STOREFRONTS
Once owned by bakers, grocers, bankers, tanners, and shoemakers, the Village's commercial buildings are scattered through the neighborhood. Several of these commercial structures are architecturally important because their original storefronts are nearly intact. Photos 38 and 39 show two examples.

Similar to the residences surrounding them, a few commercial buildings date from the mid-19th century on; most, however, are rooted in the late-19th century. Commercial storefronts generally have large plate-glass display windows supported and framed by columns and piers of either cast iron or stone. Below the display windows, bulkhead areas are typically paneled in wood rather than enclosed by masonry.

Storefront entrances are often recessed and sometimes centered; frequently they have double doors. Usually, doors and display windows have fixed transom windows. Wood storefronts are painted, rather than being stained or varnished. Although stone columns and piers generally remain unpainted, cast iron and wooden elements are painted in a single trim color complementing the body color of the building.

Recommendations
1. Often the problem with a storefront is that it is dirty, paint-encrusted, and deteriorated. Sometimes a regular program of cleaning and maintenance is all that is needed, rather than complete replacement or "dressing up" to enhance the storefront's appearance. Always start by trying to change as little as possible.

2. Avoid removal of historic storefront materials (wooden bulkhead panels, original plate glass, bronze panels and trim, stone columns and piers, transom glass, original doors, and trim). Make every effort to preserve such elements, even if they are not complete storefronts.

3. If all historic storefront materials have been removed and a modern front installed, it is sometimes best to leave the modern front rather than attempt a restoration. Stark, plain, or unattractive modern storefronts can be softened by simple, inexpensive efforts such as painting, new signage, or installation of canvas awnings.

4. Avoid wood-shingled mansards, permanent aluminum canopies, diagonal wood siding, brick storefronts, and board-and-batten surfaces. These would not have been used historically.

5. Avoid "theme" restorations (Victorian, Tiffany, Colonial, Mediterranean, Bavarian, Wild West) or any attempt to create a false history for a building. The use of ornate doorways, varnished storefronts, stained glass, and other similar features to make a storefront look older or more decorative should be avoided. Any reconstruction of a storefront should be based on physical evidence or historic photographs of the building.