Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
Yeah, I think those are the most common U.S. typologies.
The light issue is fixable. Here's an article on opening up the back walls of brownstones. This really is expected now with higher-end gut renovations:
https://www.brownstoner.com/interior...steel-windows/
The floorplan issue is not as easily fixed, unless you extend the structure into the rear yard, which is obviously a massive undertaking. The city usually allows significant alterations to the back of brownstones in landmarked districts, provided they're not visible from the street. A lot of those 19th century blocks now have very modern, extended floorplans. |
I honestly hate when you take a historic home and make the floor plan "modern" on the inside.
One of the selling points for my house (detached, built in 1906, basically "grand foursquare" in style) was how historically intact it was. Cherry floors on the first story, unpainted original woodwork everywhere on the first floor (save the kitchen) grand stairwell with bannister, pocket doors, built in sitting benches, stained glass windows, clawfoot tub on the second floor, etc. I wouldn't have bought a house that looked the same from the outside if they gutted it and put in an open floor plan, painted the woodwork white, and replaced everything with shitty drywall.