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Design Guidelines For

Prepared by: The District

Design Committee 128 North 5th Street

Quincy, Illinois 62301 217-228-8696

info@downtownquincy.com

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Table of Contents

Part 1 Introduction………..……………………………..……….Page 3 Part 2 Strategic Planning……………………………………….Page 4 Part 3 Design Topics……………………………………………..Page 7 3A Building Relationship with its Site………………Page 7 3B Form and Proportion……………………………..Page 9 3C Architectural Detailing……………………………Page 12 3D Window and Door Openings…………………….Page 14 3E Signs and Awnings…………………………….....Page 16 3F Miscellaneous……………………………………..Page 18 Part 4 Historical Characteristics of Downtown……Page 19 Part 5 Downtown’s Common Architectural Styles….Page 22 Part 6 Glossary of Terms………………………………………Page 25

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Part 1 Introduction Why were the design guidelines created?

These design guidelines were prepared to “provide recommendations for the protection, enhancement and preservation of buildings, structures, parking lots, areas, places or works of art in the central business district which have special historic and cultural value.” The design standards are a working document to ensure that future changes to Quincy’s Central Business District are in keeping with the area’s significant architectural and historical character.

Who should use the design guidelines? The guidelines should be referred to by property owners, designers, contractors and city officials prior to the initiation of commercial and industrial rehabilitation projects, new construction and property improvements within the CBD.

What properties would benefit by following these design guidelines? All commercial and industrial properties being constructed or rehabilitated in the Central Business District.

What are some of the proven economic benefits to historic communities who have followed design guidelines?

• A positive impact on a property owner’s investment by enhancing

and stabilizing property values. • A stimulus for heritage tourism which strengthens a community’s

economic development. • A reinforced sense of community and a pleasing environment for

residents by preserving the community’s identity and uniqueness. • An improved visual appearance helps convey an image of quality

to potential clients and customers.

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Gather  Information    When  was  the  building  constructed?    What  use  occupied  the  building?    What  did  the  building  look  like?    Fully  evaluate  the  condition  of  the  building.  

Planning  and  Prioritizing    List  architectural  features  that  are  significant  on  the  structure  and  necessary  changes  needed.  

Part 2 Strategic Planning

Every successful construction project requires thorough evaluation, planning and preparation. This is especially true of historic commercial structures. There is a sequence of research, prioritizing, decision making and organizing that is critical to follow in order to attain an attractive, useful and productive older building that will continue to thrive for generations ahead.

One you have become a proprietor of an historic commercial structure, your first step involves learning everything you can about the building. Start asking questions like: when was the building constructed and what purpose did it serve? What changes in use have occurred over time? Quincy is fortunate to have resources such as the Gardner Museum of Architecture and Design and the office of the Quincy Preservation Commission that can help property owners find answers to these questions.

Next, compile a thorough physical history of the building. What did the building look like originally? What alterations or additions have been made to the building? Are these changes significant in their own right? How stable and weather-tight is the structure? In what condition are the mechanical systems of the building? This part of the research can be simple or complex depending on the building. When in doubt, it is better to get help from a professional with a background in historic structures for this initial stage of the project. Acquiring a consultant can help prevent misled assumptions from setting your project off on the wrong foot. This kind of consultation can be particularly helpful with questions about architectural details such as cornices and window ornaments appropriate to a particular style. The third step is planning and prioritizing. Now is the time to decide how the building will develop physically. The structural layout of the building, its relationship to the site, zoning and various economic factors will determine the best uses for your property. Make a list of the architectural attributes of the structure that are significant. These features are unique to your building, define its architectural period and style, and make it an attractive piece of Quincy’s downtown streetscape. Once that list is complete, make another list of necessary stabilizing measures, repairs and changes needed for the proposed uses. You’ll revisit these lists periodically throughout the rest of the project.

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Prioritize  your  lists.  

Construction  

Maintenance  

Next, prioritize the items on the two lists, weighing preservation of the special features of the building with the necessary repairs and upgrades. The items on the two lists may conflict with one another. When this occurs, try to find a compromise that retains the historic feature while creating a workable solution for the repair or upgrade.

