Ugly houses (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington: chapel, townhouse, neighborhood)

[ca2pitt]

I think these houses are pretty cool! When you are used to cookie cutter track homes (120 houses, 3 floorplans) this is a very interesting. That's what Pittsburgh has that alot of cities do not, lots of unique areas

[otters21]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

What you are describing are not homes built in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, but actually homes that were built in the late 19th century (Victorian era) and rehabbed later, in the 1940s-1970s, with ghastly "upgrades" such as aluminum siding, aluminum awnings, insul-brick (fake brick asbestos siding), three-window doors, and mis-shapen windows cut into walls, all of which corrupted and uglified the original designs of these homes. And we're only talking about the exteriors. Don't get me started on the wood paneling and drywall makeovers that disfigured so many beautiful Victorian interiors.

This is what I think you're talking about:



Here is one of my favorite houses in Pittsburgh, a rare survivor, 1201 Yetta St. in Spring Hill. This home demonstrates how these types of homes originally looked, with the Victorian trim intact (this one had asbestos siding added in the '40s, but the trim and orig. window sizes were retained):

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4180/45/9/21709059/n21709059_40358846_1062493.jpg (broken link)

The main difference is the detail and Victorian trim, as well as the window sizes. When these homes were updated, windows were made smaller, and aluminum or Insul-brick siding was added, and Victorian trim removed. Also, the house in the first picture has a brick porch that was probably added in the mid-20th century when the original wood Victorian porch deteriorated.

Here is an old-time picture showing how these houses looked when they were newly built (not ugly at all, but elegant and graceful):

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/302899_10100420397756538_21709059_51294277_8754205 1_n.jpg (broken link)

Many houses in Pittsburgh were ruined by awful "upgrades." A lot of once grand homes in the East End and Shadyside now look like this:

The so called updates on the house on the the right is nowhere near as ugly as the burglar bars on the two front first floor windows. What even makes it more uglier is what those bars represent. The presence of those horrid things on the windows of a house , apartment building or even a business does not help matters in the neighborhood where the building in located in.

[KingKrab]

They are more pretty than a Maronda or Ryan home in a housing plan that consists of most construction across the US post 1990 urban sprawl.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by ca2pitt

I think these houses are pretty cool! When you are used to cookie cutter track homes (120 houses, 3 floorplans) this is a very interesting. That's what Pittsburgh has that alot of cities do not, lots of unique areas

I agree with you that I like them better, but to be totally fair and honest THOSE houses are also cookie-cutter. I'm guessing they were built at exactly the same time by the same people using the same plans.

[Velvet Jones]

Originally Posted by KingKrab

They are more pretty than a Maronda or Ryan home in a housing plan that consists of most construction across the US post 1990 urban sprawl.

Says you. Though I do agree that some of the late 90s houses that Maronda put up were god awful. There are a couple over in Moon that have green trim with bright yellow siding.

[KingKrab]

Originally Posted by Velvet Jones

Says you. Though I do agree that some of the late 90s houses that Maronda put up were god awful. There are a couple over in Moon that have green trim with bright yellow siding.

My parents have a Maronda house built in 1992 in a exurban housing plan. It was pretty nice. It was the "Williamsburg edition" or something. Then in the late 90s towards 2000 they expanded the neighborhood. The houses they built were hideous in the expanded part. It was obvious that Maronda was just out to maximize profits at that time with no desire for quality. My parents section of the hood had 1 acre lots. The new section was 4 houses per acre with very little alterations between houses or even color of siding. The houses were boxes, no brick was used such as my parents, it was all cheap siding, and very little character.

This is similar to many of the row home houses you can see in Lawrenceville and other neighborhoods. Contractors who made cookie cutter houses at the time and have no aesthetic appeal. They happen at all times and in all types of development. Just now people don't find these suburban eyesores "ugly" yet.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by KingKrab

This is similar to many of the row home houses you can see in Lawrenceville and other neighborhoods. Contractors who made cookie cutter houses at the time and have no aesthetic appeal. They happen at all times and in all types of development. Just now people don't find these suburban eyesores "ugly" yet.

And then when they're 100 years old people will love them.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by KingKrab

Just now people don't find these suburban eyesores "ugly" yet.

I think they're butt ugly.

[PreservationPioneer]

If you look at the houses in this picture, which were really just working-class homes in their day, you see many fine details such as slate roof, elaborate trim details, different kinds of siding, stained glass windows, etc. These are details that many of the houses in Lawrenceville once had before they were "modernized" in the mid-20th century. Although some houses were built with minimal ornamentation, often they were built of solid and high quality materials. Many were brick. That is why they are still standing today. So while many of these houses were built at the same time, and in similar styles, the quality was much different than that of most of the homes built today.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/302899_10100420397756538_21709059_51294277_8754205 1_n.jpg (broken link)

[Copanut]

Things change. Aluminium siding was all the rage in the 60's, not so much now. Formica counters were the "cat's meow" back in the day. My 1983 built house had a 40 gallon whirlpool tub that was popular for about 6 months. That was the first thing I ripped out.

Everything old is new again.