New Porch Design Wins 2019 Montclair Historic Preservation Award
What a difference a porch makes! We are honored to announce that Francis C. Klein & Associates was the recipient of a 2019 Historic Preservation Award from the Montclair Historic Preservation Commission. Speaking on behalf of the Commission, architect John Reimnitz offered these words: “We see many residential projects come before us as porch additions and alterations. I think this–in the couple years that I have been on the Commission–is the best example of what can be done.” He also cited our design for “adding value to a building while respecting its past.”
The porch design responded to the owners’ desire that the porch not be too large, but still accommodate some casual use and be a welcoming entry to their house. In our design, we balanced the vertical style of the house with a porch that wraps around the corner, giving the house additional horizontal balance. The owners were active, involved participants in all aspects of the porch design, and they knew from the outset that they wanted a metal roof and square columns. We were successful in getting Zoning and Historical Preservation approvals for these features. Other features of the porch which we suggested included brick piers and eave brackets. The house is located on a street with many front porches in a mix of Victorian and other styles. With its porch addition, the house complements the streetscape and fits right in.
To explore a new addition to your home, email us or call us at (973) 783-0688 to schedule your free consultation.
Watch the video of the award presentation below:
We were honored to share the award for this project with the owners of the home, and with the custom contracting firm Stoddart Associates. Other awardees recognized at this year’s Historic Preservation event included the Montclair Public Library, which earned an Institutional Preservation award for restoring its signature windows to their original character under the supervision of historical preservation specialist Mary Delany Krugman.
Click here to read our 2018 interview with Mary about how she arrived at her unique specialty. You can also learn more about Montclair’s unique charm by perusing photos of our new Victorian mansion and our midcentury modern home renovation. It’s our pleasure to be part of the movement of homeowners and architects preserving significant historical styles for the future.