HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Discussion Forums > City Discussions


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #41  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 1:14 PM
MonkeyRonin's Avatar
MonkeyRonin MonkeyRonin is offline
¥ ¥ ¥
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 9,874
Quote:
Originally Posted by Obadno View Post
But anyway lots of childhood time spent in this kind of situation:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9523...7i16384!8i8192

As another person said, not a row-house but they are close together enough to kind of achieve the same feeling. A slightly less dense but still pretty urban neighborhood. About as urban you can get with still single family homes.

From your description I was expecting something more like this: https://goo.gl/maps/X9jj2Sji2qcnQmSz9

That's about as rowhouse-y as you can get without actually being attached.
__________________
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #42  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 1:49 PM
dave8721 dave8721 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Miami
Posts: 4,036
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin View Post
From your description I was expecting something more like this: https://goo.gl/maps/X9jj2Sji2qcnQmSz9

That's about as rowhouse-y as you can get without actually being attached.
I spent quite a bit of time at my grandparents' in a similar house in Queens as a kid in the 80s/early 90s. Technically separate but long with a small space between.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #43  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 2:06 PM
begratto's Avatar
begratto begratto is offline
Explorateur urbain
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Verdun > Montréal > Québec > Canada
Posts: 1,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by JManc View Post
My issue is with row-houses or any attached buildings is fire. At least with the Chicago housing, they're detached so if one house goes up, the neighbors are less at risk. In New York, if your neighbor ten doors down passes out drinking a fifth of scotch while grilling steaks he could burn the entire block down. Some cow a few years ago got people in Chicago skittish over fires....for good reason.
Fire spreading to neighouring houses is not an issue in Montreal, even in neibourhoods like this (which make up a sizable proportion of the city). We have fire proof walls between each house - usually cement blocks.
__________________
Venit ad oppidum!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #44  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 2:54 PM
Steely Dan's Avatar
Steely Dan Steely Dan is offline
devout Pizzatarian
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago
Posts: 29,635
Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton View Post
In Pittsburgh, these are known as "breezeways." Sometimes there are breezeways between rowhouses, where the second story is connected but there is an arched passageway on the ground floor (or occasionally, one with steps downward where the breezeway is actually close to basement level.
interesting, so for narrow exterior passageways between buidlings we have:

chicago - "gangways"
cincy - "alleys"
pittsburgh - "breeezeways"


what about others? does your city have a specific name for these odd little passageways in between tightly packed urban buildings?

and for the record, i'm not talking about "side yards", but narrow little exterior passageways only several feet wide like the one picture below.




gangway chicago by crowbert, on Flickr




Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton View Post
Alleys in Pittsburgh almost invariably are named, and have the term "Way" added to the end of them. Some of them have delightfully odd names (Asteroid Way, Hyena Way, Samoa Way, etc.) The reason the alleys have names is because in a lot of the older neighborhoods there's actually a ton of houses which front directly on the alley, meaning you need to have mail delivery and the like.
also interesting. chicago doesn't name its uniquitous alleys, but for mail and fire dept. address purposes for coach houses and the like, the suffix "R" for "rear" is applied to the main address of the property.
__________________
"Missing middle" housing can be a great middle ground for many middle class families.

Last edited by Steely Dan; Oct 3, 2019 at 3:14 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #45  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 3:09 PM
niwell's Avatar
niwell niwell is offline
sick transit, gloria
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Roncesvalles, Toronto
Posts: 11,025
Steely's pic looks more or less identical to the gap between our place and the semi-detached next to us! There isn't a specific name for it in Toronto as far as I know, even though it's the norm in most parts of the central city between semis and small rows. Just wide enough to fit a large garbage/recycling bin and a massive pain in the ass to keep clear during a heavy snow winter, or after an ice storm. Makes accessing the backyard much easier in summer though.

