash move up and down smoothly? Do window frames show signs of water leakage? Chipped and curling paint at bottom of sash and sills is unsightly, but it can be cured with caulk, putty and paint.

5. Are the fireplaces in working order? Evidence of recent fires is reassuring. Are there smoke stains on front of the mantel? A smokey fireplace can be cured, but it is a bother.

Foundation 1. Is there a dug cellar, with wood sills resting on a masonry foundation well above ground level? Some old structures have heavy beams resting directly on the ground. These eventually have to be replaced, which is a major undertaking.

2. Is mortar in the foundation soft and crumbling? This is not necessarily serious as long as there is no sign of sag in the struc­ture: ditto for foundation walls laid dry with­out mortar. Are there any vertical cracks in the foundation wall? This could be serious, or it could be from settling that stopped years ago. Have an engineer check it.

3. Does the ground slope away from foundation, so that rain water drains off? Do downspouts have splash blocks to divert water away from house? If the downspout goes into the ground, be sure that it isn't pouring water into the earth next to the foundation - a flooded basement is a likely result.

4. Any sign of dampness on the underside of floors around pipes? If leaks have gone undetected for some time, there could be sub­stantial wood rot.

5. Does the basement show signs of periodic flooding? It is a good sign if the current owner stores tools and papers on the cellar floor. It is a bad sign if there are rust spots, efflorescence or mildew on walls, or material stored on top of bricks to raise it above floor level.

6. Any sign of sagging floors, rotted sup­port posts or temporary props to shore up weak flooring?

Electrical System l. Does the wiring in the cellar appear to be a rat's nest of old frayed wires? This is a serious fire hazard, and the wiring must be redone.

2. Does the main power box in the cellar have at least 100 ampere capacity? An up-to-date installation will have its capacity marked on it. An old fuse box with only 3-4 fuses in it means that there may only be 30-40 amperes - far too little. A re-wiring job will be needed.

3. Are there enough electrical outlets in every room?

4. Is there any sign of surface-mounted, lampcord extension wiring, or multiple cords plugged into a single outlet? This is a tell-tale sign of underwiring.

Plumbing 1. Are water pipes copper or brass? Copper and brass are longer-lasting. Galvan­ized iron or lead will need replacing. A magnet sticks to iron. Lead is soft and silvery when scratched with penknife.

2. Is the water pressure adequate? Test this by turning on the top floor sink faucets . Then turn on bathtub, and flush the toilet. If the water slows to a trickle, the piping may be inadequate or badly clogged.

3. Is the water supply from a city main? Is the plumbing connected to a city sewer system?

4. Are the water pipes and large waste pipes in good condition? The cellar is the best place to evaluate the plumbing. Look for patches on the waste pipes; that is an indicator of advanced age. Replacement is expensive.

5. Ask to see a water bill for the latest year. If it is very high (the bill for a small family might normally be about $70 every six months). then a leakage of water is likelv.

Heating System 1. Was the heating plant originally de­signed to burn coal? If so, it is more than 30 years old and will need replacement.

2. Does the heating system operate satis­factorily? You can test the system even on a summer day. Move the thermostat setting above the room temperature. Heat from a hot-air furnace should appear at the registers within a few minutes. In a steam or hot-water system, the radiators should heat up in 15-20 minutes. Copies of fuel bills from the last heating season are a good measure of the heating system's efficiency.

3. In a steam heating system, do the floor­boards around radiators show signs of black stains and rot? This comes from leaks, and indicates that the system has not been well maintained.

4. Is the capacity of the hot water heater at least 40 gallons? This is minimum re­quired by a family of four with an automatic clothes washer. Any sign of leaks or rust spots on the hot-water heating tank? Check by peeking through the small door that gives access to the pilot light.

Taken and rc,·ised trom: Inspection check lis t for Vin tage House~. A G uide fo r Bu yers and Owners. New York : T he Old House Journal. c. 1977. Reprinted with permission from T he Old House Jou rnal, 199 Berkeley Place, Brooklyn. ~y 11217 .

