One of our clients, Noreen
Heid, purchased a home near downtown Salt Lake City in 1991.
She loved the charm of the neighborhood and the quaintness of
her 1900s house, but the house had been through updates over
the years that included adding aluminum siding, a big concrete
porch and wrought iron columns.
A
1936 photo of a house in the Central City Historic District
shows the original materials and details that gave the
house its charm.
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A few years ago, Heid got a glimpse of what her house used to
look like. She came across a black and white photo taken in
1936 for tax purposes. She and her husband decided it was time
to restore some of the original detail as well as expand the
living space, so she began to plan for a major renovation.
However, Heid had an extra and not insignificant fact to
consider: Her home is in one of Salt Lake's six local historic
districts. Anyone living in one of these districts or anyone
thinking about it needs to understand the implications: It
means enjoying the historic charm of the neighborhood and
shouldering the responsibility to preserve it.
Overseen by the Historic Landmarks Commission, Salt Lake
City's six historic districts are the Avenues, Capitol Hill,
Central City, South Temple, University and Exchange Place.
When it comes to renovation or new construction, these districts
have specific design standards set by the city. These standards
do not require a literal historic restoration of a property,
but they do require a renovation that is compatible with the
historic streetscape of the neighborhood and the original
design of the structure.
There are several benefits to living in a historic district.
The most obvious is the historic value and beauty of the neighborhood.
The renovation guidelines help preserve this beauty by prohibiting
you or your neighbors from doing renovations that may detract
from the historic appeal. In addition, studies have shown
that when a historic district is established, property values
tend to stabilize or even rise. There are also income tax
credits available at both the state and federal level for
some remodeling projects and low-interest loans available
from the Utah Heritage Foundation.
On the other hand, when you live in a historic district,
you take on certain responsibilities and, yes, red tape when
you choose to remodel your home. Your architectural plans
must accommodate the historic character of the area and follow
the established guidelines. You may face restrictions in terms
of the size and shape of any additions as well as in the materials
used.
By
following the guidelines set forth for local historic
districts, a remodel completed in summer 2005 allowed
the owners to restore much of the original details while
expanding behind the home for additional living space.
Renovation
Design Group |
For all remodels you need a building permit. However, when
remodeling in a historic district, you will first need the
approval of the city planning department and, in some cases,
the approval of the Historic Landmark Commission itself.
Our client Noreen Heid was happy to take on these responsibilities.
"We knew we wanted to do some renovation, and this was an
extra incentive to do it right," she told us. Heid is so committed
to the historic nature of her area that she has also become
a member of the Historic Landmark Commission, which is made
up of volunteers who live in the districts. For her and her
family, choosing a historic district — with all its opportunities
and responsibilities — was the right choice.
For more information, including maps of the districts, visit
Salt Lake City's Web site at
www.slcgov.com and look under "City Directory"
for "Historic Landmark Commission."
Architects
Ann Robinson, AIA, and Annie Vernon, AIA, welcome your design
questions at Ask@RenovationDesignGroup.com.
Robinson and Vernon are founding principals of Renovation
Design Group, a local architectural firm specializing in residential
remodeling design.
To register for "Designing a Remodel with Character &
Class," call 533-5331 or click
here for details.
© 2005 Deseret News
Publishing Company
