Conference/Public Meeting Agendas/Documents — Packet

It should be emphasized that a good design solution strives for maximum effect with minimum expenditure. It also creates and sustains the long-term value of a building. b. Basic Elements. The Valley and Main Street areas have inherited more vintage buildings than any other area. This legacy contains untold wealth in the form of generous spaces and graceful details, much of which cannot be reproduced at any price. This treasure is there for people who are aware of it. It can be cultivated by understanding the basic elements of this architecture and applying them in any type of redevelopment. These elements are simple, straightforward ideas that are easy to use. By understanding these basic elements, an owner or tenant is better prepared to produce a well-designated, integrated building renovation. New construction requires the same understanding and insight to assure a building that respects its older neighbors and enhances the small-scale, intimate ambiance of Main Street. What follows is a discussion of these features. c. Massing. The term massing refers to two (2) things. One is the visual weight relationships of the various components of a building. The second refers to the relationship of the visual volume of one (1) building to its neighbors. Main Street buildings are for the most part perceived more in terms of their facade than they are as three dimensional solids. So when massing is referred to, the term means the potential visual relationship of one (1) building's front to another. Main Street buildings are typically two (2) story structures with an occasional three (3) story building and some one (1) story buildings. The width of the building is generally twenty-five (25) feet with some multiples of twenty-five (25) feet. Continuity and the need for visual balance requires the careful use of mass that does not inappropriately interrupt the Main Street facades with the mass of a building. A recommendation of this guideline is that the height limitation never exceed thirty-five (35) feet on Main Street frontage. If an amended height ordinance allows selected variance, a setback should be required from Main Street. This would allow taller buildings to stand one-quarter (1/4) to one-half (1/2) block away from the Main Street

inance allows selected variance, a setback should be required from Main Street. This would allow taller buildings to stand one-quarter (1/4) to one-half (1/2) block away from the Main Street massing plane. d. Proportion. Proportion is the ratio or relative size of dimensions within a building. It can refer to specific details such as height to width of a window or a door, or the relationship between the height and width of the entire facade. Generally speaking, proportions should be varied and suitably contrasted for greater design interest. The use of the ratio 1:1 virtually never occurs in the historic type architecture of the Valley and Main Street areas. When proportions are carefully studied, new construction can easily be made to relate to the remaining original architecture. Good proportions cost no more than bad and are therefore one of the designer's most effective tools. e. Scale. Scale is another form of proportion—expressed as the relationship of the "apparent" size of a building or element upon the building as it relates to the size of a human being. Large scale buildings and building elements look impressive and imposing. A smaller scale is more suitable to the people atmosphere of Main Street and the Valley areas. Scale should suit a business and be conscious of its effect on people. Human scaled buildings are comfortable and create a friendly atmosphere. f. Apparent Scale. It is important to note the use of the word apparent when speaking of scale, because buildings can be made to seem larger or smaller, depending upon the proportional relationships of the elements that make up the building front. g. Bigger or Better. A building can be said to have good scale if the building does not look "too big for its size". Giant two (2) story Grecian columns would be inappropriate for a small shop 67

front, not only from a detailing point of view but also because of the discontinuity of apparent scale that would result. Often, when a person wishes to make a storefront more important or impressive, some "big building" details result. Making a small building look larger is a fundamentally inappropriate architectural approach and should be avoided. Doors, hardware, roof overhangs, sidings, moldings, light fixtures and details easily affect the scale of buildings and should be considered carefully. h. Signage. Signage can also influence the scale of the building, or its apparent size. A large sign on a small building front has the effect of making the facade seem even smaller than it may be. So, a large sign designed to impress can result in an opposite effect -- that of a very small business trying to look bigger than it is. i. Texture and Patterns. The building surfaces along Main Street are largely composed of textures and patterns. The play of light and shadow on these textures and the color created by architectural patterns create great surface interest on building facades. Texture is the visual and tactile degree of roughness and smoothness of surfaces. From glass to stonework all materials have a texture that can be used to blend or contract and enhance a building design. Pattern is a regular repetition of a design, shape, form or void. Pattern creates a visual texture at a certain scale. Bricks form a pattern of repeated rectangles separated by regular widths of mortar. At a distance this pattern creates a visual texture. Pattern should be used as carefully as texture to enhance a design and give interest to surfaces as needed. A predominant pattern on Main Street is created by brick masonry. One appropriate approach for new construction to relate to older patterns would be to use brick. Some buildings have portions of textures and patterns covered over or destroyed. Rather than introducing a totally new design element a better approach would be to uncover or replace the existing textures and patterns. j. Applied Textures. The stamped steel Victorian Fronts of some Main Street buildings although applique in nature, do not look "stuck on." This is because each piece was considered part of a whole integrated building front

