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September 20, 2007
SROs and Original Details
What is the general consensus on potential for remaining details when it comes to a brownstone that was a former SRO (until recently)? Can you still find enough original woodwork, doors, mantels, moldings, etc.? Or does it all tend to be gone? Thanks.
Comments
Brownstoner's building was originally an SRO and they uncovered lots of original detail in the renovation.
Posted by: guest at September 20, 2007 1:04 PM
Hard question to find a general consensus on. It sort of depends on the individual building, doesn't it? I don't mean to be snide, but you have to LOOK.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 20, 2007 1:07 PM
Yes, Bob Marvin. I know you have to LOOK. However, my first viewing appointment isn't until next week because the seller is away. And since I'm very excited about seeing it, and wondering about other peoples' experiences with SROs, I was just putting it out there to see if there was some sort of rule of thumb about it. Thanks for your patience and understanding...
Posted by: bway at September 20, 2007 1:18 PM
Almost all the original detail was intact in ours...granted much of it was buried under layers of paint and commercial carpeting, but very much there. don't think there's any way to generalize though.
Posted by: brownstoner at September 20, 2007 1:55 PM
One way to generalize is that if the previous owners were too poor to do much maintenance, there is a good chance of a lot of details without much in the way of mechanics (like our house).
Posted by: guest at September 20, 2007 2:07 PM
Thanks brownstoner. So aside from the obvious things you can see, is it pretty much a gamble on what details might be buried under renovations? What if you had not found any original detail after your reno? Would it have been worth it? Any specific things to look out for when viewing an SRO?
Posted by: bway at September 20, 2007 2:12 PM
That's an interesting question to pose to Brownstoner. Well, Brownstoner? What if there had been no detail underneath the layers of paint and flooring etc.?
Posted by: guest at September 20, 2007 2:48 PM
guest 2:07's answer was a very good one (FWIW MUCH better than mine, which WAS overly snide--sorry]. That's what preserved most of our houses and neighborhoods during all those years[1920s through the late '60s] when brownstones were considered worthless outmoded slum crap [or even into the 70s--you should have seen my mother's face when she first saw the house we were buying].
A major reason that Brooklyn has so many brownstone sis that many people with $$ moved to Manhattan following the consolidation of greater New York in 1898. Few people had the means to replace, or even (thank god) modernise our outmoded buildings.
The OP has a fair shot at finding lots of original detail but, IMO should try to restrain his/her enthusiasm, {hard though it may be--I couldn't do it in his/her shoes], until actually seeing the building.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 20, 2007 2:48 PM
not to stick up for bob marvin or anything- but this really is a ridiculous question. how should anyone know?
do you think i look fat in these pants?
Posted by: guest at September 20, 2007 3:43 PM
Everyone is correct, chances are some or most of your detail is there. However there is no guarantee, so don't count your chickens yet.
One of the silver linings for old house lovers buying in poorer neighborhoods is that most of the detail is usually there. Landlords converting houses into rooms and kitchenettes were not interested in expensive renovations. I've seen a lot of former SRO's with columns sheathed in plywood room dividers (my house)kitchettes place in former dressing rooms, and bathrooms placed in corners or closets, built around existing detail.
I actually think you have more chances of getting a lot of detail in going with an SRO than with a house that has been made into floor through apartments. Most of those, even if done badly or with care, result in taking out dressing rooms for real kitchens, fireplaces for wall space, hall detail and front doors because of security, pantries for bathrooms, etc, etc.
The best detail I've seen in unrenovated houses has been in single family homes owned by the same people forever, and in SRO's, albeit under tons of crap.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 20, 2007 3:52 PM
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