There are four levels of redevelopment for historic buildings to keep in mind during this phase. “Stabilization” re-establishes a weather-tight enclosure and structural integrity. The next level goes further to sustain the existing architectural conditions or “preservation.” “Rehabilitation” returns the building to a state of utility. The highest level of redevelopment is “restoration”. This level accurately recovers the form and details of a building to a significant historical condition. Most projects are a combination of any of the four levels.

Be sure to plan the direction you intend to take before plunging into the construction portion of the project. Budget your project to enable a quality end-product even if several phases will need to take place. It is important to sustain the building’s significant may not be able to do everything you would like at one time. Maybe the first project phase involves stabilization: repairing a leaking roof or re-glazing broken window panes. The second phase could be taking steps to obtain a tenant at the ground level. For the third phase, storefront preservation and upper floor exterior preservation. Next, rehabilitate the upper floors for a new use. When this planning and prioritizing phase is as complete as possible, you can begin construction with a clear, informed direction. During the construction phases of the project keep “flexibility” in mind. Every historic redevelopment uncovers unknowns and challenges during construction. Always return to your original assessment of priorities when studying solutions for these surprises. You will not want to compromise quality for an inappropriate “quick-fix.”

You may think that when the construction phase of the project is complete you are finished. However, it is important to follow maintenance schedules and conduct inspections of your entire building. This may prevent costly repairs from damage that could have been easily avoided.

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Need  More  Guidance?  

The idea of redeveloping an historic structure seems overwhelming to most commercial property owners. However, there is help close by. This booklet is designed to guide your project following Quincy’s downtown design ordinance and standard historic preservation practices recommended by the Secretary of the Interior. If you feel you need further guidance during your project, do not hesitate to call the Historic Quincy Business District office at 228-8696. They can point you in the right direction for answers to design and construction questions from experienced professionals at minimal or often no cost.

The preferred vendors list compiled by the design committee names contractors and suppliers that have experience with historic buildings. The office can also explain the financial incentives that can help make you project economically feasible. The Historic Quincy Business District and the Illinois Main Street programs are here to help create quality historic preservation projects that revitalize Quincy’s downtown.

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Part 3 Design Topics

Building Relationship With Its Site

Building Placement (of new structures and existing buildings) Street Wall Alignment Align the façade of the new building with established setbacks. In the central business district all structures should be built to the street right of way unless the adjoining structures are set back. Where no structures exist on a block new buildings should be built to street right-of-way line. This distinguishes the downtown area from suburban area oriented businesses and helps provide a friendlier, pedestrian-oriented environment foe shopping. On corner lots, new construction should build out to both sidewalks. If the adjoining buildings are set back from the right-of-way line check with the City of Quincy Department of Planning and Development for the ordinance required setback. Existing Buildings Existing buildings set back from the sidewalk should have entrances oriented to the street. A hedge or decorative fencing should be provided along the sidewalk edge to further define pedestrian space at the street right of way. Additions to the rear of existing structures Rear facades are appropriate locations for additions. The roof line of rear additions should be lower than the roof line of the original building.

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Infill Buildings Building construction should extend to the full width of the lot. This discourages the gap-tooth effect between commercial and industrial structures. Where the property owner has several vacant adjacent lots, the infill building should be built adjacent to an existing structure or on the corner lot.

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Form and Proportion New construction should have massing and configuration similar to buildings on the same block. Factors which affect a building’s mass are height, width and roof lines. Height New buildings should be at least two stories in height and should provide a street facade wall at least 28 feet in height. However, heights should not exceed the tallest building on the block by 10%. Current zoning prohibits buildings over five stories or 60 feet in height. Width Where new buildings will exceed the historical 20 to 30 feet in width, the façade should be visually subdivided into proportional bays, similar in scale to the adjacent buildings. This can be done by varying roof heights, or applying vertical divisions, materials and detailing to the façade. Proportion New construction and façade rehabilitation should maintain horizontal and vertical spacing of elements similar to other buildings on the block. An acceptable facade Configuration is shown below.

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Windows Upper Story: The openings above the first floor should appear as “punched” openings within a solid wall, rather than as windows separated only by their frames or curtain wall as in the storefront. A solid wall must appear to be the structural element.

