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WINCHESTERHomeowners advised to know historic district, rulesOfficials say research can prevent hassles that follow non-complianceBy DEREK GOMESThe Winchester StarWINCHESTER — When Sam Simpson bought a house on Washington Street last fell, he brushed up on the city’s building guidelines.Simpson wanted to make sure his renovation plans were in compliance before he wielded a hammer and sawHis mistake was not reading the guidelines specific to the local historic district, where his house is located. Properties there are subject to different design standards than properties located elsewhere in the city.In May, the approximately 1,240 property owners in the historic district — stretching from about Germain Street to the south to about North Avenue to the north, and most of the Amherst Street corridor — received a postcard from the city reminding them of the special standards that apply for exterior work.For Simpson, it was “the first evidence that I owned [a house] in the historic district,” he said during a Tuesday phone interview.By then, he had nearly completed the interior and exterior renovations to his house. To make sure all the work complied with Winchester’s standards, he visited the Planning and Zoning Department.And, to Simpson’s chagrin, he discovered that the vinyl windows he installed are not appropriate.Now, Simpson must replace 17 of the 21 vinyl windows with wooden windows. On Thursday morning, he said he didn’t have an exact figure, but estimated it would cost about $7,000.“I put a ton of money in this house. Financially, it’s hard to swallow Not only am I going to take a loss for the windows, but I have to eat that and buy new ones,” Simpson said on Tuesday. “It makes me sick.”Simpson’s story is one that city Planning Di-See Historic, Page A14Sam Simpson must replace 17 of 21 new vinyl windows he has installed in his South Washington Street home with wooden ones.IMSHJEFF TAYLOR/The Winchester Star
Newspaper Details
Winchester Star
Winchester, Virginia, US
Fri, Jul 17, 2015
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Handley R.
VA, USA 25 Oct 2023
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