Alley's are referred to as "laneways" in Toronto, and a small percentage are named - mostly the ones that laneway housing facing them with a separate address.
__________________
Check out my pics of Johannesburg
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #46  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 3:11 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is online now
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,773
Quote:
Originally Posted by binjakob View Post
https://goo.gl/maps/1XD8zztwqEzaMGi58

Grew up on Stockholms west side. These row houses are kind of famous in Sweden since one of our most famous prime ministers lived in one. They are built in the 1930’s in the typical Swedish “funkis”-style.

https://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ålstensgatan
Are those generally considered attractive or desirable?
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #47  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 3:24 PM
Darkoshvilli Darkoshvilli is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montreal
Posts: 3,476
Lived here for a while. Does it count?
https://earth.app.goo.gl/9MiZEb
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #48  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 5:22 PM
samne's Avatar
samne samne is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Eastend
Posts: 3,723
Yes. 1970s infill townhouse. Plenty around Toronto.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #49  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:21 PM
PHX31's Avatar
PHX31 PHX31 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: PHX
Posts: 7,163
So in the case where you have a detached but very closely spaced houses (like Chicago, for example), are there side windows that face each other? So basically you look out your side window and stare right into another window a foot or two away?

If this is true, do situations happen a lot like in the movie "Big" where two friends that live next to each other and have rooms and windows facing each other talk through the windows or have string can "telephones"? I thought that was so cool as a kid.

Or did they used to design and build houses so your windows don't exactly face each other?

I think there are like 3 remaining true historic row houses in Phoenix, which were very few and far between to begin with, so i've never lived in one. Although, some suburban homes are so closely spaced the joke is you can jump between them via rooftops.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #50  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:29 PM
The North One's Avatar
The North One The North One is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,489
Quote:
Originally Posted by PHX31 View Post
So in the case where you have a detached but very closely spaced houses (like Chicago, for example), are there side windows that face each other? So basically you look out your side window and stare right into another window a foot or two away?
No. Usually it's just a top sliver sort of window and it doesn't directly face a neighboring window or you have a bay window set up and only the flanking walls facing the front and back will have large windows.
__________________
Spawn of questionable parentage!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #51  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:35 PM
Vlajos Vlajos is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,485
Quote:
Originally Posted by PHX31 View Post
So in the case where you have a detached but very closely spaced houses (like Chicago, for example), are there side windows that face each other? So basically you look out your side window and stare right into another window a foot or two away?

If this is true, do situations happen a lot like in the movie "Big" where two friends that live next to each other and have rooms and windows facing each other talk through the windows or have string can "telephones"? I thought that was so cool as a kid.

Or did they used to design and build houses so your windows don't exactly face each other?

I think there are like 3 remaining true historic row houses in Phoenix, which were very few and far between to begin with, so i've never lived in one. Although, some suburban homes are so closely spaced the joke is you can jump between them via rooftops.
In Chicago, yes absolutely. My kitchen has windows looking directly at my neighbors dining room.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #52  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:36 PM
JManc's Avatar
JManc JManc is offline
Dryer lint inspector
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Houston/ SF Bay Area
Posts: 37,789
Quote:
Originally Posted by binjakob View Post
https://goo.gl/maps/1XD8zztwqEzaMGi58

Grew up on Stockholms west side. These row houses are kind of famous in Sweden since one of our most famous prime ministers lived in one. They are built in the 1930’s in the typical Swedish “funkis”-style.

https://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ålstensgatan
Whoa, these buildings are almost 90 years old? They look very mid century.

@ niwell/ others, thanks for info on fire/ design.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #53  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:38 PM
Chisouthside Chisouthside is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Silicon Valley/Chicago
Posts: 495
I grew up in the neighborhood where MonkeyRonin posted the google streetview snapshot from. From my experience directly facing windows are rare but in a neighborhood like this even though most lots are the same size, building sizes are very seldom uniform so sometimes you would have a combination of a shorter three flat building with a coach house and no yard next to a two flat with no coach house and longer yard next to a 3 flat that extended all the way back to the alley. Ive definitely accidentally seen people doing it or changing or getting out of the shower.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #54  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:38 PM
Londonee Londonee is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Fitler Square (via London)
Posts: 2,042
Rowhomes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are two story buildings - and can be as small as 600sf. I lived on a block like this about 10 years ago - most of these homes are under 1000sf: https://goo.gl/maps/ap4TsygidtVU9BGx9

There's also Philly's historic Trinity - which is a 3 story rowhome that's effectively 3 boxes stacked on top of each other. Pretty awesome starter home for a couple - as you can get wedged into some great neighborhoods and alleyways. https://www.trulia.com/p/pa/philadel...03--1005292017

And there's also mansions - with elevators. This "rowhome" around the corner from me is 7,000sf:
https://www.trulia.com/p/pa/philadel...03--1005292017

