Beltline or Stringcourse
A beltline, also called a beltcourse or stringcourse, is a horizontal element that spans (or belts) the full width of a building’s façade. Often the beltline extends around the entire building and may define either where a new story begins or where a change occurs in the wall cladding, as in this case where the wide horizontal limestone courses change to a random ashlar pattern above the beltline. Beltlines can be brick or wooden or, as on this house in the 1900 block of Delaware Street, stone. On this house the beltline also forms the windows sills on the first story.
