613 Whitney Ave. as a potential new home........ (insurance, landscaping)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by juliegt

Great period details. Please continue to post pictures as the work progresses. Her's a link to my home renovation pix: Pittsburgh Forum - a set on Flickr

OMG Julie! I seriously can't stop drooling over the ornate woodwork on your staircase as it leads up to that landing with the stained-glass bay window.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

OMG Julie! I seriously can't stop drooling over the ornate woodwork on your staircase as it leads up to that landing with the stained-glass bay window.

I know! This house would be at least $1.5 million in SF in the condition it's in now in an ok neighborhood. Double that for fixed up. Still more in Pacific Heights. I tell everyone the only way I could have afforded a home like this in the Bay Area was to win the lottery or marry money, neither of which was on the horizon. I'm telling you Crafton is a hidden (in plain sight) treasure.

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by juliegt

Great period details. Please continue to post pictures as the work progresses. Her's a link to my home renovation pix: Pittsburgh Forum - a set on Flickr

Julie, your house, it's gorgeous! The woodwork--the fireplace mantles, crown molding, build-in cabinet, and staircase--is beautiful. I'd kill for that brass Art Nouveau style lamp mounted on the staircase banister--it's magnificent! All of your stained glass windows are stunning, too--especially the one with the three-turreted castle! They're so detailed; they don't make them like that anymore!

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

Julie, your house, it's gorgeous! The woodwork--the fireplace mantles, crown molding, build-in cabinet, and staircase--is beautiful. I'd kill for that brass Art Nouveau style lamp mounted on the staircase banister--it's magnificent! All of your stained glass windows are stunning, too--especially the one with the three-turreted castle! They're so detailed; they don't make them like that anymore!

Thankyouverymuch! I love it and I paid next to nothing (by SF standards) for it. It was in good shape but I'm spending quite a bit to restore it to its former glory and to remodel the kitchen. Even considering that, I won't be spending anywhere near what a 2 bdr, 1 ba 1000 sf fixer upper in a sketchy SF neighborhood would cost. When all is said and done over the next few years I'll probably spend about half the cost of my hypothetical SF home.

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by juliegt

Thankyouverymuch! I love it and I paid next to nothing (by SF standards) for it. It was in good shape but I'm spending quite a bit to restore it to its former glory and to remodel the kitchen. Even considering that, I won't be spending anywhere near what a 2 bdr, 1 ba 1000 sf fixer upper in a sketchy SF neighborhood would cost. When all is said and done over the next few years I'll probably spend about half the cost of my hypothetical SF home.

It's truly an elegant Edwardian residence, well worth your time and financial investment. Say, do you happen to know what year it was constructed? It looks like it was built for an affluent family!

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

It's truly an elegant Edwardian residence, well worth your time and financial investment. Say, do you happen to know what year it was constructed? It looks like it was built for an affluent family!

One place says 1900, another 1901. I know about the last two owners from neighbors, but who it was originally built for, no idea. I do know that this was where the prominent Craftonians lived back in the day. I'd like to some research on the history of this house once I'm through the chaos of the remodel and moving across the country.

We have actually found evidence of what might have been a speakeasy. There are doors in the basement with those little sliding doors so you can see who is there before you open the door. And there are hinged panels hidden in the woodwork of the stairwell along with a hidden opening under the stairwell from the basement. None of it was done recently. The carpenters found it and said it's all very old. Really piqued my curiosity. Maybe we have overactive imaginations, but it doesn't seem like something a typical homeowner would do.

[mossman40]

Originally Posted by mia7whitney

Hi,

I just stumbled on this thread, and I can't say I've read it all (that would take my day), but I wanted to tell the original poster some neighborhood gossip on this house. I live a block away on Whitney--we moved in almost ten years ago. My neighbor told me that when she moved there in 1940(!) that was the house that had lots of parties, the most beautiful house in Wilkinsburg with an inlaid ballroom floor on the second floor. According to her, when it went into inheritance, the people wouldn't sell. The room got a leak and the floor was damaged. We remember when the window was stolen. There was one group of stained glass thieves that took a lot of windows on our street until a neighbor spotted them in action and called the police. This was the most beautiful one. Other than that, we've never had any problem with crime on the street (except parking money out of the car when we forget to lock it at night). People on the street know each other well, especially if you have a dog (there is a dog run a block away in Whitney Park). There are a lot of young professionals, more and more in the past three years.

We have an 1896 brochure for the "Hampton Estates" plan that probably has your house on it. It describes the neighborhood plan for middle managers at the steel mills. I'll stop by some time in June.

Mia

Mia,
Appreciate the information and look forward to your stopping by for a visit. We do have a dog, Ruby Tuesday. A weimaraner who has yet to visit the house. I believe we have seen the Hampton Estates brochure and would love to see it again over a cup of coffee. Lots of activity around the place now. Basement block windows went in today, low maintenance, look good, and keep the basement warmer.

Originally Posted by juliegt

Great period details. Please continue to post pictures as the work progresses. Her's a link to my home renovation pix: Pittsburgh Forum - a set on Flickr

Juliegt,

Your house is wonderful. The staircase appears to be very similar to ours. You solved a big riddle or us and the contractors..........banister light.........ours was missing, stolen or sold off. We had no idea what it should look like. In the end about a month ago, I made the decision to us an outdoor post light that is a pineapple. It will mount to the post and should fit the bill. We will be looking for exactly what you have to eventually install back on our banister. Appreciate the link.

[mossman40]

I mentioned earlier that my wife had picked the paint colors. Here is just a hint of what is to come. Contractors don't like it, I don't like it, my wife absolutely loves it, so guess who wins !!!



There are many other colors that will tone this down so don't panic. Let's give it a shot and see how it looks in the end. It is only paint and well..........I'm used to painting !!

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by mossman40

I mentioned earlier that my wife had picked the paint colors. Here is just a hint of what is to come. Contractors don't like it, I don't like it, my wife absolutely loves it, so guess who wins !!!



There are many other colors that will tone this down so don't panic. Let's give it a shot and see how it looks in the end. It is only paint and well..........I'm used to painting !!

I'm used to the Painted Ladies of San Francisco so it looks just fine to me. The interior of my home will look like color threw up in it when I'm finished. Since I have no desire to paint the brick, the exterior will be much more staid. Years of working for a general contractor and seeing people putting in beige-y tile, granite, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel and all things "neutral" has made me crave color in my home.

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I'm used to the Painted Ladies of San Francisco so it looks just fine to me. The interior of my home will look like color threw up in it when I'm finished. Since I have no desire to paint the brick, the exterior will be much more staid. Years of working for a general contractor and seeing people putting in beige-y tile, granite, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel and all things "neutral" has made me crave color in my home.

On the exterior of your house, I've noticed a feature, where the brick kind of rounds out a little, almost as if it's going to form a turret--I love that! That faux-turret, of whatever it's called, is so cool! When my mom moves to Pittsburgh in a few years (after, hopefully, she recovers the $275,000 she has in her house in FL), she wants to get a similar house, and I hope she does! If she gets's such a house, I'll be tempted to move in with her and rent out my little place!