Care should be taken to ensure that proportions are similar to the openings of the other buildings within that block (see previous page). Windows should also be recessed, not flush with the surface of the wall.

Storefront Configurations: New and existing storefronts should include the basic features of a historic storefront. There should be a belt course separating the upper stories from the first floor; there should be a bulkhead; the first floor should maintain 80%-90% glass. Window signage should not exceed more than 5% of the storefront window area. Recessed entries and transoms are encouraged as historical elements.

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Roof Forms Roof lines of new construction should be similar to those of adjacent buildings. Exotic roof shapes tend to disrupt the rhythm of the streetscape and must be avoided. Gable roof shapes are acceptable if parapet walls hide the end wall and water drainage is contained within the property. When original roof lines have been altered inappropriately, it is preferable to restore the original shape if feasible. Materials Appropriate rehabilitation and new construction materials for all exposed surfaces should include the following: Brick Stone Split-face Concrete Block Detailing materials: Cast and molded materials Wood (sugar pine, mahogany, and antique (sinker) Cyprus is best for

exterior Applications) Fiberglass replications Gypsum detailing Structural glass when replicating a pre 1940 storefront design Architecturally Detailed Exterior Insulation Finish System (commonly known

as Dryvit) The following materials are prohibited for visible surfaces: Wood, vinyl or aluminum siding Wood, asphalt, or fiberglass shingles Structural ribbed metal panels Corrugated metal panels Plywood sheathing Plastic sheathing Structural glass, unless used to replicate a pre-1940 store front design Reflective or moderate to high grade tinted glass Appropriate colors for exterior materials are colors found in natural materials such as browns, grays, deep reds, deep greens.

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Architectural Detailing

• It is important to maintain and repair historic architectural features where rehabilitation occurs.

• Replace only portions of material

that are significantly damaged or deteriorated. When replacing details that are completely lost and undocumented, simplified versions are acceptable. Recreated features should relate to the building’s period of construction, scale, proportions, and materials.

• Existing architectural features that

are not original to the building may be significant in their own right. It is acceptable to maintain these features.

• Existing elements not original to

the building that are historically or architecturally insignificant to the building should be removed and replaced with appropriate design.

• Do not cover historic elements.

Where modern inappropriate materials conceal an original façade, these elements should be removed.

• It is not acceptable to apply

historical replication detailing that is inappropriate to the date and style of a building’s construction. For example, a 17th century colonial storefront does not belong on a 1890s façade.

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• Repointing and repairing masonry is not

only an important maintenance issue, it is important to the detailing of a building. Match original brick and mortar for color and texture. The width of repointed joints should match the original joints.

• If masonry is currently unpainted, leave

brick unpainted. In the case of painted brick, it is acceptable to properly prepare and repaint the surface. Another option for painted masonry buildings with hard brick in good condition is to use the correct paint stripper product to remove paint.

• Cleaning masonry should be done with the gentlest means

possible: * low pressure water wash * steam wash * gentle detergent and plastic or fiber brushes * chemical cleaners with low pressure water wash

Abrasive cleaning methods, especially sandblasting, are prohibited by ordinance.

• Masonry sealers should only be used on buildings with soft or damaged brick, buildings with many types of masonry materials (i.e. stone, brick, terra-cotta, etc.), or buildings where parapet walls, downspouts, gutters and roofs are in excellent condition. Masonry sealers may lock moisture within the wall and cause damage to the masonry when the freeze/thaw cycle occurs.

• Appropriate paint colors for historic buildings are usually

earth tones found in natural materials. Paint manufacturers supply lines of appropriate historic colors that are easy to use and color-matched. It is sometimes useful to try scrapings of the paints to research original paint colors. Care should always be taken to coordinate colors of the secondary elements such as signs and awnings, with the building’s body and trim colors.

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Window and Door Openings

Original storefront components, including entrances, doors and door openings, window openings and window elements (lintels, sills, sash, muntins, glazing, decorative hoods and surrounds, etc.), bulkheads, transoms, pillars and pilasters, decorative glass, etc. should be preserved and maintained with as possible.