1 ~Ult:~ U.lJ. UU y .1..1.15

a House or Getting a Building Perlllit There are several things you should do before signing an agreement of sale. Agree on a price. A fair price is based on building condi­tion, and the zoning and code situation. See that the building is free from all violations of housing, construction, electrical, plumbing, zoning and health codes. If violations are found, the price will be affected. Make sure that the agreement of sale shows at whose expense they are to be corrected.

Check the zoning regulations of the District of Columbia, and look at a zoning map to see what uses are permitted in your area. If you plan to change the use or structure of the buildings, see if a variance is necessary . Get­ting a variance is a lengthy and uncertain procedure. Ask about the City property, water and sewer taxes .

Check the ownership of land and buildings. Your lot may not be officially recorded. If not, it may have to be surveyed if you are erecting an addition or a new building. Find out if there are any liens or claims against the property. This is normally checked through a title insurance company. Encumbrances on the deed or title should be resolved before the sale.

Find out the mortgage cost - the total amount of interest to be paid over the entire term of the mortgage. A broker may find a mortgage source for you, or you can find one of your own. There are four normal sources for home mortgages in the District of Columbia: a savings and loan association (which is the most common source). a bank

construction loans than in long-term mort­gages), a mortgage company (which may require a lower down payment but corres­pondingly higher annual payments), and, most recently, a federal credit union (which may offer the best rates). Brokers tend to use preferred sources for mortgage money, and these may not always be best for the buyer. Compare costs.

If you want to make physical changes to an existing building, or build a new structure, you will have to get a building permit in most cases, and fulfill the requirements of a num­ber of city agencies before starting work. Permits are required for the construction, enlargement, alteration, demolition, or moving of a structure, a major change in its use, or the installation or alteration of certain equipment. Permits are not required for ordi­nary painting or maintenance, such as fixing a faucet or patching a roof, or for small, non­structural additions such as affixing shutters, adding an air conditioner in a window, or replacing a door or window without changing its form. They are not required for minor electrical or plumbing repairs, done by a single family homeowner in his own dwelling. Per­mits are required for work on the basic struc­ture of the building, such as cutting into a wall; major plumbing, such as the relocation of a waste vent pipe; or work on electrical service wiring and distribution of power. They are also required for removing or adding porches or fences, or for blocking exterior windows and doors. Questions as to what re­quires a permit should be addressed to the Building and Zoning Regulation Administra­tion of DHCD.

alkyd resin paint

apron

asphalt siding

awning

baluster

handsaw

bargeboard (or vergeboard)

bay

bay window

bond

bracket

broker

building permit

bungalow

burglar bars

cast iron

caulking

cellulose

chain link fence

clapboard

column

concrete block

corbel

corner board

cornice

crawl space

Glossary A modern paint made from a synthetic resin which is compatible with old oil based paints.

The trim under the projecting sill of a window.

Thin asphalt-coated sheets or rolls used to cover buildings for weather protection. This material can be cut to approximate the look of shingles, or patterned to approximate the look of brick or stone, but it is a poor imitation.

A projecting canopy providing shade over window or door openings . Early awnings were of canvas and were adjustable. Fixed aluminum awnings are now available, in addition to canvas.

An upright, like a miniature column, which, in series, supports a handrail.

A power saw in the form of an endless steel belt running over pulleys, allowing elaborate cut-out wooden details to be made easily.

The decorated board following under the roof edge of a gable.

A principal vertical division of the facade of a building, usually that contained benveen adjacent piers or columns.

A window or windows that projects from the wall.

The particular pattern in which bricks appear to overlap in the face of a wall.

An overhanging, usually decorative, member which projects from a wall to support something above.

An agent who negotiates contracts to buy and sell property and receives a percentage of the sale price for his services.

A permit issued by the city, to construct or alter buildings. The permit certifies that the intended construction will conform to building and fire codes.

A small one-story house, \Vith a low sweeping roof and usually with a veranda in front; first adapated from cottages used in the colonial occupation of India and Southeast Asia.

Bars installed over window openings to make them inaccessible to burglars.

