SEC. 6. FEATURES OF THE DISTRICT AND EXISTING BUILDINGS.
The character-defining interior features of buildings in the district are identified as: None.
The character-defining exterior features of buildings in the district are identified as: All exterior elevations and roof lines as described below.
The character-defining landscape elements of the district are identified as: The rustic interior block park entrances at Carmelita, Pierce, and Potomac Streets – which include the historic
stone steps, Serpentine rock retaining walls set in a random rubble pattern, and the public rights-of-way within a 10-foot buffer – and the lack of physical separation between the park and
adjacent buildings.
The following section describes in further detail the character-defining features of the district and of individual buildings and landscape elements contained therein. Historic district
designation is intended to protect and preserve these character-defining features.
a) Overall Form, Continuity, Scale and Proportion.
Due to the brief period of construction – most buildings were constructed between 1899 and 1902 – and combined involvement of two primary builders, buildings within the district
exhibit a remarkable consistency in terms of massing, scale, style, detailing, front yard setback, and feeling.
District buildings are overwhelmingly residential, being composed primarily of single-family dwellings and residential flats. A few multiple-family residences within the district
(typically located on street corners) also include a commercial use at the street level.
Buildings in the district range from 1½ story-over-basement to four stories in height, with two and three stories predominating. The district's largest single-family residences and flats
were built on corner lots directly adjacent to the Park. These buildings are typically two- to three- stories in height and feature consistent detailing on the primary, Park-facing, and rear
façades.
Generally speaking, the buildings fronting Carmelita, Pierce and Potomac Streets were originally constructed as one- or two-family dwellings, while flats dominated the lots facing
Waller and Steiner Streets. Mid-block buildings are typically smaller than those constructed at the corners or on Waller and Steiner streets and are more likely to draw from Victorian-era
form and massing such as prominent gabled roof forms and asymmetrical massing at the primary façade. Though consistent in massing, single-family buildings on Potomac Street feature
the greatest variety of roof forms, including gable, hipped, cross-gable, and one building with a side gable roof form and small eyebrow dormers.
Buildings located along the interior blocks feature uniform front yard setbacks of approximately nine feet and are often bounded by a low cast stone site wall. The flats buildings on
Steiner Street do not feature front yard setbacks; rather, they present a modulated massing of muscular bay windows and deeply recessed entry porticos.
The Queen Anne style buildings present in the district may be subdivided into two basic arrangements: 1½ story-over-raised-basement single-family cottages, and 2½ story-over-raised-
basement single family dwellings or flats. The buildings tend to conform to a basic plan of a projecting bay on the first floor, flanked by an open porch and entry to the side-with the porch
entry often surmounted by spindle work or decorative porch brackets. Roof forms are hipped or steeply pitched front-facing gables. Slightly projecting second story overhangs are common.
Edwardian-era flats building are three stories-over-basement in height with wide projecting structural window bays, featuring angled- or bent-sash windows. The roofline of Edwardian-
era flats buildings feature projecting cornices that follow the profiles of the primary façades. The buildings are typically topped with flat roofs, though several feature gable roof forms.
Massing is symmetrical, except at the first story, where the two structural bays are occupied by a recessed entrance at one side and a projecting bay window at the other.
Original roof projections include turrets topped with witch's cap or conical roof forms and small-scale cross-gables atop projecting bay windows. Turrets, found on both Queen Anne and
Edwardian-era buildings, are generally located at the corner, adjacent to or embedded within a forward-facing gable. Additionally, several buildings exhibit what appear to be historic
dormers. Located on sloped gables, these dormers are small in scale, gabled, and match the ornamentation and fenestration of primary façades.
Although the roof forms – particularly at the non-visible rear façade – of a substantial number of buildings have been altered to incorporate skylights, small dormer windows, fire escapes,
or solar panels, these alterations were constructed outside of the Period of significance and have not gained significance in their own right.