• Replacement storefronts should be designed with the largest possible window area in keeping with the style of the storefront or the storefronts of adjacent buildings. The storefront should maintain an 80-90% glass area.

• New windows should reflect the design of the original building or period, if

known. • It’s a good idea to use storm windows to protect original window elements.

Storm windows should resemble the existing historical windows as closely as possible in shape, appearance, and trim color. Storm windows should be sized to fit the entire window opening. Wood storms are encouraged; however, when using metal storms, paint in accordance with the building’s color scheme.

• Window openings that have been blocked or screened by concrete block, brick,

or plywood, etc., should be reopened to re-establish the original rhythm of the façade.

• When it is no longer

practical to have all windows open into the interior, try placing a black panel behind the glass to preserve the exterior rhythm and character of the façade rather than covering the window from the exterior.

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• Wood is strongly encouraged as replacement door-frame and window-frame material. Metal windows and doors finished in baked enamel are permitted.

• Doors at street level for access to upper floors should be designed

appropriately for the date and style of the building. Maintain the original materials where possible.

• Avoid using window openings for mechanical equipment (such as air

conditioners, louvers, air exhausts, etc.) • Use of the following should be prohibited in the Downtown District:

o Mirrored, reflective or moderate-to-high grade tinted glass. o Unfinished metal or raw aluminum windows and doors. o Flush or snap-in muntins in windows.

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Signs and Awnings Shoppers use signs mainly to identify the names and locations of businesses, but signs can also convey an image as well as a direct message. Restrained and tasteful signs suggest a high-quality business. On the other hand, a jumble of oversized and competing signs—even on a single downtown façade—can confuse the customer. With signs, bigger is not always better. Quincy’s downtown design ordinance is very explicit concerning signs:

• Wall signs shall not exceed the height of the building cornice.

• On street facades, signs and display ads shall not exceed 10% of each main floor façade area.

• Wall signs should be flush-mounted or painted directly upon the flat

surface of the building.

• Wall signs should be placed in traditional locations in order to fit within architectural features, for example:

o above transoms o on cornice fascia boards o below cornices

• Brackets for projecting signs

should be located under the second floor window sills or a maximum of 15 feet from the street level. Projecting signs shall be no larger than 3’ x 5’.

• The use of sign symbols,

logos, and cut-outs, particularly in projecting signs, is encouraged.

• Ground-mounted signs are permitted to a height of 6 feet. Ground-

mounted signs shall not exceed 32 square feet.

• Signage permanently painted on glass is encouraged when under 5% of glass area.

• Where more than two businesses occupy the same building, identifying signs

should be grouped together in a single panel, or similar letter forms and backgrounds to make up a directory can be used.

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• Sign materials should be compatible with materials used in the building.

Painted wood and metal are particularly encouraged because these materials convey durability. Individual letters, affixed directly to a sign frieze and back-lit or not, may be used.

• Signs shall be directly or indirectly illuminated, or shall have separately back-

lit letters. Internally illuminated signs are prohibited. Neon shall be used in building interiors. The use of neon on building exteriors is usually inappropriate.

• Spot lighting to draw attention to signs and architectural details is

encouraged. Light spillage on adjacent properties is prohibited. • Sign designs based upon designs in use earlier than the construction date of

the building are discouraged. • Fabric awnings are encouraged: o awnings shall fit storefront

openings or individual window openings

o if possible, top edges of awnings shall be mounted to align with the top of the transom or with the framing above the main display window

• The use of awning valances for

signs is encouraged. • The use of the following are

prohibited in the Downtown District:

o Internally-lit and/or plastic awnings, with or without signs

o Internally lit signs o Flashing signs o Pedestal signs and pole-mounted signs o Mass-produced blow-molded plastic signs o Billboards of all types and sizes and whether attached to buildings or free-

standing o Portable trailer signs o Historically incompatible canopies, awnings, and imitation mansard roofs

made of metal, rough-sawn wood, plastic, shakes, or asphalt roofing

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Miscellaneous

Vending Machines No vending machines dispensing food or drink items shall be permitted on the exterior of any structure.