A hard, brittle form of iron, cast in a mold.

A non-hardening waterproof material used to fill cracks at the intersection of wood or metal with masonry.

The fibrous material that makes up the cell wall of woody plants and can be used for building insulation.

A modern fencing materi::>! of open woven wire, fastened to metal or wooden posts.

Horizontal boards which are overlapped to form a weatherproof exterior wall.

A supporting pillar.

A building block, usually 8 x 8 x 16 inches. made of cement and sand.

Successive courses of masonry which extend, one beyond the other, from a wall.

A flat vertical board running up the outer corners of clapboard or shingle-covered walls: or the metal or plastic imitation of this feature.

The decorated projecting horizontal member at the top of a wall .

Space under the ground floor which allows access to pipes, ducts, etc.

cresting

cross section

cupola

curb

dentils

development

Doric

dormer

double-hung window

downspout

Eastlake

eaves

efflorescence

engaged column

entablature

epoxy filler

facade

fiberglass batt

finial

flashing

Flemish bond (see bond)

foliate

forms tone (or "permastone" or "pressed stone")

framing

frieze

gable

galvanized metal

gauge

grade

grating

gutter

Decorations along the ridge of the roof, made ot wood or 1ron.

A graphic representation of a section of a building or building element taken across its shorter dimension.

A small structure, usually square or round in plan, rising above a main roof.

A low stone or concrete edging between street and planting strip.

Small square blocks running along the underside of a projecting cornice.

Here, a large-scale new building construction or land subdivision project.

The simplest of the classical orders of architecture, without ornamentation.

A minor gable in a pitched roof, providing a window on its front vertical face .

A window having two balanced sashs, one sliding over the other vertically.

A rain leader or vertical pipe to conduct water from the gutter at the eaves.

Heavy Victorian lathe-turned furniture or architectural decoration whose columns and details were modeled after the decorative style of the architect Charles Eastlake (1833- 1906).

The edge of a roof which projects over an outside wall.

A surface powder or crust which appears due to internal chemical processes of crystaliz.ation, solution. or deposition.

Column attached to, and projecting from . a wall.

In classical architecture, the combination of architrave, friez.e and cornice, which rested on the capitals of the columns, and supported the roof or pediment above.

A modern polymer material which is flexible and rot-resistant, used as a filler in repair of deteriorated wooden elements.

A face of a building, usually the front .

Insulating material made of a mat of thin glass fibers. which usually comes in 16' wide rolls and various thicknesses. Typically, one side is covered with an aluminum foil paper which serves as a vapor barrier.

A decorative terminal form at the top of a spire. pinnacle, or other high point.

Sheet metal strips which make weathertight joints between a chimney or wall and a roof, between wall and window head, or in the valleys of a roof.

A brick pattern in which the ends and sides of the bricks appear alternately in each course.

Shaped like a leaf, or used in reference to tracery employing a series of small curved indentations that meet to form points or cusps.

A material applied over brick or clapboard surfaces in a pliable wet state. which hardens upon drying. It can be grooved and colored to resemble stone work .

The horiz.ontal and vertical wooden members (beams, columns, studs. joists, etc .) which form the structural "bones" of a building.

A sculptured or ornamented band on a wall.

The vertical, triangular face of the end of a building, under a pitched roof.

Metal coated with z.inc.

The measure of the thickness of sheet metal or of the diameter of wire.

The level of the ground about a building.

An iron framework of crossed bars.

A channel for water, at the roof edge or at ground level.

half-timbered

handrail

hood

hydrofluoric acid

iron oxide primer

jigsaw

joist

latex paint

lathe

lattice

L'Enfant Plan

lime

lintel

loggia

lot line

louver

mantelpiece

Mansard roof

masonry paint

meter

modillion

molded brick

mortar

moulding (or molding)

mullion

oil-based paint

one-over-one

opening-to-wall ratio

A type of medieval English construction where the wooden structural members are exposed on the outside of the building, and the wall between them is surfaced with stucco.

The horizontal member at hand height which tops a railing.

A projecting shelter above a doorway .

