Thematic: Bungalow, Colonial Revival, Vernacular, Catalog House

Concept of a Thematic District |Bungalow — Description | Architectural Overview— Bungalow | Colonial Revival — Description| Architectural Overview — Colonial Revival

1503 Sterling Avenue: The Meinert House is an owner-built catalog home, Model No. 633 (“Stratford”) from the Gordon-van Tine Company.  Built in 1926, the single-story house is described in company literature as Colonial.  The south-facing front façade features an impressive center entry door bracketed by multi-paned sidelites and covered by a front-gabled pediment.  Originally supported by twin columns on either side, this roof currently rests upon wrought-iron trellises.  A pair of six-over-one double hung sash windows flanks each side of the front door, with flower boxes supported by wood brackets beneath each pair.  The windows, flower boxes and their supports are shown in original plans for the house and appear essentially unchanged.  A concrete porch runs the full length of the front of the house; it is covered only at the front door.  The front walk is two steps below the porch deck.  Originally clad in clapboard siding, the house is currently covered with steel siding.  Also covered is the concave ceiling of the pedimented porch roof and the ornate fascia trim. 

  The ridge of the gabled roof runs side to side, i.e. east to west.  A chimney pierces the front slope of the roof on the right, or east, side.  The gables are clipped and so have a trapezoidal shape from the sides, with short returns visually distinguishing the upper, gable portion of the side façade from the lower part.  

  The west façade has a 6/1 DHS window at the south end, i.e., toward the front of the house, and a small pair of casement windows on the north end toward the back.  A larger pair of casement windows is centered above at the attic level.

  The east façade is dominated by a large brick chimney at the south or front end, bracketed by two small, high, fixed windows.  The chimney flares out as it descends from the roof to accommodate a fireplace on the interior.  Further north, toward the back, a small 1/1 DHS window is followed by a larger 6/1 DHS window.  A pair of casements is centered at the attic level matching those on the west facade.

1410 Frederick Street:The Robert H. Rub House is a west-facing one and a half story Cape Cod Style catalog home “Lorain” model by Sears, Roebuck and Co.  Built 1938.

It has a side-gabled roof with single dormer facing the front on the left (north) side of the roof and a front gabled portico protecting the front door.  The portico has an arched opening beneath the roof and is supported on four columns resting on a small concrete porch deck.  Four concrete steps lead from the front walk to the porch.  A pair of 6/1 DHS windows is situated to the left (north) of the porch.  A concrete driveway leads from the street along the property line on the right (south) of the house to a non-contributing garage at the rear of the lot.   The foundation is concrete.  Siding appears to be non-original steel or aluminum.  A chimney rises from the rear slope of the roof and is not readily visible from the street.

  The right (south) side of the house has two pairs of 6/1 DHS windows on the first floor, and a single pair of 9/1 DHS windows centered under the roof peak on the second floor.  The left (north) side of the house has two single DHS windows on the first floor, and a pair of 6/1 DHS windows centered under the roof peak on the second floor