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Part 4 Historical Characteristics of Downtown

When John Wood and Willard Keyes established their settlement on the future site of Quincy, they had very good reasons for selecting this area over many others. John Wood and Willard Keyes, both from New England, first came to the Midwest in 1819. The United States Government had set aside a large amount of territory in western Illinois to help compensate soldiers from the War of 1812 for their military service. Wood and Keyes came to this “Military Bounty Tract” as guides, hoping to take settlers to prime areas within the territory for a fee. It was on one of their surveys that they discovered the place that was to become Quincy.

The location of Quincy had many distinct advantages. First were the

towering bluffs, the first such bluffs north of the Illinois River. Towering 100 feet over the river, they guaranteed that any settlement there would be free of the annual spring flooding from the Mississippi River. Another strong point in its favor was a fine natural harbor created by the islands just off Quincy’s shores. This made it the finest steamboat landing for many miles. Because of its potential, Wood and Keyes vowed to return to this area and set down their own homesteads.

In 1822, Wood and Keyes returned bringing a small group of settlers with

them, building a log cabin community about the bluffs. In 1825, the land of Quincy was surveyed and lots were put up for public sale. Within the first day 50 of these lots were sold and the village of Quincy came into being almost overnight.

The first structures in this pioneer community were made of log, wood being

most plentiful resource available. Early structures included a church known as the “Lord’s Barn” near 4th and Maine, the first Adams County Courthouse at 5th and Maine, and Rufus Brown’s Tavern near 4th and Maine. While this early settlement benefited from the safety provided by the bluffs, it also had to contend with the rolling hills and ravines that criss-crossed the area. These natural obstacles made planned growth and development difficult and the building of structures within the community was sporadic. These hills and ravines were aggressively leveled and filled in to make more land suitable for development over the next 20 years.

The first timber frame house was completed in Quincy in 1829 at the corner

of 4th and Maine. Shortly thereafter in 1833, a large influx of German immigrants to the area brought the skills necessary to build brick and stone structures to the area. Four years later, in 1837, a large number of Irish immigrants began to arrive in Quincy to work on the Northern Cross Railroad, one of the earliest railroad ventures in the west. Each of these groups brought their own traditions and skills to the buildings in the area. Calftown, located on the south side of Quincy, reflects these traditions and contains some of the oldest surviving buildings in our community. Immigrants weren’t the only people to come to Quincy. When the U.S. government opened the sale of lands in the Military Tract to the public, thousands of people migrated to this area, many of whom came to lay claims in the land office located here. As a result, several businessmen located their businesses in Quincy as this town quickly became a center for trade and commerce for the region. Two of the most significant buildings of this time were the second Adams County Courthouse

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and the magnificent Quincy House, reputed as being the finest hostelry west of Pittsburgh.

During the late 1840s and1850s Quincy’s downtown experienced its first

major rebuilding. The downtown became a dedicated commercial district with many of the old private residences in the area removed and new businesses built in their place. The many wooden commercial buildings were replaced by buildings of the significantly more substantial “Commercial Federal” Style. Many of these buildings survive today though in a much altered state.

1857 was a landmark year for the city of Quincy. The Chicago, Burlington

and Quincy railroad completed its rail line to our city and every east-to-west road was finally graded down to the river. This brought a boom of unprecedented economic vitality to the city and once again Quincyans redesigned downtown. Many of the existing structures were upgraded and modified with new cast-iron elements imported from larger cities back east. Also arriving in the city during the latter half of the 1850s were the widely popular Italianate and French Second Empire Styles. These new styles liberally used cast-iron storefronts and ornamentation. Many building owners converted older structures to keep up with the latest trends and many newer building of these types were constructed.

During the 1860s, the Civil War left the community virtually unscathed.

Building progress slowed during this time but quickly re-established itself. During the 1870s and 1880s, the Italianate and Second Empire Styles gradually gave way to the increasingly popular Queen Anne Styles. The period from the late 1870s to the 1890s saw a wide variety of Victorian structures being built in the downtown with several building being redesigned and redecorated. During this time, many of the older Federal Style structures that had been a part of Quincy’s downtown for nearly 40 years were replaced by structures with ever more elaborate fronts and layouts. The size of buildings also increased during this time as new cast-iron technologies began to make inroads in building design.