A poisonous acid \vhich when diluted with water will attack silica and silicates. It is used in polishing and etching glass and, in very weak solutions, for cleaning masonry walls of dirt and stains from air pollutants.

Paint made of iron oxide (or rust), used as a flat coat on rusty iron surfaces.

A thin, narrow saw blade, operated mechanically up and doVI.- n, which can saw along curved lines .

A horizontal member in the framing of a floor or ceiling.

A modern paint based on a water emulsion of synthetic rubber. It is excellent for new interior or exterior work, but should not be used to cover old oil -based paints.

Thin strips of wood sheets or of a perforated metal upon which plaster or stucco is spread: also a machine in which wood or metal is held and rotated while being shaped by a tool.

An openwork grille with interlacing strips.

The street plan for the new federal city of Washington, designed by the French engineer, Major Pierre Charles L' Enfant. in 1 791.

Calcium oxide, mixed with water and cement to make plaster and mortar.

Horizontal structural member spanning an opening - door lintel. window lintel.

A passage or gallery, colonnaded on one or both sides.

The line describing the legal limits of a piece of landed property.

One of a series of horizontal slats. tilted to exclude rain and snow. but allowing air to pass.

The shelf above a fireplace opening.

A roof sloping in two planes, the lower of which is much steeper . Named for the French architect, Francois Mansart ( 1598-1666 ).

Paint which will adhere to. and protect, masonry surfaces. while allo\ving the necessary ·'breathing'' action of moisture in the masonry to continue.

A device for measuring the flow of gas or electrical current.

A decorated block or horizontal bracket used in series under a cornice.

Bricks or structural clay panels which are imprinted with three-dimensional decorative patterns.

A mixture of sand. water, lime and cement, used to bind together the units of masonry.

A continous decorative strip of rectangular or curved profile, used to make a transition between surfaces, or for obtaining a decorati\·e play of light and shade.

The narrow members which divide separate panes of glass.

A paint that contains a drying oil as the basic vehicle . This is the traditional exterior paint used before modern latex and alkyd resin paints .

A window with only one pane of glass in each sash.

On a building facade, the relative amount of window or door openings versus solid wall.

ornamental iron

panel

parapet

parging

party wall

patina

pattern books

paving

pediment

pendant

pentachlorophenol

penthouse

permastone

pier

plan

picket fence

pointed arch

pointing

polyethelene sheet

Portland cement

post

pressed brick

pressed metal (or "stamped metal")

pressed stone

pressure-treated wood

quoins

rafter

red lead primer

roll roofing

Cast or wrought tron etemeHL~ ~,a:uLc>. '-''-""".5-'· .... ·--~· --- -, -

flower and leaf-like patterns.

In general, any flat sheet of construction material , but here refers to a thin board set in a thicker frame (as on a door), or to a sunken or raised surface set off by a molding (as on a wall ).

A low, retaining wall at the edge of a roof, porch. or terrace.

The rough plastering of a masonry wall with cement plaster to smooth it or make it watertight.

A wall between two properties , owned in common. which each owner can use to support his or her adjacent building.

A handsome surface appearance which has developed with age or use.

Books of house and house detail designs published during the 19th century for use by house builders.

The surface covering of the ground, usually with cobblestones, brick or granite pavers; or by concrete, or asphalt.

The triangular face of a roof gable, especially its classical form .

An ornamental member suspended from above.

A crystalline compound (C.,C 1 ~OH) used as a wood preservative, fungacide and disinfectant.

Enclosed space above the level of a main roof. as the top of an elevator shaft or above· roof apartment.

See ' 'forms tone.''

A vertical structural support of masonry, usually rectangular in plan, whether isolated or attached to a wall.

A graphic representation of a building as it would be seen if cut by a horizontal plane.

A fence of upright wooden members supported by upper or lower rails between posts.

Arch form which comes to a point at its top.

The final filling and exterior finishing of the mortar joints between bricks and stones.

A thin plastic sheet which is resistant to chemicals, impervious to moisture, and, in certain installations, can provide good insulating qualities.

