In the B-2 Central Business Zoning District, building appearance for new construction and/or building renovations/rehabilitations shall conform to the following requirements:
A. Form and Proportion: Massing and configuration (i.e., height, width, and roofline) shall conform, as near as possible, to that of other buildings on the same block. When a new building is proposed to be wider than the historic twenty (20') to thirty (30') feet in width, the facade shall be visually subdivided into proportional bays, and similar in scale to adjacent buildings. Horizontal alignments and vertical spacing elements shall be similar to other buildings on the same block.
B. Roof Forms: Rooflines shall be similar to adjacent buildings. Gable roof shapes are acceptable if parapet walls hide the end wall and water drainage is contained on the property. When feasible, the original roof shape of a building shall be maintained or restored.
C. Windows: The window openings above the first floor shall appear as “punched” openings within a solid wall. Proportions shall be similar to the window openings of other buildings on the same block. New and existing storefronts shall include the basic features of a historical storefront. A bulkhead shall be provided separating the upper stories from the first floor. The first floor shall have an 80%-20% glass to other material ratio. Door openings directly onto the public sidewalk shall include/maintain a recessed entry.
D. Materials: Building materials for exposed surfaces shall include brick, stone, split-face concrete block, or an architecturally detailed exterior insulation finish system (i.e., Dryvit). Permitted detailing materials include cast and molded metals, wood, fiberglass replications, gypsum detailing, structural glass when replicating a storefront design, and Dryvit. Wood, vinyl, aluminum siding, wood asphalt, fiberglass shingles, structural ribbed panels, corrugated metal panels, plywood sheathing, plastic or fiberglass sheathing, reflective or moderate to high-grade tinted should be avoided, and shall not otherwise be permitted for visible surfaces unless otherwise approved by the Building Official taking into account conformity with other buildings on the same block.
E. Architectural Details: When renovating/rehabilitating buildings, the removal or alteration of historic architectural features should be avoided. Recreated features shall relate to the building’s period of construction, scale, proportions and use of materials. Existing elements not original to the building that are historically or architecturally insignificant to the building should be removed and replaced. Historically or architecturally significant elements or details should remain visible. Existing brick shall be retained wherever possible. To the extent new brick is required, the new brick shall match the original brick and mortar for color and texture, and the width of repointed joints should match the original.
(Ord. 2591, 10-27-2020)