steel Victorian Fronts of some Main Street buildings although applique in nature, do not look "stuck on." This is because each piece was considered part of a whole integrated building front sensitive to proportion, scale, texture and pattern. Sensitivity to these relationships will minimize superficial or cosmetic solutions. During the 1940's and 1950's slick materials with jazzy textures such as uncoated aluminum and glass curtain walls were promoted and used as remodeling dream materials. Another inappropriate contrast is the use of rustic shingles on an urban street. All these only serve to cover-up good honest masonry and other perfectly good surfaces. k. Line. The term "line" refers to the vertical and horizontal alignment of architectural features that occur on individual building fronts and on consecutive building fronts. Line may be the uppermost edge of a series of cornices on a row of buildings. The line may also be created by a series of window sills, building to building. The consistent termination of the first floor levels of a series of buildings forms a horizontal alignment. These lines or alignments serve to unify and formalize the building fronts along Main Street. All efforts should be made to reinforce these lines and alignments in work carried out on Main Street building fronts. The careful consideration of linear alignments is especially important with relations to new construction. A new building or new facade must conform to the major alignments suggested by flanking buildings to insure continuity of the storefronts along Main Street. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10G) 68

25-16.8 Historic Respect. Downtown redevelopment must be respectful of its surrounding if an overall positive ambiance is to be created and preserved. Construction need not be imitative or quasi-Victorian in style; to the contrary, poor imitations, such as ersatz mansard roofs, awkwardly designed cupolas and inappropriate appliques are worse, cheapening and debasing the overall look of the downtown area. Contemporary construction and remodeling can be totally positive by using the language and essential substance of nineteenth-century architecture to guide the designer in massing, proportion, scale, texture, pattern and line. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10H) 25-16.9 Contrast. Another design approach and one of the ways to deal with the needs for new construction in an historic setting involved a harmonious juxtaposition of old contrasted with new; harmonious in terms of sensitivity to the essential substance of the historic precedent described above yet consciously contrasting in style and vernacular. This approach is difficult to master and should be considered only on a limited basis with acute concern for the enhancement of downtown. While the contrast must be strong, it must also fit its surrounds and not appear as an isolated, foreign element. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10I) 25-16.10 Exterior-Interior Relationship. A good exterior design solution should be an expression of what is going on within. This approach will result in a quality end product that is more than simply "cosmetics." Good design can begin with an efficient and attractive exterior and follow through with good detailing of such elements as window openings and entrances that lead to rooms and spaces of good proportions and shapes. The quality of the interior should fulfill the promise of a well-done exterior. Certain interior materials, through commercial over-use or residential saturation, almost always are disappointing and should be avoided. A few are shag-rugs, multi-colored or not; gold-flecked mirror tiles; veloured wall paper; barnwood, imitative stained glass; wood shingles; and simulated or imitative materials of any kind. These materials generally lack quality (plastic wood grains), soon show wear (shag carpets) and are hard to clean (wood shingles). Another consideration with these types of interior materials is that they are faddish and have no sense of duration or

d grains), soon show wear (shag carpets) and are hard to clean (wood shingles). Another consideration with these types of interior materials is that they are faddish and have no sense of duration or permanence. This is generally inconsistent with exteriors that carry the dignity of years. A prime example of the importance of exterior-interior relationship is evidence in the expression of the ceiling height as it relates to storefront windows. In the past, standard ceiling heights were much higher than they are today. In the case of remodeling, it is desirable to remove the once popular dropped ceiling thus restoring the original ceiling height on the interior and restoring the original window height on the exterior. If factors do not permit raising the ceiling, it may be possible to turn the ceiling up for a few feet just inside the window. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10J) 25-16.11 Preferred Materials and Finishes. Some materials and building techniques are more appropriate than others for use on facades and the visible portions of interiors. Good craftsmanship can make the most of inexpensive materials, while conversely, bad craftsmanship can ruin the effect of even the finest most expensive materials. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10K) 25-16.12 Inappropriate Materials. The following is an inventory of materials, the use of which should be avoided because of historical inappropriateness, maintenance problems or appearance: 69