The dominance of the Victorian Styles was smashed with the dawning of the

20th Century. This new century brought forth some of the most talented architects in Quincy’s history. This new breed of architect, including George Behrensmeyer, Martin Geise, John Wood and others looked upon Victorian designs with disdain. Instead they turned to the Arts and Crafts, Classical Revival, and Chicago movements to build some of the largest structures on the Quincy skyline. Tapestry colored brick, glazed terra cotta and geometrically carved limestone replace the cast-iron finery of the earlier buildings. Along with the appearance of the buildings, the dimensions of the new structures also changed. The Illinois State Bank building, the Carson building, The Quincy Hotel, The Dodd building and the impressive WCU building towered over their neighbors and radically changed the appearance of downtown. These structures continued to be built through the 1920s and into the 1930s. The Great Depression and the following hardships of the Second World War brought an end to the building and redevelopment of downtown for several years. It was also during this time that man of the Victorian roofs and facades were allowed to deteriorate as the money and resources were not available to care for them. Added to the suffering was the greatest natural disaster in Quincy history. On April

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19, 1945, a huge tornado swept through the downtown severely damaging many of Quincy’s landmark structures and churches, several of which lost their top floors or had to be demolished altogether.

After the successful conclusion of World War II, many Quincyans returned

from service and were filled with ideas that would drastically affect where they worked and lived. Across the United States, people had come to view downtowns as noisy, congested and crime-ridden places. Many families desired the peace and solitude of country life and quickly made up their minds to leave downtown and move to the suburbs. It was during this time that Quincy’s suburbs experienced their first explosion of growth. Many business owners sought to follow their clients out into the suburbs and left downtown Quincy in large numbers. As downtown businesses struggled to compete with new strip-malls and shopping centers, business owners turned to gimmicks such as cladding their buildings with aluminum screens, plastering over upper stories of their buildings or replacing traditional shop fronts with huge glass windows and chrome fonts in hopes to re-attract its declining customer base.

The 1960s and the early 1970s were very harsh years for downtown Quincy

as many buildings disappeared or were abandoned. With the coming of the 1976 Bicentennial, Quincy, as with other cities, began to feel a greater need to protect its historic architecture. While Quincy’s magnificent neighborhoods have been easy magnets for preservation activity, the downtown has seen a slow revival. Many buildings in the area have been lost in recent years to fire, attrition or to make way for more modern structures. Even so, of the 283 buildings located in the downtown, over 84% or 239 of them are over 50 years old. These buildings are in various states of repair or disrepair, but each has contributed to the history of our community.

Several interested groups located in the downtown, including Quincy

Preserves, The Historic Quincy Business District, the Quincy Planning and Development Department and dozens of interested private individuals have worked to bring about a revival of our downtown community. Modeled after the efforts by communities around the United States to revitalize and reuse their downtown areas, these groups have worked together in a number of ways to save and preserve Quincy’s rich architectural heritage. With growing interest in tourism and specialty businesses at the opening of a new millennium, Quincy’s downtown looks forward to fresh economic vitality and continued architectural splendor.

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1840’s  to  1850’s    simple  side  gables    3  bays  wide    524  York  416  S  4th  St.  512  Hampshire  

Greek  Revival    Low-­‐pitched  gable  roofs    Front  entries  with  transoms  and  narrow  sidelights    Gable  returns    Wide  bands  of  cornice  trim  

Italiante    Hooded  window  treatments    Heavy  conices  with  elaborate  brackets    Low  pitched  hip  roofs    Overhanging  eaves  

Part 5 Downtown’s Common Architectural Styles

Slightly later construction displays more Greek Revival influence in architectural detailing. The Greek Revival style applied the forms and ornament of classical Greece to modest and high-style buildings alike during the 1850s and 1860s. Hallmarks include low-pitched gable roofs, front doorways with transoms and narrow sidelights, prominent gable returns, and cornice lines defined with wide bands of trim. Examples are rather few and far between in the central business district, but Greek Revival entry treatments can be seen at 520 York and 901 Jersey. The 1835 Dr. Richard Eels House, 415 Jersey Street, was later remodeled to reflect the Italianate style, began as a simple vernacular building with Greek Revival trim.

