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Nancy captures the problem pretty well. Generally, what people call whim (like how the entry does) is not, it's captured in the architectural style and building practices of the period of architectural significance for a commercial district.

But yes, as Nancy points out, in most neighborhoods this information hasn't been captured in a good set of guidelines. In Capitol Hill, the CHRS publications provide a pretty good set of general points. In Mount Pleasant, the local historic association has guidelines too.

In Anacostia Conserved and LeDroit Park Conserved (both published around 1979) you have similar kinds of guidelines, which could be drawn upon for other districts with similar housing stock/architectural styles.

The Rochester Rehab manual (Landmark Society of Western New York), the guidelines published by Richmond, VA, the Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual are all examples of publications that do a better job of providing objective guidance.

But I would argue that the guidance is more objective than it appears.

by Richard Layman on Jul 31, 2012 12:23 pm • link • report