A finely ground calcareous material which, when added to water, forms the binding agent and chief ingredient for concrete.

An upright supporting member.

Brick subjected to pressure before firing, to increase its density and to free it from imperfections of shape or texture.

Metal sheets used for decoration or as a siding material, which has a raised pattern stamped onto its surface during its manufacture.

See '' forms tone . ' '

Wood which has been impregnated under pressure with chemicals, such as pentachlorophenol, to increase its resistance to insects and dry rot.

The corner stones of a wall when these are emphasized by size, by more formal cutting, by more conspicuous jointing or by difference in texture or materiaL

The supporting member of a roof. running from eave to ridge.

Textroxide with lead, widely used for the first coat in painting bare metal as a protection against rust.

Rolls of sheet roofing made of felt and asphalt which are laid in overlapping rows to r

roofing cement

roofline

roof slope

row house

rustication

salvage yard

sash

section

segmental arch

semi-detached house

setback

sewer

shingle

shutter

sidelight

silicone

sill

slate

solar panel

spalling

span

stained glass

stoop

storm door

storm window

story

streetscape

stringcourse

strut

stucco

A water-resistant tar-like substance spread between layers of roofing felt on flat-roofed buildings.

The profile of the roof at its uppermost part.

The degree of slant of the roof su rface. For example, a roof slope of 1 in 12 refers to a roof which rises one foot vertically for every 12 feet it extends horiz.ontally.

House which is one of a row, joined sidewise to its neighbors by party walls.

Masonry whose surface or edges are roughened or otherwise textured to emphasize the material or its joints.

Storage yard where used materials or building features (doors, windows, fireplace mantels, etc.) are kept for eventual reuse or sale.

The (usually movable) frame in which the glass is set in a window.

Drawing representing what would be revealed by an imaginary vertical plane cutting through a building.

A round arch whose curve is less than half a circle.

One of a pair of d\\.-ellings in a two family house in which the dwellings are arranged side by side.

The distance between the front of a building and the street or lot line.

Conduit for sewage and storm water.

A wedge-shaped piece of wood used in overlapping courses to cover a roof or an outside wall surface; the name is also given to similar units made of other materials .

A movable cover for a window, usually of wood, hinged to the outside jambs.

One of a pair of narrow windows flanking a door.

A water-resistant polymer often used as a surface sealant. It should not be applied to exterior masonry as it prevents the "breathing" action of brick or stone.

1) Horizontal member immediately supported by a foundation wall or piers, and which in turn bears the upright members of a frame; 2) A horizontal piece at the bottom of a door or window frame .

Thin split pieces of rock , here used in shingle form for roofing.

The heat-absorbing component exposed to the sun as part of a solar energy heating system .

A splitting off of the surface of brick or stone.

The distance between the supports of a beam, arch. or the like.

Colored glass held in decorative patterns by lead cames and metal frames.

A broad platform step at the entrance of a house.

An additional door placed outside the principal external door to protect it against the weather.

An additional window sash covering the ordinary window for better insulation and weather protection.

The space in a building between successive floor levels.

The general appearance of a street encompassing ail its features: sidewalks, landscaping, wires, houses, etc.

A plain or molded horizontal continuous band on an external wall.

A short post designed to resist compression, used to stiffen a framework or to hold apart some of its elements.

Plaster of cement, lime. and sand, used to cover exterior walls.

stud

subdivision

suburb

synthetic siding

tar and gravel roof

terne metal

terrace

terra cotta

tile

transom

trellis

trim

truss

Tudor arch

turned work

turret

Tuscan

two-family house (or "duplex")

utilities

vapor barrier

vent

vinyl

voussoir

wrought iron

Vertical member of the wood frame of a wall.

A plot of ground divided into building lots.

An outlying section of or near a city, predominantly for residential use.

Vinyl or aluminum sheeting used to cover the exterior wall, and made to imitate wooden clapboard.

A flat or slightly sloping roof covered with alternate layers of roofing felt and tar. and finished with a gravel coating.

Sheet steel coated with an alloy of 80% lead and 20% tin; used chiefly for roofing.

