Design Guidelines for the West Chester Historic District, Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania, July 2002

From introduction: "Visitors and residents alike sense that the West Chester Historic District is a unique place. Densely grouped three-story buildings laid out in a rectangular pattern of streets form the singular character of this 200 year-old settlement. The architectural character of buildings in the Historic District is remarkably consistent, built in a row-form building pattern with the front facade on the sidewalk line, predominantly constructed of brick, with a first-floor storefront and storefront cornice, topped by two residential or office floors, and capped by a building cornice (Figure 1). This consistent building formula and urban form repeats block after block within the Historic District, creating a cohesive and unified streetscape in which individual building design is secondary to the overall quality of the district (Figure 2). This cohesive environment is punctuated by a small group of monumental buildings along High Street – the 1846 Chester County Courthouse and the temple-form bank buildings which face the Courthouse across the street (Figures 3 and 4). Two large office buildings also lie within the Historic District, the six-story 1907 Farmers and Mechanics (F&M) Building, whose overall size is masked by its placement downhill from the Courthouse, and the 1966 Courthouse North Wing, a modern County office building which, aside from its intrusive height, is a recessive, background building... The Design Guidelines for the West Chester Historic District are intended to be used as a community tool to assist property owners and HARB members in an informed cooperative effort to protect the historical character of downtown West Chester. The guidelines provide an analysis of what is special about the Historic District and offer specific direction toward enhancing and preserving those qualities. The Design Guidelines may also be used as a technical resource for property owners outside of the Historic District. Understanding the historical development of West Chester is essential for the thoughtful application of Design Guidelines to the Historic District. The chapter on historical and architectural heritage is intended to provide the required background and insight into the town plan, the architecture, building sizes and uses, and the character of streetscapes. The chapter on qualities of historic architecture defines the principles and qualities of historic architecture that will be considered in the HARB’s evaluation of proposed alterations. Finally, the Design Guidelines provide specific direction for the treatment of existing buildings and guidelines for compatible new design in the Historic District." Funding was provided in part by a 2001 Historic Preservation Fund grant to West Chester Borough (project number PA-01-010) administered by the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. West Chester Borough, Pennsylvania is a Certified Local Government.

Design Guidelines for the West Chester Historic District, Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania, July 2002

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