Imitation metal "rock work" Imitation masonry of any kind Plastic molded imitations of any conventional building materials Corrugated metal Corrugated fiberglass Mirror or metalized reflective glass in quantities exceeding ten (10) square feet Stucco treated as "Hacienda" or "Mediterranean" texture Expanded metal Silver or clear anodized aluminum sheets Silver or clear aluminum extensions for windows and doorways Imitation wood siding Flat or molded plastic sheeting in quantities exceeding five (5) square feet Coarsely finished "Rustic" materials such as wood shakes, shingles, barnwood or stained fir plywood Poorly crafted or "Rustic" woodworking and finishing techniques Antique or old brick with partial paint, mottled light, variegated brick, oversized brick and white brick mortar Wrought Iron, "New Orleans" style grille and rail work Astro-turf Indoor-outdoor carpeting (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10L) 25-16.13 Appropriate Materials. Quality materials help insure good appearance as the years pass. Labor is generally the most costly aspect of a construction project. If interior materials are used and fail, the cost of labor must be incurred again to correct material failure. Quality materials will age with dignity and represent a long-term commitment to the architectural quality of West Orange. All well-finished, carefully crafted, traditional building material should be used in a manner sympathetic to the scale and the architectural character of the Valley and Main Street area. Traditional red brick and natural stone masonry using traditional coursing treatments and laying techniques such as running bond, soldier coursing, Flemish bond, English bond, Ashlar and random Ashlar stone facing are all acceptable. Use of conventional size bricks is important. The brick-red traditional color correctly relates to existing brick work in appearance. White mortar creates too much contrast and a harsh texture. Mortar tinted the same color as the brick was used traditionally in fine brick masonry and creates a rich, solid feeling. Milled and shaped lumber and siding have a long-standing precedence for use in urban settings as they were the most popular building material in the late 19th century. Steel and iron finely-scaled, carefully finished steel and ironwork is historically appropriate. This material is traditionally used for sashwork,

popular building material in the late 19th century. Steel and iron finely-scaled, carefully finished steel and ironwork is historically appropriate. This material is traditionally used for sashwork, handrails, construction hardware and ornament. Black finish is recommended for all metalwork. Scroll and ornamental wrought-ironwork is inappropriate and not recommended. Decoration must enhance the functional nature and straightforward character of ironwork. Glass is an historically appropriate material that contributes directly to added architectural interest, revealing interior activity to the passer-by and reflecting movement and animation. Ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles were used in the later nineteenth century to introduce color accent to a building front. Care must be exercised not to over-do this kind of detailing. 70

Brick, clay and ceramic tile pavers. Slate, terne-metal, glazed ceramic and tile roofs. Concrete as lintels and columns. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10M) 25-16.14 Inappropriate Finishes. Avoid artificial preservation finishes such as fiberglass, resin coating or laminated plastics. Avoid "rustic" or "antique" surface finishes. Avoid faddish or temporary surface finishes. It is important that the finish connote permanence and quality, rather than shabbiness or transience. Avoid any finish that calls excessive attention to itself and does not complement surrounding buildings. (Ord. No. 904-88 § 25-5.10N) 25-16.15 Appropriate Finishes. Quality materials do not guarantee a quality job. The method of finishing the chosen materials determines apparent quality. "Finish" means exactly what it says—it is the last thing done before use begins. The last thing done is the first thing people see and experience. a. Paint. Painted, well-finished wood and metal were the most characteristic finish materials of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Painted wood that has been properly prepared and finished presents a handsome, extremely durable and colorful surface for all buildings. Semi-gloss alkyd enamel paint, when applied to a properly prepared surface, forms the best protection possible for wood and metal. Semi-gloss finish is recommended because it is easily cleaned, it enhances the color, yet does not severely highlight defects or surface irregularities. Labor is the costly factor in painting. Buying good quality materials insures a lower labor cost over a long period because of the extended life that can be expected from good quality materials. Painting is as difficult to do well as any other aspect of the building trades. A roller does not yield the kind of finished, silky-painted surface that a good china bristle brush produces in the hands of a skilled craftsperson. The last coat of paint is the first thing seen. Good craftsmanship in this final step will guarantee a noticeable quality appearance. Recent years have seen the popularity of unpainted, unfinished wood increase. Unfinished woods tend to have a more rustic look, which is less appropriate in the traditionally business- oriented mercantile section of West Orange than it would be in the

wood increase. Unfinished woods tend to have a more rustic look, which is less appropriate in the traditionally business- oriented mercantile section of West Orange than it would be in the more rural areas of town. Well-finished materials give a more formal, "dressed" appearance to a portion of town where this "dress" has traditionally been the case. Color decisions, although very subjective, can use objective criteria for narrowing choices and reducing the possibility of random and harmonious selection. b. Color Surfaces. Color can be applied to almost any material and surface; walls, roofs, doors, windows, fascias, downpipes, cornices, lintels, brackets and sills. Generally two (2) basic colors need to be selected: the base color which is the predominating amount of color and usually will be applied to walls and the accent color for trim, hardware, doors, etc. c. Traditional Base Colors. Much of the color in downtown is the original color of the buildings. These durable colors are in the natural materials themselves, such as brick and stone. The natural color of brick and stone is beautiful and appropriate to downtown West Orange. 71