Similar roof forms, massing, and setbacks result in a cohesive streetscape of rooflines, entrances, continuous primary façades, and modulated bays. With no visual separation between
buildings in the district, the block faces present an overall appearance of attached row-houses; however, with a few exceptions, it is unlikely that buildings feature shared structural walls.
b) Fenestration.
Fenestration is remarkably consistent throughout the district, consisting of vertically oriented double-hung wood sash windows, with ogee lugs, set in wood surrounds. Windows are
typically set in wide angled bays with smaller windows set flush with the façade, often adjacent to the primary entry door. Windows surround are typically topped with cornices,
occasionally featuring pediments, with ornamented details.
Smaller vertically oriented windows, set in a single, pair, or ganged configuration, are also often located in the tympanum of the Queen Anne style buildings. Tympanums typically have a
higher solid-to-void ratio than the lower stories. Several buildings – typically Edwardian-era flats buildings – feature curved wood sash windows set in curved structural bays. Angled or
curved bays typically contain three windows, though certain bays of corner buildings contain four windows. While rare, several buildings display two-sided angled bay windows at the
primary façade.
Large corner buildings with greater surface area have a higher solid-to-void ratio than mid-block buildings. Window bays and window openings set flush with the façade are typically
placed in the same location, presenting a stacked appearance, at each story of the three story comer buildings.
The vast majority of buildings within the district retain some or all historic double-hung wood sash windows with ogee lugs. Replacement windows made of aluminum or vinyl sash,
casement windows, or windows with divided lights that were added to buildings after the Period of significance have not gained significance in their own right.
c) Materials & Finishes.
Buildings in the district are of wood frame construction and were historically clad in horizontal wood siding. Exterior surface finishes are painted. Channel drop wood siding is typical at
the secondary and rear façades, while a combination of flush, lap, channel drop, and shingles are typically found at the primary façades of Victorian-era buildings. Flush wood siding is
most common on the primary façades of Edwardian-era flats buildings. Most buildings retain their historic siding though a few were later clad in stucco, asbestos, or composite shingle
siding. These replacement sidings have not gained significance in their own right.
Historically, the gabled roofs within the district were clad in unpainted wood shingles. These historic roofing materials are no longer present. Existing gable roofs are typically finished
with asphalt or composite shingles that match the color and tone of the historic wood roofing materials. Though generally compatible, this replacement roofing material has not gained
significance in its own right.
d) Architectural Details.
Common traits found throughout the district are bay windows, gable roofs, decorative cornices, ornamental shingles, and spindle work, as well as more classically influenced detailing
such as dentils, pediments, columns, and applied plaster ornament. Ornamental details are typically larger and more robust in scale at the first story, with finer, more delicate features
located at the upper floors.
Many of the district's buildings retain their original primary entrance doors. These paneled wood doors, often slightly wider than contemporary entrance doors, are commonly glazed at
the upper portion and feature corniced hoods and incised or applied ornament. Occasionally, a single fixed window is located adjacent to the entry door of Queen Anne buildings and some
doors, of both Queen Anne and Edwardian-era buildings, are topped with transom windows.
Queen Anne Design Elements
Late Victorian- and Edwardian-era architectural styles predominate, with the Queen Anne style most widely represented. Though Victorian-era architectural design displayed a
remarkable variety of ornament, unifying features include asymmetrical and articulated façades, steep roof pitches, and the use of multiple textures, materials and colors.
Many of the Queen Anne style buildings on Potomac Street, designed by developer George Moore, stand out for their muscular massing, restrained ornament, projecting second story
overhangs, and hipped roof forms. In contrast, the developer Fernando Nelson designed most of the Queen Anne buildings on Pierce, Potomac, and Waller streets, to reflect his embrace of
more exuberant and delicate architectural features, including spindle screens, turrets, and cut-outs.
