Do most Chicagoans prefer brick homes over other types? (2013, apartments)

[SouthsideTillIDie]

I know speaking to myself, I wrecked my car last summer and have had to use public transportation and walking a lot. One thing I notice while walking in my hood, is that the majority of the exterior facades of the houses and apartments in my neighborhood are made out of brick and even the boarded up brick home/apartment has charm. But then there is the occasional non-brick exterior home with the wood looking panels and it looks so ugly, nasty, and cheap. It just doesn't look as aesthetically pleasing as the bricks. Do most Chicagoans like the bricks or non-brick exteriors? My home is made up of all bricks and so is my block so Im biased I guess.


Example of non-brick exterior [ewwww ]

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by SouthsideTillIDie

I know speaking to myself, I wrecked my car last summer and have had to use public transportation and walking a lot. One thing I notice while walking in my hood, is that the majority of the exterior facades of the houses and apartments in my neighborhood are made out of brick and even the boarded up brick home/apartment has charm. But then there is the occasional non-brick exterior home with the wood looking panels and it looks so ugly, nasty, and cheap. It just doesn't look as aesthetically pleasing as the bricks. Do most Chicagoans like the bricks or non-brick exteriors? My home is made up of all bricks and so is my block so Im biased I guess.


Example of non-brick exterior [ewwww ]

Brick facing isn't really anything special. True Chicago brick construction is 3 bricks deep, that durability is why the buildings tend to look good in general. That said, a brick building with no vapor barrier and insulation is no prize.

[Larry Siegel]

Brick was the cheap high-quality material that was available when the majority of Chicago's older houses were being built, say 1890-1940. There are plenty of nice wood houses, although not as many as in, say, New England. I live in one.

[image]http://s13.photobucket.com/user/rutabaga22/media/ScreenShot2013-06-19at92355PM.png.html?sort=3&o=0[/image]

[Runuova]

I love the personal touches that can be added to a frame house but, when it came time to buy we chose brick for its durability and insulation. This is still the Midwest, so we kept that in mind.

[rparz]

After the great Chicago fire burned the frame houses to the ground everyone wanted brick.

[Irishtom29]

Style-Stone and a True-Link fence.

[ToriaT]

I believe there is a strong preference for brick buildings in Chicago. And visits to other cities in the midwest tell me that there are more brick building here than in many other cities. I have heard its because of the fire but perhaps there are other factors too. Chicago's immigrant past may have brought a preference for brick here. Having said that I have lived in both brick and frame buildings and I see little difference at least when you are inside the house. I too have a preference for brick, I like the way it looks.

[Attrill]

I think there's a preference for brick houses pretty much anywhere. Just drive around any pricey suburb and look at how many McMansions have real or fake brick fronts (or at least sections of fronts). Cheaper subdivisions are all just stick frame and siding. Real stone construction is even more desirable, I think it's one of the reasons a lot people made foolish purchases in Garfield Park in the early 2000's.

Structurally I think there is a lot to recommend brick. We live in a brick house built in the 1870's and it's still solid as hell. Our neighbors across the street are selling their stick frame house from the 1890's and it's being sold as a tear down.

[Chicago60614]

I know the fire changed the building codes and they required fireproof brick or stone buildings in the city. Of course many people tried to ignore those rules since it made things cheaper,but after another smaller fire in 1874 in which over 800 buildings burned everyone finally wised up and brick was by far the material used in all new construction. This is certainly a factor as to why so much of the city is brick.

[It'sAutomatic]

I once preferred brick but now they get equal love from me. Frame buildings are as important to Chicago's history as brick ones. They kind of make me think of a simpler time, before the 1920s when brick really took over.

Lovers of red brick houses may like St. Louis; I saw about 2/3 of the city and only saw one house made of wood.