Many row house owners in the more expensive areas of Brooklyn and Manhattan are opting to restore lost stoops, according to The New York Times. Reasons include aesthetics and historic authenticity but also resale value. A stoop adds to the sale price, said experts such as Dexter Guerrieri, president of the real estate firmĀ Vandenberg, the Townhouse Experts, who teaches a class on how to enhance the value of a town house. Many houses lost their stoops in the early 20th century when they were chopped up into apartments. Removing the stoop let the landlord squeeze every bit of value out of the floor plan by incorporating the parlor-level entry into an apartment. The cost of restoring a missing stoop can run $35,000 to $100,000, said the article.
Stoops Grow in Value, and Not Just as SeatingĀ [NY Times]
Photo by Historic Districts Council


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. My house had been de-stooped in the late 1920s when the ground floor was converted to a storefront. As part of my restoration I designed a metal-frame and brownstone-tread stoop which copies the profile and scale of the original yet feels brighter and more “open” for the street-level entry. It dramatically changed the look of the house, and even though it cost me less that $20,000 (masonry stoops cost much more!) 2 realtors say it was improved curb appeal and added considerably to the value of the house. But, aesthetics and investment aside, what’s the point of living in a brownstone neighborhood if you can’t sit on your stoop on a nice evening and talk to your neighbors and friends? As a “re-stooper”, I can honestly say I love having a stoop.

  2. My house had been de-stooped in the late 1920s when the ground floor was converted to a storefront. As part of my restoration I designed a metal-frame and brownstone-tread stoop which copies the profile and scale of the original yet feels brighter and more “open” for the street-level entry. It dramatically changed the look of the house, and even though it cost me less that $20,000 (masonry stoops cost much more!) 2 realtors say it was improved curb appeal and added considerably to the value of the house. But, aesthetics and investment aside, what’s the point of living in a brownstone neighborhood if you can’t sit on your stoop on a nice evening and talk to your neighbors and friends? As a “re-stooper”, I can honestly say I love having a stoop.

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