There Oughta Be a Law

[Bill Call]

I'm not a big fan of laws.

A nation or community starts out with a few rules to smooth out business or personal relations and ends up with a tangled mass of do this and don't do thats. You need a lawyer to figure out if your breaking the rules. And if you have a good lawyer it turns out that the rules don't apply to you anyway.

I suppose that attitude is part genetic and part family history. Because of the nature of his business in the 1930's my grandfather spent some time in "college" (he made whiskey).

It was a pretty good business and the family (almost) always ate good. There would always be food and wine for visitors and pie and an envelope for the police. Things were going along fine until the police came and ate the pie, took the envelope and left with grandpa.

Anyway, I was walking down Cook Avenue a few weeks ago and noticed that one of those old victorian style homes was undergoing some renovation. I was looking forward to seeing another house in that area restored to its historic look.

The other day I walked by and noticed that the "restoration" consisted of tearing down the gingerbread and boxing in the house with vinyl siding. The old windows were being replaced with what looked like the cheapest window money can by. Now thats a crime.

And I thought to myself: There oughta be a law.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Doesn't the ARB get a say in those types of things?

[J Hrlec]

I'm not a big fan of laws.

A nation or community starts out with a few rules to smooth out business or personal relations and ends up with a tangled mass of do this and don't do thats. You need a lawyer to figure out if your breaking the rules. And if you have a good lawyer it turns out that the rules don't apply to you anyway.

I suppose that attitude is part genetic and part family history. Because of the nature of his business in the 1930's my grandfather spent some time in "college" (he made whiskey).

It was a pretty good business and the family (almost) always ate good. There would always be food and wine for visitors and pie and an envelope for the police. Things were going along fine until the police came and ate the pie, took the envelope and left with grandpa.

Anyway, I was walking down Cook Avenue a few weeks ago and noticed that one of those old victorian style homes was undergoing some renovation. I was looking forward to seeing another house in that area restored to its historic look.

The other day I walked by and noticed that the "restoration" consisted of tearing down the gingerbread and boxing in the house with vinyl siding. The old windows were being replaced with what looked like the cheapest window money can by. Now thats a crime.

And I thought to myself: There oughta be a law.

Granted I like to retain historical looks, however, I would have to say 'No' I don't think there should be a law. As long as improvements do not impeded on others rights or cause some type of hazard they should be able to do what they want with a property they are paying for. In many other posts on this site I often hear the phrase..."Don't we have more important things to worry about?" and I surely believe this would fall into that category if the statement is true.

[dl meckes]

Bill - ask someone from the city to send you the Local Historic District Designation legislation that was passed by council in May.

This gives neighborhoods a way to preserve their architecture without being onerous and without city intervention per se, although as with any exterior changes to a home, you need ARB approval.

The Heritage Advisory Board, a volunteer group, is a wealth of information for those who are looking to do work on homes.

What most of us don't know, when we're setting about to do work on our homes, is the wealth of ideas and experience available to us through Heritage Advisory, Historical Society and Cleveland Restoration Society. They are great people to talk with first.

[ryan costa]

I am a big fan of corrugated iron roofing. but most of the people I've asked think it is poor and tacky. I'd like to see it used as siding also. Maybe as a siding base, then with thin ceramic tiles could be cemented on.

[Ruth Sholtis-Furyes]

I agree. I cringe when I see vinyl windows and siding being put on houses in Lakewood. What a waste of good architecture.

Well at least there's 2 houses, mine and my neighbor across the street that are being restored. Both of us have wood houses that are being painted. Wood windows being restored. Hardwood floors being refinished. She's even go as far as to put the original staircase back in the living room that was removed during a "updating" in the 60's.

[Steve Hoffert]

I also agree. Why go with high e glass when those single panes are so efficient. Why upgrade a boiler to one thats 90+ percent efficient when that old one is running at 50%. No one needs that extra 5 R factor that insulated siding provides since natural gas prices are so low. I've torn out all my romex and put back in knob and tube with screw in fuses instead of breakers but really want to go back to gas lights. I also replaced all my copper pipes with galvanized ones. Maybe I should get my water turned off and dig a well in my back yard. I've gone back to tar paper because that 50+ year vulcanized roof just lasted too long. I also am planning on tearing off my siding since I love to burn paint off my house and paint it every 10 years. I wish those paint companies would go back to lead paint though, that latex just isn't what they put on my house originally.

Housing architecture snobs unite! Grab your pitchforks and burn those that dare to use alternate building materials. It's blasphemy! Energy efficiency be damned. Burn coal and Al Gore too. Report any violations of the strict code of obsolete building materials to the gestapo, I mean the architectural review board. If we don't stop them now the next thing they will be telling us is that the world is round and that the earth is more than 6000 years old.

IMO It's not what type of material you put on your house it's the quality and workmanship that counts.

[Ruth Sholtis-Furyes]

There are ways to be energy efficient without making your house look like a bland suburban box. Siding can be fine, although not if you are going for a Heritage Home Loan, but one needs take into account the architectural details of the homes here. Most of them just get covered up without much thought.

Siding companies make shakes, AZEK make bead board and trims, leaving the wide molding around windows and not taking the siding right up the windows all makes a huge difference. There are energy efficient windows that look like they belong on a 100 yr old house. But often I see houses where they put in windows that are typical of a 1970's split level than a older home.

I am not advocating not letting people improve their properties, but some guidance is needed because some improvements can be a detriment to the house.

[Stan Austin]

Ruth---What an excellent reply to Steve Hoffert's post both in terms of facts and temperment. I know Steve was using a little bit of mild sarcasm to get a point across but he still had valid points.
And you met those objections he raised with well researched product alternatives.
I actually think you're both on the same page in terms of respecting architectural heritage, maintaining and improving your homes, and being receptive to new technology.
I bet both of you could contribute immeasurably to the several boards that deal with these matters.
Stan Austin