A number of early buildings dating to the 1840s and 1850s have survived to the present in Quincy’s downtown. Two-story brick “side-gabled” buildings (with the long axis facing the street) were used both for housing and commercial purposes. These were usually three bays wide, with the door at the center if the building was intended as a storefront. The door often opened onto a side hallway if the building was designed as a residence. These buildings are very simple, well proportioned. Some show hints of the Federal style, such as parapet walls that extend above the line of the roof. (see 524 York Street, 416 South 4th Street, 622 Maine Street and the pre-1854 Mathias Obert building at 512 Hampshire Street.)

 

Quincy rebuilt the north and west sides of Washington Park in the Italianate style during the Civil War era. The style is denoted by tall, arched or hooded window treatments, heavy cornices supported by elaborate brackets (often arranged in pairs), very low-pitched hipped roofs, and overhanging eaves. The 1857 Union Block, on the west side of the park at 115-123 North Fourth, originally included a grouping of seven Italianate buildings. The Lesem Block, of which only 137 North Third Street remains, was another example. Simpler Italianate buildings, such as those at 729 Maine and 729 Hampshire, tend to display more ornamental Brickwork (often with knee windows set into the cornice) and less

Decoration applied to the façade.  

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1901  –The  city  passes  an  ordinance  mandating  a  three  story  height  requirement  for  new  construction  

Second  Empire    Heavy  stone  decoration    Over-­‐scaled  classical  window  treatments  

Queen  Anne  Varied  surface  treatments    Multi-­‐planed  roofs    Often  combined  with  Italiante  treatments  on  commercial  facades.  

Richardsonian  Romanesque    Heavy  masonry  construction    Rounded  arches    Asymmetrical  massing  

A five-year national depression beginning in 1873 marked a transition to different architectural styles. Recovery during the 1880s and 1890s saw construction of many prominent civic buildings, hotels and banks. To promote a unified, dense streetscape, in 1901 and 1912 the city passed ordinances mandating a three-story building height for new construction on Maine and Hampshire from Third to Seventh Streets. Buildings

on Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh between Maine and Hampshire were also governed by this height requirement.

The Ricker National Bank at 413 Hampshire was built in 1875 by John S. McKean as Quincy’s most ambitious commercial statement of the Second Empire style. The stability of the bank was advertised to the customer with heavy stone decoration and over-scaled classical window treatments. Two downtown buildings have Second Empire mansard roofs. Without such a roof, the Gardner House at 613 Broadway would be classified as an Italianate structure. The Park Saloon, 132 North Fifth,

had a mansard roof added during a remodeling. The familiar Queen Anne style employed varied surface Treatments to exteriors, and used towers, turrets and steeply Pitched, multi-planed roofs to impart a “medieval” feel to Residential construction. The style was often combined with he Italianate when applied to commercial facades. The Rogers

Block on the West side of Sixth Street between Maine and Hampshire, with a series of superbay window treatments and false gables, is a fine example of this stylistic mixture. The commercial block at 725-727 Hampshire is a later, 1890s Queen Anne execution without Italianate influence.

The Richardson Romanesque style is easily identified by

its use of heavy masonry construction and rounded arches. The Style conveys a sense of prosperity and seriousness of purpose. Buildings have asymmetrical massing and often make use of outstanding examples of the style, the 1892 State Savings, Loan And Trust Company Building at 428 Maine, and the 1888-89 Public Library and Reading Room at the southwest corner of Fourth and Maine. Chicago architects Patton and Fisher designed both Structures (Quincyan Ernest Wood designed an addition to 428 Maine in 1906).

