SPLIT LEVEL
Built initially in the 1930s and 1940s to address the difficulties of a sloping lot , the Spilt Level house gained widespread popularity in the postwar period . In plan , the Split Level features multiple living areas / blocks that are stepped by approximately a half story and are connected by stairs . In the south , where basements are rare , these houses typically feature three levels . Although space configuration does vary , the most common floor plan for the Split Level house features , at its lowest level , a block that often contains a garage . An interior flight of stairs in the lowest level leads to the building ’ s main living mass , which typically sits at grade and houses the dwelling ’ s main public spaces . This level is generally one story in height . A flight of stairs at this level leads to the home ’ s second story , which is typically located above the garage and houses the building ’ s private spaces ( bedrooms ). Defining architectural features of the house type include :
• Multiple stepped living areas / blocks ;
• Cross-gabled or cross-hipped rooflines , often with deep overhanging eaves ;
• Minimal ornament ;
• Sheltered entry porch ;
• Attached one- or two-car garage ; and
• Wood-frame construction .
This Split Level house , located in the Briarwood Estates subdivision , features distinctive stone veneer exterior wall cladding .
FINAL REPORT
ARLINGTON HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY UPDATE
SEPTEMBER 2007
F – 15