To the OP - Philly also has Brownstone rowhomes. Spruce Street is a good example: https://goo.gl/maps/XWJV4sEEoF7a5mFx9
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #55  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 6:41 PM
Steely Dan's Avatar
Steely Dan Steely Dan is offline
devout Pizzatarian
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago
Posts: 29,635
Quote:
Originally Posted by PHX31 View Post
So in the case where you have a detached but very closely spaced houses (like Chicago, for example), are there side windows that face each other? So basically you look out your side window and stare right into another window a foot or two away?
sometimes.

for our home, only one of the windows in our kitchen kinda lines up with our neighbor's kitchen window, but it's a high sill window over the sink, so it's never bothered us.

our bedroom windows along the gangway don't directly line up with any windows on our neighbor's building, but we still have the translucent privacy shades down >95% of the time. when we first moved in, i would draw them open every morning, only to close them later that afternoon. i eventually got out of that habit so now they just stay down the vast majority of the time. we're on the 1st floor of a 3-story building and our gangway is only about 5' wide at that point, so there's not a ton of light that comes through them anyway.
__________________
"Missing middle" housing can be a great middle ground for many middle class families.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #56  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 7:28 PM
eschaton eschaton is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,182
I don't even live in a "pseudo rowhouse" any longer, but the houses on my street are close together - about eight feet, IIRC.

There are virtually no windows on the sides of my house. Part of this is because the stairway is on the left side of my home, and part of this is because there are four different chimneys - one for each of the main rooms on each floor (my home is foursquare style).

On my left wall - the stairwell wall - there is a nice stained-glass window right off the grand stair, and a smaller window you can see through on the way to the third floor. On the right wall, the only rooms on the second and third floor which have windows are the bathrooms - and one of those is stained glass and thus not really see through anyway.

The houses on either side of me are basically an identical plan to my house. Thus even though the windows are centered on the midpoint of the house, we cannot look into each others windows. Because on my right wall, the windows are on the 2nd/3rd floors, whereas on my neighbor's left wall, they're on the stairs between the 1st/2nd and 2nd/3rd.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #57  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 9:26 PM
Darkoshvilli Darkoshvilli is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montreal
Posts: 3,476
Quote:
Originally Posted by samne View Post
Yes. 1970s infill townhouse. Plenty around Toronto.
Actually they are from the 20s.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #58  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 10:13 PM
maru2501's Avatar
maru2501 maru2501 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: chicago
Posts: 1,668
Right now basically a row house. attached one side and narrow gangway on the other side. Three unit condo in wicker park, Chi . It's great. Late 90s construction... we are a "duplex down" with first floor walkup and half-underground lower level with extra bedroom and bath.

wouldn't trade it! I can walk to anything

most of my local streets filled with same kind of thing.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #59  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 10:25 PM
edale edale is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,178
I used to live in this building in the Mt. Adams neighborhood of Cincy:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/12...992!4d-84.4992

The two (maybe 3?) buildings have been dramatically altered over the years, so I'm not sure how the building was originally intended to be split up. The building on the right was originally built as row-housing (I think), but had been converted into apartments, with the garden level and sunken level on the backside being separate units than the upper stories, which are served by the street facing staircases. The building on the left is an OTR tenement type of building that has about 8 apartments. This is the closest I've lived to a row-house.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #60  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2019, 10:27 PM
Jonesy55 Jonesy55 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,336
I just moved from one rowhouse (built 1890, row of 9 houses) to another one! (Built 2019, row of 4 houses)

Here in the UK something like 25% of all homes are rowhouses, plus another 30% are semi detached houses attached to just one other. Then the rest is something like 25% detached houses, 20% apartments.

Fire doesn't seem to be an issue with rowhomes here, you very rarely hear of any problems, house fires are much less common generally than they were in the past when more people used solid fuel fires for heating and also has deep fat fryers which nobody seems to have these days. The major fire in the UK in recent years was the Grenfell Tower disaster a couple of years ago in a block of apartments.

Some of the old Victorian rows of houses were built with a common roof void along the whole row which wouldn't be up to code if built now. Many will have had block walls retrofitted for fire safety reasons and also security reasons if people are worried their neighbours might go up through their roof hatch and then down into the neighbouring houses through their hatches. But I think there will still be a lot of those type houses that haven't had the roof voids partitioned properly.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Discussion Forums > City Discussions
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:39 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.