West Eleventh Place

Defining Features

This Historic District Profile was developed to help property owners. It explains the typical features of buildings found in West Eleventh Place. This can be helpful when you are planning a project that would change your home’s exterior.

The historic homes and rear buildings in the West Eleventh Place Historic District are formally designed, with clear stylistic influences. The defining features of those architectural styles are the most important features of these buildings.

Historic District designations are used to maintain the character of a neighborhood. Once an Historic District is created, certain rules apply to the entire neighborhood. These rules require that changes to properties in the District must be appropriate. In other words, the historic character of the property must stay the same.

Exterior changes must be approved in advance. The Planning Department can help with this process. If the project is approved, the property owner receives a Certificate of Appropriateness. In many Houston neighborhoods, deed restrictions require that the neighborhood civic association also approve changes to a property. The civic association’s regulations and standards may differ from those of the City. The information shown here refers only to City requirements. Property owners should check with their neighborhood association before beginning any project.

When planning a building project within the West Eleventh Place Historic District, please refer to this chart. It shows which building elements are compatible and which are not. Definitions of common architectural terms can be found in the glossary.

	Compatible	Incompatible
Foundation	Raised pier and beam	Slab on grade
Porch	Small or no front porch Square or round columns	Porch that wraps around house Turned or square tapered porch supports Fluted classical columns Ionic or Corinthian capitals
Roof	Hipped or gabled roof shapes Medium pitch Shallow boxed eaves Dormers Composition shingles	Shed, flat, gambrel or mansard roof shapes Low pitch or steep pitch Dentils or classical eave moldings Cupolas or towers Slate or tile roof
Exterior Wall Cladding	Horizontal lapped, bevel, or drop wood siding Patterned or plain brick masonry Stucco	Vertical siding Corrugated metal Flat modular panels
Front Door	Single door that faces street (except No. 6) Recessed panels Glass lights Sidelights Pediments	Single door that faces side property line Transoms Round fanlights Pilasters
Windows	Large, vertically proportioned Double-hung, single-hung, or casement Wood or wood clad	Aluminum Pediments above windows Large plate glass Fanlights Patterned upper panes