Key Players & Glossary

AIA: American Institute of Architects

ANC: Advisory Neighborhood Commission

CHRS: Capitol Hill Restoration Society

CIA: Civil Infractions Act (not the Central Intelligence Agency in our context)

DCBZA or BZA: District of Columbia Board of Zoning Adjustment

DCDOB or DOB: District of Columbia Department of Buildings

DCHPRB or HPRB: District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board

DCOZ: District of Columbia Office of Zoning

DCPO: District of Columbia Preservation Office

DCRA: Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

DLCP: Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection

FOIA: Freedom of Information Act

Hairpin Fence: A cast-iron fence in which the upright rods constituting the fence are connected at the top in pairs, in a curved bend, which makes the fence look like a row of upright hairpins—or paper clips

HUD: U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

Iron, Cast: Iron that has been poured when hot and still liquid into a mold for the final desired shape

Iron, Pig: Iron in its rudimentary processed form, in the form of ingots, called “pigs”

Iron, Wrought: Iron that has been hammered into the final desired shape

Lime-Based Mortar: The only mortar appropriate for Capitol Hill historical homes, because it is more moisture permeable and “elastic” than modern, industrial Portland-cement-based mortars, and so will not cause softer brick and stone to split and crack during seasonal moisture cycles. “Lime-based mortar” should be written into any contract for brickwork on Capitol Hill; reputable contractors working in our Historic District know this.

NPS: National Park Service

OANC: Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, the umbrella office for all the ANCs

Parked Space: The unbuilt area of ground between the inner edge of the sidewalk and the line where the perpendicular façade of a house meets the soil, so designed and designated by the original L’Enfant plans for the grid of residential areas in DC. That parked space is to be filled with plantings, greenery, trees, and bushes to give streets on Capitol Hill a park-like, permanent border. It’s one of the chief aesthetic appeals of the Capitol Hill Historic District. Sometimes also called “public parked space” or just “public space.” On Capitol Hill, “parked space” has nothing to do with cars, or with public parks. 

Portland Cement: Absolutely inappropriate for use in mortar joints on Capitol Hill historical homes, because, being impermeable, it is harder than the bricks and stones used in Capitol Hill houses, and will eventually split and crack them during seasonal moisture cycles. Historic lime-based mortar, which is more permeable and “elastic” over the course of the seasons and the years, must be used to preserve the integrity of Capitol Hill brickwork.

Power Washing: A relatively easy way to clean house surfaces—but one must be careful about the spray pressure, because too much can damage mortar joints, window frame seals, and even soft brick and stone surfaces.

Pressed Brick: Distinguished from common or standard brick. Pressed brick was molded under extremely high pressure to produce a smooth, hard outward surface and great uniformity. It is most often used on the façades and other highly visible part of houses, and was usually not painted, being already handsome and ornamental in itself. Common brick was molded under less pressure, producing softer and less regular surfaces, and was most often reserved for sides, backs, and the less visible parts of a house, notably, in interiors, the walls behind lath and plaster.

Repointing: Often used interchangeably with tuckpointing, but there is a technical difference between the two. Repointing is the replacement of deteriorated mortar joint between bricks or other blocks of building material from the outer surface of the joint to a depth, usually, of ½ to 1 inch. Repointing is the repair of the mortar joint; tuckpointing is the ornamentation of the mortar joint.

Sandblasting: Suitable for paint removal on iron, NEVER on bricks or stone; it is prohibited by law in the Capitol Hill Historic District because it damages most surfaces irreparably.

SMD: Single Member District, a subdivision of an ANC

Stripping: The removal of unwanted coatings, paint, or other layers on our brickwork and other surfaces; the gentlest method of stripping (often a combination of chemical peel and gentle power-washing) is always the best for preserving the integrity of the brickwork or woodwork that lies beneath the unwanted paint or coating. Sandblasting is inappropriate and illegal within the Historic District.

TSP: Tri-sodium phosphate

Tuckpointing: Often used interchangeably with repointing, but there is a technical difference between the two. Tuckpointing is the addition of an ornamental or cosmetic layer of mortar to the outer, visible line of mortar between bricks or other blocks of building material. The ornamental aspect may be a matter of color, or of shaping (concave, convex, angled, etc.). Tuckpointing is ornamental; repointing is a repair.

Ward: One of the 8 geographical regions into which the District of Columbia is divided for electoral, legislative, policy, and governance purposes. Each of the 8 wards is subdivided further into ANCs, and these are subdivided further into SMDs.

Zoning: On Capitol Hill, the usual meaning applies: the regulation of specific sectors of land within a municipality for specific uses. On Capitol Hill, the CHRS Zoning Committee is most concerned with the distinction between residential use and other purposes (business, office, commercial); the CHRS committee works to preserve the overall residential character of Capitol Hill, and to ensure that the DC Zoning Regulations are properly applied.