Are those rifle holes in the windows??

LOL. HPD did emergency repairs to the building some time before I bought it, and they covered the open windows with plywood. They cut those triangular holes in the wood to let some light and air into the building. Apparently, the rats and mice living in the building knew someone at HPD who convinced the workers to add that accomodation.

I'm an ardent preservationist, but the woodwork you are mentioning can be recreated at a lower cost and with better results than if you try to fix the existing woodwork under those windows. This is all stock woodwork that can be bought or recreated easily today. You have much, much bigger projects ahead than to worry about this small stuff.

Anon probably knows better, but we'd say it depends on whether you want them pristine or would enjoy the "character" of some imperfections and layers of paint, that sort of thing...

It's so subjective but I tend to agree with anonymous. It's easy to recreate casings and molding and, personally, I hate woodwork that has had so many layers of paint it won't hold the new coat properly. Another consideration is that by replacing the woodwork you can choose to either bulk it up or scale it down, depending on your preference. Sometimes the original looks either too skimpy or too massive depending on your taste and how you plan to decorate.

Wouldn't another consideration be the hazard of removing lead-based paint? I've read it's safest to take woodwork, moldings, etc., off when possible and send them out to a dip and strip place. Unfortunately, if that's the case, it might be better just to recreate it, considering the cost-environmental hazard tradeoff.

You might ask your GC or window subcontractor as the new windows may require the moldings to be removed for installation. I think you have much bigger fish to fry. If you are replacing the moldings throughout the room and for that matter the entire house, your finish carpenter will rather start from scratch. Take some photos with measurements and you can even store the old trim if you want to try and duplicate it.

Can anyone recommend a "dip and strip place" near Park Slope Brooklyn?

Rifle holes!? That would have been a great (but probably over-the-top in a getting the NYPD to show up kind-of way) addition to the best haunted house in the nabe on Halloween. You guys totally rocked. After that, it's going to take a lot of work to convince my daughter that the house is not in fact haunted. Very scary, lots of fun!

Oh, yeah... and I'd say keep it. It's going to be impossible to make it look "new" even if an identical reproduction of the old, and the character will be great. You will have plenty of other places to recreate old-looking things, and put in new things.

Well, I've spent a lot of time in the house in the wee hours, and the only bumps in the night I heard was my ass hitting the ground when I fell through the floor. :)

Doesn't it also depend on your overall style for the house? My understanding is that there are no original details left, which might explain the torment over this particular item. The decor of the house might not "flow" if you keep this woodwork (blasphemous, I know.) If you are reproducing other period details throughout the house, then why not this too? It will flow better. If you are gutting and going modern, this might look a bit out of place.

while it will probably be easier to rip out these wainscotting details and replace, it might be worth restoring them - especially if they are really the only original details left in the home. A few years from now, when you are completed with the renovations and additions and yard work, it might be great to look at these sections - they could likely be the only original details you could point to. Personally, i am torn btw wanting new conveniences (even if they look like the originals) and truly preserving. It's depressing that almost every home owner who has a historic house maintains the exterior but rips out the interior - aren't they just as important? Obviously you don't have much choice here, since your home is basically a shell already, but it's an interesting debate...

I went to the open house of a brownstone down the block on Cambridge the other day and almost cried when I saw all of their original details. Some of the crown moldings may be a little overwrought for my tastes, but damn is it cool to see how those details accentuate a living space. I've never decorated the interior of a space before and not relied on Home Depot for details, so I have a long way to go before this place looks worthy of its history. It also explains why I'm so smitten with the few details I have left.

keep the details and clean them up. it's not an unreasonable endeavor and it's more fun on every level. also, it makes for less waste and consequently a greener approach. lastly, it's got karma!

You should restore these. Strip, stain and seal. If you take them off you might not be able to save the small moulding that holds the panels in. You got to be careful. But ABSOLUTELY insulate!! These houses are like swiss cheese in the winter. The windows should be replaced and when they are insulate all around them. VERY important.

I agree with restoring the original windows. As much as realistically possible, of course. The reno on this site reminds me of what you're facing:

http://www.ourvictorianhouse.com/Parlor.htm#The%20Windows

Wow, I followed that link and those people do some incredible work. They spend a year on each room. They had much more to start with than I do, as the floors and walls are still intact. I don't think I can wait that long to move in, but the restoration they have done is phenomenal.