Of the 1863 Boerum Hill brownstone we love, renovations we undertake, and occasional observations we have about our new community
Friday, March 31, 2006
WPA was a beautiful thing
So we're completing the plans for the interior changes as I write this, including elevations for the kitchen and bathroom details. We like what our architect is doing in terms of adding cool (post) modern details. We're just as anxious to get started, if not more so, than we were a week or so ago when we started this blog.
So in the interim, before we start (really) busting down walls and getting out the Sawzall, we'll be posting some more photos of our new abode that I have been (and will continue to) share -- some outside (like above) and some inside. You'll see, in some of the pics we've been so antsy to see what is behind the walls that we took the liberty of using a sure-footed kick to, ah, 'liberate' the underside for viewing. Those pics will come soon.
But to the point -- today I scanned the above delightfully educational NYC Dept of Records tax photograph of our place from 1940-ish. Without the WPA, we would be up a creek with likely no historical photo of many properties from their former lives. Its fascinating actually if you study the photo. Particularly for what is not there. There are no cars, no trees, no people, not even a garbage can -- only windowshades and cobblestones and some trolley tracks... Next door someone left their front door ajar. But essentially, that's it. Almost surprising. Kindof looks like a movie set, no?
A great example of an English basement in Brooklyn. While not permitted to be a kitchen, or bedroom or more than a half bath, these windows at the back of the cellar open substantial options for us. It opens up to the garden and potentially could be true living space. Initially we think most likely "project" space. See on the right the edge of the water heater and the furnace. Also the ancient left-behinds by the previous owner. Contact me if you're looking for a well-worn early model TV.
We like these details. The little stars on the overhead light fixture were a favorite of Mrs. Owner. We think that if the fixit fund runs out we'll just keep these in place. The push button lightswitch is a throwback I'm sure most people remember. Not sure the electricals behind them are quite up to code however. These will turn into some sort of Lutron switch we think. What do you think, any value on Ebay?
So what is interesting about this 1860s development of four or five houses is that none of them have a window in the back on the parlor level. In our house it is a closet of undetermined purpose. Why would this be? We'd be interested in similar layouts.
The plan for that floor has the kitchen in that room, and a new window in that location. The windows we envision are steel, thin, french and swing in or out. The rotted woodframe extension on the back of the basement level (current kitchen) will come off. We plan a bluestone deck with large slabs, and cedar planking for privacy. Remarkably, the bluestone is reasonably priced and cedar does not break the bank. Does anyone have experiences with deck materials choices they'd like to share?
To our delight in the cellar we came across this mechanical and physical wonder. We've been told it is a gas light arm -- the gas would be run through the house in the walls and in each room there would be these gas lights. Does anyone still have these in their walls? I presume they do not function any longer (would not want to try), but can anyone give us more detail -- or tell us stories -- about this lovely contraption from a previous era?
Spring flowers are not quite here yet (this photo taken late summer last year), and we can't wait. We feel fortunate to have a back yard, it is one of the very substantial attractions to a house, and we look forward to getting our hands dirty. One of the interesting things about back yards in Boerum Hill is the substantial amount of barbed wire. The 70s and 80s were a different time here. We think the barbed wire will come down in due course, but our main focus will be the lovely rose bushes which right now are in a pitched battle with Stubborn Ugly Weed, a particularly virulent form of flora indiginous to the back yard of Boerum Hill townhouses. We look forward to updating you on what we find back there.
Many features of the house have been neglected to such a degree that they are not salvagable, including the previously noted ceiling and floor. A number of the fireplace mantels and surrounds have been removed, medallions and moldings crumbling.
But there are a number of terrific features that we will retain and restore -- the tin ceiling on the parlor level, two mantels (photo shows front bedroom top floor), shutters on the front side of the house (parlor level shutters photo). The mantels have been painted unfortunately, but should be able to be stripped with satisfactory results from what we have been told. A number of the shutters will need to be chiseled out of their plaster-induced mummification, so I think we may have several weekend projects on our hands.
There are some interesting aspects to the details of this house. First, the shutters are only in the front window frames. That is an interesting discovery because the rear of the house has the southern exposure, and you would think that from a practical point of view, that's where you'd want to cover the windows. Particularly when you don't have air conditioning. So there must be another reason that the shutters are in the front. I would hazard a guess that the builder must have wanted the neighbors to think (by peeping in the windows) the house was more lavish than it really was, and to have shutters was a luxury.
Anther interesting note is that the picture frame molding on the walls in the bedroom photo (the molding appears in the front rooms of the house only. Reinforces the argument that they were applied for effect) apparently was not an original feature but was a popular feature added in the 1920s and 30s. It is not clear when the picture rail (high horizontal molding) might have been applied, but it is done quite poorly throughout. It does not seem the same type so might have been later -- note the texture difference in the tin ceiling photo.
We hope to keep as many of these details as we can. However, we know some will necessarily be lost when walls are gouged for new plumbing and electrical, possible fireplace re-lining, ceiling repair, etc.
The blurry photo of the front of the house -- on the basement level looking toward the sidewalk -- is from day one when we saw the house (see previous). The beauty of the blurry photo is that you can't see the water damage to the floor and ceiling. As for the kitchen, it has a nice McDonalds aesthetic, but we don't think we'll stick with that. To their credit, whitewash those cabinets, put them in a beach cottage, and you're set. The "Fedders" extension on the back of the house (see window air conditioner, etc) will go.
The interesting thing about this house is that it is built on a hill (actually, not Boerum Hill... more on that some other time. Or see Jonathan Lethem's book Motherless Brooklyn wherein he provides a possible explanation of the nabe name). The cellar (more than 50% below the curb, according to NYC code) walks out to the back yard. Typically, this level is called the garden level when it is also level with the sidewalk.
In terms of plans, we envision a media room/library, and a bedroom and full bath... and a fantastic bluestone deck off the back of this floor with teak privacy siding and quaint curved storefront lighting.
The back (left) and front of the parlor floor... the one we saw first, and that we think will be our favorite space. The blurry photo of the front is the result of the cellphone pic taken day one of the open house. In terms of plans, after some amount of consideration, we have decided we will move the kitchen to this floor in the back, creating a bright comfortable kitchen/living space.
We closed on our Boerum Hill brownstone at the end of October 2005. Our architect is finalizing the scheme and we'll be sitting down with our contractor soon. We are anxious to get to work.
