Horror Show Friday: Mutant Facade Repair
We were biking through Wallabout earlier this week and were struck by the rather odd design choice at 33 Vanderbilt Avenue. For some reason, someone decided to put a layer of screamingly new brick on the lower half of the facade. What possible reason—other than pure bad taste—could account for this decision? Is it cheaper…
We were biking through Wallabout earlier this week and were struck by the rather odd design choice at 33 Vanderbilt Avenue. For some reason, someone decided to put a layer of screamingly new brick on the lower half of the facade. What possible reason—other than pure bad taste—could account for this decision? Is it cheaper than repairing the existing facade? GMAP
At first glance it seems they’re doing a bad imitation of the new brownstones on State Street in Boreum hill. They too have non-conforming brownstone brick choices. At least it still contextual, unlike last weeks “twins” in south slope.
not to be too contrarian 😉 but, I disagree with benson. You are describibng a way more radical path to leak repair than is normal my friend. Usually leaks are handled by merely re-pointing the brick and perhaps replacing the individual brick units that are damaged or cracked. The concept of taking down the entire facade in order to put in a vapor barrier and then rebuilding a replica facade is not good preservation practice and it is overkill for all but a very few cases where the whole facade may be leaning or bowed.
Putting up a brick veneer like this will, if anything, trap more water behind the veneer. It is a disaster not only aesthetically but also from a construction viewpoint. It is just a bad choice no matter what.
Delepp- agree with that – when I walk around my neighborhood where there has been a lot of bad facade work done, work like this seems to add to the damage, not fix it. And frankly, some of the facade work is horrific and I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind thinking it added anything to the look of the building. And those I see for sale are either sitting forever because who wants to lay out the kind of money it would take to restore the facade, or if not for sale, have been left to fall apart. They’re eyesores and they bring down the neighborhood.
That said, while I don’t like what was done to this building, and I’m sure the owner has his reasons, the place looks cared for and that’s all important. It just looks charmless.
Maybe they aren’t done. Maybe they will take the new brick all the way up. Not as nice as red brick, but better than this halfway, two-tone job. Benson may have the right reason for why the owner went this route. Perhaps the original brick was compromised due to it being painted over and not allowed to breathe. I’ve never understood why so many brick homes in Brooklyn were painted brick red.
Bxgrl – I’m sure this guy will be paving over the front lawn next. If he had one.
DH, if you live in 11211 its guaranteed that your townhouse facade is messed up.
Nope, this isn’t a landmarc block so they can choose to do as they please. In my time I’ve seen much worse done to a facade. Where that is vanderbilt between park and myrtle there are some real horror shows where they put up the villified fedder buildings or just let the facade decay. I would rather have above instead of decay.
Excuse me, dittoburg. I prefer to think of myself as an architectural fascist 🙂
So if hypothetically my townhouse is messed up and I can’t afford to properly restore the facade, I assume Mr. B will cut me a check?
DeLepp – isn’t this person the heretic – don’t you mean the Brownstone Inquisitors?