Canopies on Cambridge
Tuesday’s post about brownstone window awnings in Bed Stuy prompted one reader to send us this photo of Cambridge Place in Clinton Hill from 1928. It looks like these ones cover even more of the window. You’d really have to duck down to reach the front door. 1920s: Houdini, Flappers and Window Awnings? [Brownstoner]
Tuesday’s post about brownstone window awnings in Bed Stuy prompted one reader to send us this photo of Cambridge Place in Clinton Hill from 1928. It looks like these ones cover even more of the window. You’d really have to duck down to reach the front door.
1920s: Houdini, Flappers and Window Awnings? [Brownstoner]
I have a tax photo of my house in Ditmas Park West. I believe the prints are done from the orignal negatives (where available) and are decent looking. The online ordering process is easy – you can get 8×10 or 11×14. You will need the Block and Lot info. got mine in a couple of weeks and looks good framed in my foyer. the NYC site states that they are for “home decoration” or “gifts” and you need permission to publish or post elsewhere – so don’t know about asking Brownstoner about collecting these for his site.
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/records/html/taxphotos/home.shtml
Has anyone ever ordered the NYC tax photos as mentioned above? I thought about doing it but was unsure what the result would be.
Folks;
Once again I say it: look at how neat and tidy everything looked. No garbage cans in front!!! The City should go back to enforcing the law, and make property owners take their garbage cans off the street.
Brownstoner is constantly harping on the issue of meters in the front of newly constructed homes. In my mind, garbage cans in front of elegant townhouses are a bigger eyesore.
I’d like to make another point, regarding commercial streets. My immigrant grandfather owned a shoe repair store on Conover St. in Red Hook, and I have the 1939 tax photo of his store and the building. Every store on the block is a pleasure to look at: nice awnings, no garbage in front, no garish signs, and simple, elegant displays of the merchandise. WHAT has happened to our sense of tidiness and aesthetics??? Keep in mind that at the time this photo was taken, Red Hook was considered one of the “rougher” parts of Brooklyn.
Benson
awnings are such a striking and useful feature on buildings in the city, and they really work. it interesting that you don’t see them used any more- today’s fabrics must have a better life cycle. these guys are really something though- so incredibley low. and that front door one looks like it will consume visitors…
The awning phenomenon was partly about keeping the place cool. It was also about showing off new electric lighting…
I’ve heard people talk about brownstones being dark, but I have to differ on that point. My place, and the three other brownstones I’ve lived in, all have been very bright. We have a north south facing place, which I think is optimal, because you get light all year, with a ton of light on the south facing side all winter. With 10 foot floor to ceiling parlour windows and 6 to eight foot tall windows on the upper floors, we always have lots of light flooding in.
I suppose if you faced east/west, the light would be more direct for limited times during the day…
The info on my piece was incorrect. Tax photos begain in 1939. Anybody that’s interested in having a photo of their house can go to the New York City website and look under tax photos. It’ll cost about $25 for an 8″x10″ photo. Or you can go to the New York City Archives at the corner of Chambers & Centre Streets, Manhattan.
That couldn’t have been 1928. That’s because the city didn’t take tax photos until 1929.
I found a picture of my house in CH with similar awnings, and the iron fittings for them are still visible above my front door. What I think is so interesting about them is the fact that these brownstones are already pretty dark inside; the idea that people would block every single shaft of sunlight that might manage to sneak into their home is fascinating to me. Not unlike France and Italy, where homeowners pull those shutters completely closed during the heat of the day in summer. I get it–I just can’t imagine doing it myself. Depressing! Thank god for A/C!