Architectural details commonly found on Queen Anne buildings throughout the district include raked cornices, flared eaves, shingled tympanums, diamond and fish-scale shingling,
turrets (particularly at corner buildings), projecting bracketed cornices, steeply pitched gable roofs, double-gables, finials, geometric applied ornament at spandrel panels, dentils, friezes
decorated with plaster ornament, egg and dart molding, cut-out screens, sunbursts, donut cut-outs, intermediate cornices, window and door hoods, spindle screens, turned wood balustrades
and newel posts, Tudor-inspired stick work, turned wood porch supports, a variety of wood cladding and patterned wood shingles, arched porticos, and Corinthian or Composite columns
and pilasters. Anthropomorphic details are rare but present within the district.
Historically, there were several types of stairs constructed in the district: longer flights of wood stairs that typically project out from Queen Anne style buildings and shorter flights
typically found within the recessed entries of Edwardian-era flats buildings.
The Queen Anne buildings on interior block streets are typically accessed via a straight run flight of wood stairs. Due to the slope, stairs on the west side of these blocks are significantly
longer than those on the east. Historically, wood stairs on these interior blocks were solid and uniform in appearance: featured closed risers, solid cheek walls beneath the stairs, turned
wood balustrades, and capped newel posts; and had a painted finish. Some flights of stairs were later replaced with brick, concrete, tile, or terrazzo. These replacement stairs have not gained
significance in their own right.
Edwardian-Era Design Elements
Edwardian-era buildings, referred to locally as Classical Revival, were constructed in San Francisco from approximately 1901 to 1910. The term Edwardian is used architecturally to
describe a more vernacular interpretation of the Classical Revival style and is commonly applied to three-unit flats buildings – like those found within the district – with wide angled or
round bay windows, flat roofs, bulky projecting cornices, and columned porch entries. Edwardian-era buildings within the district, particularly those on Steiner Street, feature wood or
terrazzo steps with solid cheek walls and landings. These stairs are typically located largely within the building envelope and provide access to recessed entrance doors. Entrances of
Edwardian-era flats in the district are typically flanked by Classical columns or pilasters, and decorated with applied plaster ornament, such as garlands and floral friezes.
Architectural ornament associated with the Edwardian-era is typically more restrained than those used during the Victorian-era. The turn-of-the-century development of buildings within
the district, however, often resulted in a fusion of Edwardian-era massing with exuberant Victorian-era detailing. It is common in the district for Edwardian-era flats to feature unusually
ornamented spandrel panels and decorative friezes and several are capped with the gable roof form more commonly associated with Queen Anne style buildings.
e) Landscape Elements.
Properties within the district typically feature uniform front yard setbacks on each block face. Setbacks on the west side of interior blocks are generally much deeper – typically 13' to 17'
– than the east side, which, depending upon the block, range from approximately 5' to 13'. Setbacks on the western portion of Waller Street are uniform on each block face, ranging from
approximately 8' to 12'. Despite the variability in front yard depth, each block face features similar setbacks and reads as uniform. Buildings located on the eastern portion of Waller and
Steiner streets, typically Edwardian-era flats, are built out to the sidewalk, with no or minimal front yard setbacks.
Historically, front yards were bounded with low cast stone site walls and planted with vegetation. Site walls on Carmelita Street – and possibly other blocks – were originally topped with
decorative iron fencing. Despite the west to east downward slope, the yards located within the front setback are level rather than terraced or sloped.
Several sections of site walls on Carmelita Street retain all or a portion of their original decorative iron fencing. Front yard setbacks and remnants of intact cast stone site walls are also
located along Waller, Pierce, and Potomac Streets.
The addition of garages has altered the front yards of many district properties. None of the historic buildings within the district were originally constructed with an integrated or detached
automobile garage. On most blocks, portions of site walls were removed and front yards partially paved in order to accommodate driveways for garages inserted in the basement of many
buildings. Several properties feature detached or semi-attached pop-out garages in the front yard. Garage structures, openings, and driveways are not considered significant in their own
right.
f) Interior Block Park Entrances.