A level space raised above the adjoining land, and usually flanked by a building.

Molded and fired clay units used for roofing, facing or ornament.

A unit of baked clay in various forms, for roofing or for wall or floor covering. Structural tile are units of baked clay. usually hollow, for self-supporting walls or partitions.

An opening over a door or window, for light or ventilation, usually glazed ahd often hinged or pivoted.

A lattice work used as an outdoor screen or for the support of plants . Now imitated in the manufacture of thin metal posts for porches.

The decorative framing of door and windows.

A combination of straight members. typically triangular in form , which forms a rigid framework and is used to bridge large spans.

A type of arch whose sides begin with a curve at the bottom, become strai,<jht along the mid-points, and end in a point at the top.

Woodwork cut on a revolving lathe.

A small tower, usually corbeled, at the corner of a building, and extending above it.

Relating to one of the five classical orders of architecture that are of Roman origin and plain in style.

Dwelling structure built for two separate households . whether side by side or with the second unit above (see "semi-detached house").

Equipment connected to a structure in order to provide such services as water, electricity or gas.

Material, usually in thin sheet form. designed to prevent the passage of moisture through a wall or to avoid condensation within the wall.

An outlet for ventilation.

A modern polymer product used as a siding material in a form resembling wooden clapboards, or as a sheathing for wooden windows.

One of the wedge-shaped stones that make up an arch or lintel.

Iron containing little carbon. which is rolled and hammered into shape.

[A principal source of these and other definitions of architectural terms is : Henry H. Saylor, Dictionary of Architecture. New York : John Wiley and Sons, 1963.]

Bibliography

History and Architectural History Condit, Carl W.y American Building Art: Tbe 19th

Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1960.

Ferro, Maximilian L., Evolution of Masonry Construc­tion in American Arcbitecturaf Styles. Published by Service Master Industries, Inc., Downers Grove. lllinois 60515, 1976.

Fitch, James Marston, American Building: The His­torical Forces Tbat Shaped It. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1966.

___ , American Building 2: Tbe Environmental Forces That Shaped It. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1972.

Glassie, Henry H ., Victorian Homes in Washington. Washington: Columbia Historical Society. 1966.

Gutheim, Frederick, and Washburn. Wilcomb E., The Federal City: Plans and Realities. Washington. D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. 1976.

Hitchcock, Henry-Russell, Architecture of the 19th and 20tb Centuries. Baltimore. Maryland: Penguin Books. Inc .. 1958.

Jackson. Loretta, Oral history presentation on LeDroit Park to the Columbia Historical Society on October 15. 197 4. Available at the Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C.

Lewis. Arnold. and Morgan. Keith. American Vic­torwn Arcbitecture: A Survey of tbe '70's and '80's in Contemporary Pbotograpbs. New York: Dover Publication, Inc., 197 5.

Loth. Calder, and Sadler, Julius Trousdale. Jr., Tbe Only Proper St)'fe, Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1975 (on Gothic Revival architecture).

Maas, John, Tbe Gingerbread Age: A View of Vic­tori<Jn Arcbitecture. New York : Bramhall House. 1957.

___ , The Victori<Jn Home in America. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1972.

Poppeliers, John, et. al., Wbat Style Is /(? Washington. D.C.: The Preservation Press, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1977.

Whiffen , Marcus, American Architecture Since 1780: A Guide to tbe Styles. Cambridge. Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1969. Concise guide to historic sources and major design characteristics of American archi­tectural styles.

Renovation and Restoration Practice Crump, Allison, Paint Colors for Your 19th Century

House. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge His­torical Commission, 1978. Lists varieties of house color combinations appropriate for styles of the 1800's and early 1900's.

Dietz, Albert G .H., Dwelling House Construction, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1971. A thorough description of all aspects of house building; very helpful as background reading before beginning rehab work.

Gladstone, Bernard (ed.), The New York Times Com­plete Manual of Home Repairs. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1966.

Old-House Journal Buyer's Guide. Sources for 205 Hard-to-Find Products and Services for the Restora­tion, Maintenance and Decoration of Vintage Houses. Brooklyn: The Old-House Journal, 1976.

