Houses as cute as a button--and very historic, too! (New Castle: lofts, refrigerator)

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The streets in the eastern stretches of Spring Hill- Romanoff, Rockledge, Harbor- all seem to be in pretty decent shape. I'd agree that Deutchtown east of I279, the western sector of Spring Hill, Spring Garden and City View are all pretty much a mess.

Yeah, it's a shame, they are in pretty rough shape. However, in time, I think that will change. IMO East Deutschtown will gentrify, although not to the degree to which West Deutschtown has gentrified (is gentrifying). It can't, of course, since literally half of the housing stock is gone.

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The streets in the eastern stretches of Spring Hill- Romanoff, Rockledge, Harbor- all seem to be in pretty decent shape. I'd agree that Deutchtown east of I279, the western sector of Spring Hill, Spring Garden and City View are all pretty much a mess.

Harbor St., by the way, is a really nice street. I looked at a home there, a cute house from the '20s--not really historic, but cute nonetheless. However, it had two big problems: major water intrusion in the basement and a floor in the bathroom that didn't feel too sturdy.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

Actually, I'm glad you mentioned Section 8, because that's another thing we need to rid ourselves of. There are far too many decaying Section 8 houses in Pittsburgh. Many of these dwellings, I am sure, are from the 19th century. If the historically-significant ones were renovated, they'd be beautiful again. However, the greedy landlords won't sell them (that would be a loss of income), won't fix them up (for obvious reasons), and the moocher Section 8 welfare/foodstamp-type tenants continually trash them, so the end result is a home that falls into disrepair (only the most basic of repairs are made).

Most/all tenants trash places to some degree. Students are notorious for this, but renters with kids or pets, regardless of their income, usually cause physical damage to apartments. The lack of maintenance on major structural issues, however, solely rests on the owner. The renter can't cause the roof to fail after all, and is probably pestering the owner about things like leaks.

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I think much of the lower North Side is going to gentrify rapidly. However, the prospects for Spring Garden and Spring Hill seem rather dim. The housing is in horrible condition, for the most part, and only a few stand a chance of being properly restored. Troy Hill will only get better. It never fell too far. East Deutschtown is already half demolished, and half of the surviving housing is falling apart.

Agreed on Troy Hill. I do have to say I've been noticing more tricked-out houses for say in East Deutchtown these days at fairly high prices though. For example, this and this (not to mention this one which sold last year). Maybe a few people are mistakenly trying to flip on the wrong side of the highway, but if developers think there is a market in East Deutchtown for $150,000 houses, the future should be somewhat bright.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Agreed on Troy Hill. I do have to say I've been noticing more tricked-out houses for say in East Deutchtown these days at fairly high prices though. For example, this and this (not to mention this one which sold last year). Maybe a few people are mistakenly trying to flip on the wrong side of the highway, but if developers think there is a market in East Deutchtown for $150,000 houses, the future should be somewhat bright.

Ugh, those renovations are horrible. Hollow 6-panel doors have no place in a historic home. I even object to drywall, unless the original plaster suffered some kind of obscene damage. If you can retain the original decorative trim, drywall can look okay. Some people think they can renovate a historic home to McMansion standards and that is better than the original. Not me. One of the luxuries of an older home is the classic feel, real wood, and workmanship.

When I was hunting around for contractors to redo the walls in my kitchen, most told me they were going to screw up drywall over the old plaster and "all that old trim will have to go." NEXT. I ended up doing the work myself, painting it now, and it's beautiful, unevenness and all. 106 years of character in those walls.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Ugh, those renovations are horrible. Hollow 6-panel doors have no place in a historic home. I even object to drywall, unless the original plaster suffered some kind of obscene damage. If you can retain the original decorative trim, drywall can look okay. Some people think they can renovate a historic home to McMansion standards and that is better than the original. Not me. One of the luxuries of an older home is the classic feel, real wood, and workmanship.

When I was hunting around for contractors to redo the walls in my kitchen, most told me they were going to screw up drywall over the old plaster and "all that old trim will have to go." NEXT. I ended up doing the work myself, painting it now, and it's beautiful, unevenness and all. 106 years of character in those walls.

I didn't say anything about liking the work that was done on those houses, although I only find the second one really objectionable.

In Lawrenceville it's now gotten very trendy to buy a "dated" house, gut it to the studs, leave exposed brick on the party walls, and construct a new drywall structure for the internal walls and stairs. Then add a McMansion kitchen and bathroom. Viola!

We went to the trouble of finding a plasterer to restore and smooth things out in several rooms. Only places with drywall are the kitchen (we needed a flat wall to hang cabinets), and the attic (the plaster was in such bad shape, and had so many layers of flaking paint, a gut job was needed).

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I didn't say anything about liking the work that was done on those houses, although I only find the second one really objectionable.

I know. I wasn't directing my frustration at you.

I see at least three problems with the exterior of the house on Concord. First of all, there are some hideous white PVC pipes going up the front wall. Second, the railing is made out of a 2x4. Third, the side wall is covered with ghastly white vinyl siding. On a brick house. Also, the windows are wrong. On the interior, you have the wrong baseboards throughout. For that price point in that neighborhood, the house should be exceptional, and these errors are unacceptable.

While the problems of the first house are fixable, the house on Tripoli is an absolute train wreck. Take that vinyl crap back to Lowe's, where it belongs.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

Actually, I'm glad you mentioned Section 8, because that's another thing we need to rid ourselves of. There are far too many decaying Section 8 houses in Pittsburgh. Many of these dwellings, I am sure, are from the 19th century. If the historically-significant ones were renovated, they'd be beautiful again. However, the greedy landlords won't sell them (that would be a loss of income), won't fix them up (for obvious reasons), and the moocher Section 8 welfare/foodstamp-type tenants continually trash them, so the end result is a home that falls into disrepair (only the most basic of repairs are made).

I don't know how it is enforced here, but in CA the requirements for section 8 landlords are pretty stringent and the homes are often in better shape than many in the same neighborhoods. I had a friend who took section 8 renters because the were the best tenants he could get for his property that was in a very depressed neighborhood. He said the section 8 requirements were somewhat of a pain, but the gov't. made sure that the rent was paid. This was better than what he had to deal with otherwise.

[katnip kid]

My concern about row homes is fire. In the Philly area there have been fires where the entire block burns down.

[MaryleeII]

This was my Grandmother's home--

https://www.google.com/maps?q=&layer...ed=0CC4QxB0wAA

Its now abandonded. I wish I could buy it, or, at least have a sceance in it!

Its the brown house.


Here's a house similar to my GM house, this one is restored. It shows what is possible

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/30...93627137_zpid/

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I didn't say anything about liking the work that was done on those houses, although I only find the second one really objectionable.

The first one is awful. The materials used were super cheap, especially the hideous flooring throughout.

The second one is a shame because they didn't retain the woodwork or at least replace with something period appropriate. That stairwell with no banister is just sad. Buyers will like the quality of the work and materials. That's why flippers destroy old houses.

Some really weird things were done to the third one that sold. It can be saved since they kept the original woodwork.