Overall Visual Character: Openings
The opening illustrated here dominates the visual character of
this building because of its size, shape, location, materials,
and craftsmanship. Because of its relation to the generous staircase,
this opening places a strong emphasis on the principal entry to
the building. Enclosing this arcade-like entry with glass, for
example, would materially and visually change the character of
the building.
Overall Visual Character: Roof and
Related Features
This building has a number of character-defining aspects which
include the windows and the decorative stonework, but certainly
the roof and its related features are visually important to its
overall visual character. The roof is not only highly visible,
it has elaborate stone dormers, and it also has decorative metalwork
and slatework. The red and black slates of differing sizes and
shapes are laid in patterns that extend around the roof of this
large and freestanding building. Any changes to this patterned
slatework, or to the other roofing details would damage the visual
character of the building.
On this building, the most important visual aspects of its character
are the roof and its related features , such as the dormers and
chimneys. The roof is important to the visual character because
its steepness makes it highly visible, and its prominence is reinforced
by the patterned tinwork, the six dormers and the two chimneys.
Changes to the roof or its features, such as removal or alterations
to the dormers, for example, would certainly change the character
of this building. This does not discount the importance of its
other aspects, such as the porch, the windows, the brickwork,
or its setting; but the roof is clearly crucial to understanding
the overall visual character of this building as seen from a distance.
Overall Visual Character: Projections
A projecting porch or balcony can be very important to the overall
visual character of almost any building and to the district in
which it is located. Despite the size of this building (3-1/2
stories), and its distinctive roofline profile, and despite the
importance of the very large window openings, the lacy wrap-around
iron balcony is singularly important to the visual character of
this building. It would seriously affect the character to remove
the balcony, to enclose it, or to replace it with a balcony lacking
the same degree of detail of the original material.
"Architectural Character" an Historic Preservation Brief