Phillips, Morgan W., ''The Eight Most Common Mistakes in Restoring Historic Houses ( . .. And How to Avoid Them).'' Yankee Magazine (December. 1975).

Preservatio11 and Building Codes. Washington. D.C.: National Trust For Historic Preservation, 1975 .

Reader's Digest Association. Inc.. Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. Pleasantville, New York: The Reader's Digest Association. Inc. , 197 3.

Stanforth, Deirdre. and Stamm, Marsha. Buyir1g and Renovating a House in tbe City. :"Jew York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. , 1974.

Stephen. George, Remodeling Old Houses Witbout Destroying Tbeir Cbaracter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1973.

Thomas. James Cheston, Restoring Brick and Stone: Some Do ·s and Don 'ts. Technical Leaflet No. 8 I . Nashville. Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, in History News, Vol. 30, No. 1 (January, 197 5 ).

Turner, R.].. How to Find a House to Renoz,·ate in Wasbingtotl. D.C. Washington, D.C.: Turner Publishing, 1977.

Periodicals American Preservation. Little Rock, Arkansas: The

Bracy House. Bimonthly magazine ($12/year) on historic and neighborhood preservation.

Historic Preservation and Preservation News. Washing­ton, D.C.: The Preservation Press. Quarterly and monthly publications covering preservation issues and projects across the country. Available free to members of the National Trust for Historic Preserva­tion, 740-748 Jackson Place, N .W ., Washington, D.C. 20006.

Old-House journal, Brooklyn, New York: The Old­House Journal Company. (Subscriptions $12/year. c/o The Old-House Journal, 199 Berkeley Place. Brooklyn, NY 11217 .) Monthly newsletter of help­ful advice on different renovation projects and sources for useful supplies . An index to articles is available and back issues can be ordered.

Related Materials Guide to Federal Programs (and Activities Related to

Historic Preservation). Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1974.

Harris, Cyril M ., Dictionary of Architecture and Con­struction. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1975.

Neighborhood Preservation: A Catalogue of Local Programs. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975. (Stock Number 023-000-00285-0: price: $5.15). A selection of one hundred locally initiated neighborhood preservation programs compiled as a guide for local decision makers and community leaders.

Saylor, Henry H ., Dictionary of Architecture. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1963.

Solo, Dan X., Victorian Display Alphabets. New York: Dover Publication, 1976.

Ziegler, Arthur P .. Jr., Historic Preservation irl Inner City Areas. Pittsburgh: Ober Park Associates, 1974 .

.... b 'rD rrrr r

Credits

D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development Robert L. Moore, Director

Division of Planning and Resea rch Lawrence Press, Acting Chief Stanley M . Sherman, Architect

Office of Historic Preservation Lucy Franklin, Acting Chief Sulanne Ganschinietl , Staff Historian

Community Program Services Reginald M . Green, Acting Area Director

Carr, Lynch Associates Stephen Carr, Principal Kevin Lynch, Principal Gerald Robinson, Managing Planner Louis Fisher, Community Architect Carole Zellie. Preservation Planner Cynthia Howard. Preservation Architect

Photos Cynthia Howard Kenneth Savage Carole Zellie

Illustrations Cynthia Howard Louis Fisher Isabel J\.lancinelli

Support Staff Ruth Barratt Lily Myers John Messervy Isabel Mancinelli Martha Pemenik

A. L. Nellum and Associates Patrici a Wright, Project Director lmani Kalana, Community Planner

Community Planning Staff Carolyn Garland, Planning Aide

Booth Simpson Designers Kathryn Sumpter. Graphic Designer

LeDroit Park Community We gratefully acknowledge the many hours of time contributed by those residents of leDroit Park who participated in the review of these gu idelines during their development. Many other individuals and organi ­lations gave valuable advice and support to the historic preservation planning project. In particular we would like to recognile the following organilations for thei r contributions and support.

LeDroit Park Historic Preservation Society

LeDroit Park Historic Project Inc.

LeDroit Park Civic Association.

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