Gut Reno on Gates
[nggallery id=”35152″ template=galleryview] When we saw this post go up on the Forum last week, we emailed the poster and asked to see more photos of the 5-story gut renovation he’d been performing on a brownstone on the eastern edge of Clinton. He obliged, along with a brief description below. The project came about as…
[nggallery id=”35152″ template=galleryview]
When we saw this post go up on the Forum last week, we emailed the poster and asked to see more photos of the 5-story gut renovation he’d been performing on a brownstone on the eastern edge of Clinton. He obliged, along with a brief description below.
The project came about as a way to give myself a informal, tactile education in architecture and building. I was trained as an engineer but I always felt curious about the built environment, partly its appearance, of course, but moreso how it is put together and how it affects us psychologically, emotionally, and socially. I came across this building about two and a half years ago and it was a wreck – no working plumbing or electrical above the parlor floor, every window was shot as was every flight of stairs, all three roofs leaked liked sieves, and it was snowing in the top stairwell. Still, I loved the scale of the building and the details, and it was undoubtedly a big project, bigger than I could probably handle, which made it that much more enticing.
I collaborated on the design with Public, a firm from San Diego, California, where I lived before moving to New York. We knew getting light in the middle of the building was important, as was taking advantage of the building’s stepbacks to create outdoor space. And we wanted to preserve some of the building’s sweet ruin and add modern elements carefully and in balance with the building’s delicate detail. This was probably the hardest and most time-consuming part, creating details in the language of modern materials and construction realities that didn’t feel faux-historic or forced. Hopefully we managed to succeed in a few places – whether or not we did, I got my education, and opened up all kinds of possibilities in my head for what and how to build in a brownstone.
Hi Eli,
Welcome to the neighborood. We live one block over on Gates, bought our B’stone the same time as you did, and had the same misconception about how much energy, time and money a gut restoration would take. Manny Lassalle took me over to your house at times in order to cheer me up when I thought we made the biggest mistake ever when we embarked on this endeavor. We followed your example of wood stripping, radiator blasting, fireplace restoring etc. so, thank you.
Our house’s style is more traditional than yours, but I like your final product, congratulations.
One thing you did that I regret not doing is soundproofing the bedrooms. It aes only after we moved in that we realized we needed it.
When I recover from the ordeal (and win the lottery), I’ll get in touch with you, if you don’t mind, to get your opinion on that issue.
In the end, we absolutely love our house and think it was worth the effort. Financially, it will take eons to break even.
Enjoy your house,
Ruth
As one brownstone renovater to another — all I can say is that I feel and appreciate your pain and revel in the glow of your triumph. Congrats! I hope success is sweet for you.
Thanks for all the kind feedback and thoughtful remarks and suggestions! As for the questions:
Windows
All the windows and doors are Pella architect-series wood windows. Not cheap, also not perfect, but built well, good proportions, and good thermal performance. All the windows were installed by one of my contractors, R Frost Design Build, who does tons of window jobs for Pella and Marvin.
Energy-saving measures
I went with pretty simple and in some ways old fashioned ways of saving energy:
– lots of natural light in every space on every floor to reduce usage of artificial lighting
– operable transom windows, large patio doors, windows on two sides of rooms when possible to improve natural ventilation
– overhangs and trellises on south-facing windows, converting roofs to planted decks to cut summer sun
– full window replacement, exterior wall insulation, zone pumps for each floor, radiant floors where practical, re-sized high efficiency boilers to improve heating efficiency
– salvaging & re-using existing building materials
There were plenty of decisions that involved trading off aesthetics and efficiency [exposed beams in the attic and exposed concrete being two of the big ones], but I tried to make these sacrifices only when it seemed very important for the aesthetic integrity of the project and when I could find a solution that got me back some efficiency.
More Project Info
You can find a lot more construction photos of the project on public’s website [publicdigital.com -> ‘Under Construction’ -> ‘Fernald Brownstone’]. I’d be happy to answer other specific questions about the project as well, here or by email.
Lessons learned
I could write a small novel here, but I’m not sure if I’d be writing it to another first-time owner-builder or to someone looking to hire a GC. I almost certainly wouldn’t have done this project if I knew how difficult, stressful, consuming, and expensive it was going to be. It was an extraordinary experience, and I got to make almost exactly what I wanted to make inside and outside of this building, which I feel very fortunate about, but it was draining in every imaginable way. But, if you’re curious and excited enough about how a building goes together and about how to do a year-long piece of collaborative sculpture and engineering with 30 construction workers, expediters, inspectors, suppliers, creditors,etc, and you’re not afraid of going broke, plunge on in!!! General contracting is maddening and extremely satisfying in similar measures.
Cost
I’d rather not put up specific numbers, so the best I can do is say what the big ticket items are in a project like this:
– being inexperienced and slow and carrying the building for two and a half years during design, permitting, and construction
– windows & doors
– structural work [steel, excavation, foundation, etc]
– poured concrete dining room extension
– plumbing & heating
– roof removal & re-structuring to support exterior decks
Beautiful work being done.
The light shaft really brings it into the 21st century. I’ve also seen a few rowhouses where reflective light tubes are brought down from the roof level to lower floors.
Nice combination of materials througout, even the exposed brick works. The re-design reminds me alot of the green house movement in New Zealand.
Any information on energy saving measures taken and sustainable materials?
Hello Eli, glad to see that things are coming along! It’s amazing to see what you have done to this house.
Looks great so far, I hope the decorating is as equally thoughtful and spirited. (You might want to visit Darr on Atlantic Ave for some pieces) A great renovation need not be a full return to the original grandeur. Modern interventions do need to be thoughtful and purposeful.
Please tell us who did the windows…Pretty please, with sugar on top!
me want to live there!! 🙂
“Me want to go to there”