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deanrinehart
Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:35 am Post subject: Help with style identification of 27 historic homes |
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New poster asking for a big favor...
I'm hoping some of you folks with an eye for 1890-1930 American architecture can help me nail down the styles of 27 residences in Bethlehem, PA's Mount Airy Historic District.
I've created a Flickr account with a representative image of 26 of the 27 (hard to get a pic of the last). Photos are not great, but should give you an idea of most gross features.
Please feel free to browse and add comments here or there regarding style, features, historical notes...really any info you can provide. Comments always welcome. While our district has been recognized since 1988, we have very little information on the homes and style beyond our own amateur research and guesswork.
Any help anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to ask any questions as well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7643084@N04/sets/72157600045210457/ |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 832
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:41 am Post subject: |
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Dean,
Posting your request here might help you get started, however, you might want to consider another approach. (FWIW - This work should already be complete)
First - To have been listed on the National Register, Historic Inventory forms have to have been completed. These forms are reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for completeness. Accurancy is questionable.  The History Inventory Survey form identifies the building "style". Do you have access to those surveys? If you don't have copies of those locally, then you should contact the Pennsylvania Bureau for Historic Preservation (PBHP) They will have the surveys on-file.
Second - The major text for identifing historic American house styles is A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia and Lee McAlester. Every local history library should own a copy. This IS the text used by professionals such as myself.
I am not sure if Pennsylvania has a similar text, but Ohio has a book called How to Complete the Ohio Inventory Survey by Stephen Gordon. Also a text used by the professionals. It has the standard housing styles listed. Check with PBHP to see if they have a book like this to help you.
3. Contact your local City Planning Department. It might be time to re-inventory the district and you could apply for grant money. In Ohio, we are able to use Community Development Grant Block (CDBG) funds for historic preservation projects. This would be considered a planning project and in Ohio, we can use up to $10,000 on a planning project. CDBG's are also earmarked for Historic Preservation, so you have a real chance of getting a project funded. You need to have political support of council/staff to get funded. It might be time to take the Mayor to lunch. 
You really only want one person identifing styles as to create a uniformity over the entire district. You might also consider contacting a University within the State that would take on your task as part of a Historic Preservation class and a community outreach project.
I hope this helps you get started. |
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deanrinehart
Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:51 am Post subject: |
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phansford...thanks for your reply!
A little background...
Our city is no stranger to historic districts, we have 5 within limits, one of which was the first recognized in PA. One of these districts has a very strict ordinance overlay imposed upon it, controlling everything from walkjway material to paint colors. Another district is a bit looser in it's overlay, restricting signage, additions and demolition.
Our district is attempting to create an overlay to match the second, less restrictive ordinance. We have the backing of the majority of residents, council and the Mayor...but we have a well funded religious organization and a powerful resident trying to block our path.
As such, we're trying our best to gather information and histories. Unfortunately, the city has not been much help as their records are poor and unorganized. In fact, we had to correct their maps of the district multiple times in order to get the overlay to match the recognized limits!
In an effort to gain recognition (most residents under 50 don't even know about this enclave of houses), we are arranging a trolley and walking tour of the area, hopefully in June., As such we have a very limited amount of time to get our information straight before this event, and we've found the web to be a much better source of info than government.
That said, I will ask the PBHP for an inventory and have already ordered the Field Guide.
Our online county deeds do have a "type" part of the residential description, but it's very broad. As an example, there are 3 "Tudor" style homes in the area, but each is radically different from the other.
My property is definitely in the Tudor style, but has very little half timbering and is mostly stone and brick. It reminds me more of the Cotswald style seen 50 miles south in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia.
**********
This residence has lots of half timbering and no stone and is obviously a different style or substyle from mine.
**********
The last is much more "traditional" in the sense of 1920's Tudors...half timbering, herringbone brickwork, gothic arches.
**********
It's these differences that I want to identify with decent certainty...just slapping "Tudor" on these three structures makes little sense at the level of detail we'd like to present.
Thanks again...I will certainly act on your suggestions.
--Dean |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 832
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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| deanrinehart wrote: | | Our city is no stranger to historic districts, we have 5 within limits, one of which was the first recognized in PA. One of these districts has a very strict ordinance overlay imposed upon it, controlling everything from walkjway material to paint colors. Another district is a bit looser in it's overlay, restricting signage, additions and demolition. |
Quick background - I spent 13 years on the BAR and Planning Commission in my community and helped write a Landmarks Designation Ordinace (for single properties) as part of our zoing ordinance....... We have an AP district (local designation) and a District on the National register (within the local district). I'm registered architect. I am now Vice Chair of the local Landsmarks Foundation, a non-profit organization.