The development history of residential properties within the Duboce Park Historic District is closely intertwined with the history of the adjacent Duboce Park. Certain identified elements
on the periphery of Duboce Park reflect this close association between residential and park development; notably, the lack of a physical separation between residential buildings and the
park and rustic entrances from cul-de-sac streets into the park. These park entrances – located at the foot of Potomac Street, Pierce Street, and Carmelita Street – feature rustic stone steps
flanked by low retaining walls built of Serpentine rock set in a random rubble pattern.
For the purpose of Article 10 , the park entrances at Potomac Street, Pierce Street, and Carmelita Street are defined as the steps, rock walls, and a surrounding 10-foot buffer. The buffer
area includes the sidewalks, street rights-of-way and area within the park directly adjacent to the steps and rock walls.
(Added by Ord. 107-13 , File No. 130070, App. 6/13/2013, Eff. 7/13/2013)
SEC. 8. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.
The standards for review of all applications for Certificates of Appropriateness are as set forth in Section 1006.6 of Article 10 . For the purposes of review under those standards, the
"character of the Historic District" shall mean the exterior architectural features of the Duboce Park Historic District referred to and described in Section 7 of this Appendix.
Any exterior change within the Duboce Park Historic District shall require a Certificate of Appropriateness, pursuant to the provisions of Article 10 , when such work requires a City
permit, with the exception of specific scopes of work as outlined below. The procedures, requirements, controls and standards of Article 10 of the Planning Code shall apply to all
applications for Certificates of Appropriateness and/or Administrative Certificates of Appropriateness in the Duboce Park Historic District.
The following section outlines the levels of review as determined by proposed scopes of work within the Duboce Park Historic District. The three levels of review are: "No Certificate of
Appropriateness" is required; an "Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness" is required, which is approved administratively by Planning Department Preservation staff as delegated
pursuant to Section 1006.2(b) of the Planning Code; and a "Certificate of Appropriateness" is required pursuant to Section 1006 of the Planning Code at a regularly scheduled Historic
Preservation Commission hearing.
See Section 7 for definitions pertaining to primary and rear façades, interior block park entrances, and visibility from public rights-of-way.
Ancillary Structures within the Rear Yard – Construction or Removal
A Certificate of Appropriateness shall not be required for the construction of any structure within the rear yard that is no more than eight feet in height above grade and covers no more
than 100 square feet of land regardless of visibility from public rights-of-way. A Certificate of Appropriateness shall not be required for the removal of any non-historic ancillary structure
within the rear yard.
Decks, Stairs, & Railings
Front Stairways and Railings: An Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for the replacement of historic or non-historic stairways and/or railings with compatible
stairways and/or railings provided that the proposal is based on physical or documented evidence and is found to be compatible in terms of location, configuration, materials, and details
with the character-defining features of the building and/or district. New railings, if needed shall match the historic rail system in design. This does not apply to the replacement of porticos,
porches, or other architectural components of the entry.
Rear Yard Decks, Stairs, and Railings: A Certificate of Appropriateness shall not be required for the repair, replacement, or new construction of rear yard decks and stairways and
associated structural elements that are located in the rear yard and are not visible from the public rights-of-way. An Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for the
replacement or new construction of rear yard decks and stairways and associated structural elements that are visible from public rights-of-way provided that the design is determined
compatible in terms of location, configuration, materials, and details with the character-defining features of the district.
Doors
Door Replacement – Primary Façade: An Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for door replacement on the primary façades provided that the proposed door
matches the historic door (extant or not) in terms of opening size, door type, glazing, material, and all exterior profiles, dimensions and detailing.
Door Replacement – Secondary Façades: A Certificate of Appropriateness shall not be required for door replacement on secondary façades regardless of material or visibility from the
public right-of-way.
Door Openings – Non-Visible Rear Façade: A Certificate of Appropriateness shall not be required for the alteration of existing door openings, or the insertion of new door openings, at
rear façades that are not visible from public rights-of-way.