In the 1942 Virginia Lee Burton childrens books "The Little House" the once pastoral setting of the little house is overtaking by the progress and growth of the city, eventually prompting a move of the house farther out to the country. In 2009 Cleveland Park, when the same thing happens, the preservationists say yes, but the ANC says no, and the Historic Preservation Review Board agreed.
In a 6-1 vote, the Board went counter to both the staff report and the Cleveland Park Historical Society Architectural Review Committee support of a move for the 1905 Queen Anne structure located at 3211 Wisconsin Avenue. The house is listed as a "contributing" structure within the Cleveland Park Historic District, yet is surrounded by higher density mixed-residential structures on busy Wisconsin Avenue. Indeed, the land is zoned for higher density. The proposal by developer Mark Kaufman would have relocated the structure to Quebec Place, still within the Historic District, but alone in terms of historic context. However, Quebec Place residents, along with the ANC 3C Historic Preservation Committee made the case to the Board that the proposal should not be allowed.
A rhetorical question: Is razing the house a better option than relocation?
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Building codes are regulations that control almost every aspect of home design and construction. Every new home, remodeling project, or room addition must be designed and built in accordance with the codes that regulate the structural design, energy efficiency, construction quality, and overall safety of structures occupied by the public.
Codes dictate the size and configuration of stairs; the number and type of windows and glass; the amount of energy the house consumes; methods and materials of construction; the location of smoke detectors; and hundreds of other items.
A new homeowner may only be minimally aware of the impact of building codes on his home, since most code issues are addressed before he occupies it. But homeowners undertaking a remodeling or room addition are likely to become very familiar with how building codes affect the design, construction, and cost of their project.
That's because building codes often require work to be done to parts of the house that seem otherwise sound - it can be an unpleasant surprise to find that you've got to tear out the ceiling of a room in which you'd planned no significant work.
Below are a few of the larger code-related issues often encountered in home remodeling, and some suggestions on how you can plan for them.
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