According to PBHP, there are only two districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Mt. Airy and Fountain Hill. I am assuming the other districts you are referring to only have local designation, which is typically governed through the local zoning code. AND you are now trying to get that type of local protection for Mt. Airy.
First Comment - Why in God's name isn't one of only two districts listed on the National Register locally protected? That should be good ammunition for your arguement for protection.
| deanrinehart wrote: | | Our district is attempting to create an overlay to match the second, less restrictive ordinance. We have the backing of the majority of residents, council and the Mayor...but we have a well funded religious organization and a powerful resident trying to block our path. |
Sounds all too familar. Let me be very frank. Churches are the WORST citizens. 'Nuff said.
From experience, and we battled a local church also, you have to be persistant. The zoning ordinances are for everyone, not select people or groups to ignore. We had a local church wanting to bulldoze the oldest wood (timber) frame house in the city (for a parking lot of course). I sat on the BAR at the time. The preservationists won. The church eventually sold the house. The church quite frankly lost some of its standing within the community.
The other thing to push is that this is about protecting the investment that many of you have made by purchasing a historic house and restoring/repairing/preserving the house and the character of the neighborhood. A vinyl sided addition, vinyl replacement windows, and so on will devalue the property (and tax base). Politically speaking, this will be about filling the house during any and all council meetings with pro-overlay people.
To diffuse the church, who will bring their congregation, you need to ask them during any meeting to raise their hands if they are members of the church, then ask them to keep their hands up if they live in the district. Then you turn to council and say, "Only the people this directly effects (owning property in the district) should be considered during your diliberations". This calls for playing tough.
| deanrinehart wrote: | | In an effort to gain recognition (most residents under 50 don't even know about this enclave of houses), we are arranging a trolley and walking tour of the area, hopefully in June. |
This will be very helpful in your efforts. If you could also write a few articles on house styles or even specific houses of importance for the local newspaper, that will help your publicity/education campaign.
| deanrinehart wrote: | | My property is definitely in the Tudor style, but has very little half timbering and is mostly stone and brick. It reminds me more of the Cotswald style seen 50 miles south in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia..............It's these differences that I want to identify with decent certainty...just slapping "Tudor" on these three structures makes little sense at the level of detail we'd like to present. |
You will be splitting hairs and this won't help your cause. Truthfully speaking you need to determine if the houses are Tudor/English Revival (1910 - 1940) or French Colonial/Norman Revival (1910-1940). In Ohio, those are the two acceptable terms used. Then you talk about the wall treatment (brick v. half-timber stucco v. wood cladding) for each specific house. Unless you can find physical documentation from the orignal architect stating he wanted the house to be from a specific region of England or France, you are just speculating. And some of the houses may never have had an architect involved - only a builder.
Why don't you find a local architect (it might be a young graduate interested in historic preservation) who might be willing to volunteer an afternoon to your organization to walk the district and give you comments and direction on the various styles. You really have to look at all sides of the house to get a real feel for the style of the house if you are looking for specifics.
Depending on the situation, I have donated my time to local non-profit groups as an appreciation to the community for supporting my firm. I am preparing to provide a "Building Doctor" tour for a local preservation group in a community that hires me frequently. It is something that I am coordinating with the City government that hires me. The historical group and the City are very appreciative. (A roof recently collasped on a historic downtown bldg)
Call the Planning Department, find the name of architects they think are preservation minded and how have done work for them over the years. Maybe they (the architect) will donate some time to you.
Feel free to PM me if you have more specific questions. |
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deanrinehart
Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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Couple clarifications...
Bethlehem City is in 2 counties, Lehigh and Northampton. The other 3 districts are in Northampton county and are nationally recognized as well. The city retains an excellent architect well versed in preservation, but she's stretched to the limit and I don't want to burden her more than I have to.
The religious organization in question is the local Diocese...and the structures are not run as places of worship, but as elder care facilities. What I don't get is the other protected districts have about 10 churches within their confines, and the churches are very much behind the ordinances there...in truth, the North Side district was brought about to preserve the Moravian structures within its limits.
*shrug*
The real issue seems to be a resident who wants to build condos on a vacant lot (within the limits) behind his house, and the Diocese wanting to expand their facilities. What they don't seem to get is this ordinance would not prevent them from doing either, it would only specify that they keep construction within scale and style. Our zoning is what they should be worried about, not a preservation ordinance. |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 832
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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So it would be safe to say that the current zoing does not respect the historic character of the neighborhood.
Does your zoning ordinance have some sort of architectural review? Do architectural designs have to be approved by Planning Commission?
Just curious, what is the present zoning of the district? Hopefully it is all one district. |
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