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Beaux  Arts    Decorative  garlands,  floral  pattern,  of  shields    Façade  with  quoins,  pilasters,  or  columns  

Chicago  School    Protruding  piers    Simplified  classical  cornice    Multi-­‐story  

Craftman    Strong,  perpendicular  lines    Emphasizes  the  underlying  structure  

Art  Deco    Smooth  planar  surfaces    Vertical  massing    Geometric  surface  ornamentation  

The highly ornamented Beaux Arts style mixed French Detailing above the cornice and Italian Renaissance-influenced Façade treatments. The downtown’s most prominent example is The United States Courthouse and Post Office Building at Eighth And Hampshire. The 1888-89 Newcomb Hotel, 400 Maine Street, Loosely applies a variant called Commercial Beaux Arts

(along With Romanesque Revival influences) to a generalized commercial Format. Other examples of commercial Beaux Arts are the Dodd Building at the northeast corner of Fifth and Maine and the WCU Building, 506 Maine.

The Chicago School style, recognized by protruding piers and a simplified classical cornice, influenced two notable multi- Story commercial buildings, the Halbach-Schroeder Store at

the Building at the northwest corner of Sixth and Hampshire. Both are faced in terra-cotta on the street facades. The

Halbach-Schroeder Store features a variation of “Chicago windows” on the Second floor mezzanine level, with large fixed panes flanked by Casements.

The Craftsman residential style was adapted to commercial uses by

the turn of the century. It emphasized the underlying Structure of the building and strong, perpendicular lines. The Milton Waide Studio, located at 130 North Eighth Street, is a small-scale, but fully elaborated example. Craftsman elements could be easily blended with other styles, as in the neoclassical-influenced Masonic building at the Southwest corner of South Fifth and Jersey Streets. Just south of the Waide Studio is the Prairie Style office and studio built by architect Ernest M. Wood at 126 North Eighth (1911-1912).

A number of Art Deco buildings were erected in the central

business district during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The largest was the Lincoln-Douglas Hotel at 101 North Fourth Street, Designed with smooth planar surfaces and geometric detail by Charles Wheeler Nichol in 1930. The style is also illustrated by the Scott Stores at 606-608 Maine, the Odell’s Building at 110 North Fifth, and the Wards Store at 517-521 Maine.

--Based on an Intensive Site Survey of Downtown Quincy, Quincy, Illinois; Gardner Museum of Architecture and Design, February 1993

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     engaged        column  

Part 6 Glossary belt course A projecting, horizontal molding separating parts of a wall surface

especially in masonry construction. Also known as stringcourse.

bulkhead The structural panels just below display windows on store fronts. Bulkheads can be both supportive and decorative in design. Bulkheads are also referred to as kickplates.

cornice The projecting moldings forming the top bank of a wall or other

element.

A column attached to the wall behind it. Also known as attached column.

façade The front wall of a building, or the wall in which the principal

building entrance is located, especially when highly ornamented. glazing The clear or translucent material through which light passed into a

building; most often glass but includes other materials such as acrylic or polystyrene.

hood A projecting shelf-like element over an exterior wall opening. lintel A structural beam spanning over a door or window opening, or a

facing, such as architectural terra cotta, that appears to be a structural beam.

massing The overall composition of the exterior of the major volumes of a

building, especially when the structure has major and minor elements.

molding Linear decorative trim in various geometric profiles; term includes

both the individual profile shapes and a composite of several shapes.

mullion A vertical element between two window or door frames; typically

not a structural support for the building. muntin The small molding or bar that separates the individual panes of a

multi-paned window sash.

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pilaster An engaged column of rectangular cross-section, with base and capital; originally always part of a masonry structural pier, most North American examples are applied ornament; typically projects a distance that is one third or less of the width of the column.

proportional The relationship of the size, shape and location of door or window

openings in a façade. bay sash The part of a window frame that holds the glazing, especially when

movable; originally always wood, but may also be metal. setback The distance behind the building and the property line. sign frieze The long, narrow, horizontal band on a building containing a sign. sill The projecting horizontal base of a window or door. storefront A ground level façade of a shop with large sheets of plate glass in

display windows with minimal-sized mullions; typically with a recessed entrance.

surround Projecting moldings surrounding a wall opening such as a window

or fireplace. Also known as enframement. terra-cotta Fired ceramic clay, especially when used for architectural

elements. transom A fixed horizontal member between the top of a door and a

window above. transom A glazed opening above a door or window. window