2007 Victorian Flatbush Tour: The Day After
From the looks of the massive photoset that local blogger Flatbush Gardener uploaded to Flickr last night, this year’s house tour of Victorian Flatbush was a winner, a sentiment echoed in his blog post on the day. “This was the third year in a row I’ve gone on the house tour [and] this year was…
From the looks of the massive photoset that local blogger Flatbush Gardener uploaded to Flickr last night, this year’s house tour of Victorian Flatbush was a winner, a sentiment echoed in his blog post on the day. “This was the third year in a row I’ve gone on the house tour [and] this year was actually one of the best overall,” he writes. “There was variety in the houses shown, largely because nearly every neighborhood of Victorian Flatbush was represented on the tour.” Were other readers also impressed? What were the highlights of the tour?
2007 Victorian Flatbush House Tour [Flatbush Gardener]
2007 Victorian Flatbush House Tour [Flickr]
Anon 6/12 3:47p: I don’t volunteer because I want to be able to go on the tour! Volunteers have to be available for at least a half-shift, which is not enough time to visit everything, even this year.
I’ve been trying to think of a way I could get my gardens on next year’s tour. Maybe as a refreshment stop.
Xris,
Perhaps you should volunteer for next years tour and voice your suggestions to FDC.
Anon 6:48PM: There was no house from Ditmas Park on the tour this year, either. That’s unusual.
Anon 7:08PM: The past two years, the “No interior photos” rule was clearly labelled, so I didn’t even ask. This year, I couldn’t find anything in the tour guide nor at the houses. As I explained in my blog, I asked for permission at each house before I took any photos inside. At only one house was I told, without asking, that no photos were allowed; in that case, I thanked the volunteer and capped my lens.
Any rules must be clearly indicated to visitors, not just volunteers, both in the tour guide, and at each house. It also helps for volunteers to express the policy verbally, reminding visitors with cameras that no photos are permitted, in my example. In the press of visitors, it’s a challenge for volunteers to repeat all the rules to everyone entering the door.
Overall, the signage and other materials this year was excellent; this one small change would help visitors follow the rules.
Vinyl siding is not in keeping with the architectural heritage of the Victorian Flatbush. Houses in landmarked neighborhoods, such Prospect Park South and Ditmas Park, are not allowed to put up siding (unless siding was put in place prior to landmarking). There are currently movements to landmark the remaining neighborhoods of Victorian Flatbush. New vinyl siding will not be permitted if these neighborhoods are given landmark status.
Anon 6:48 here. Certainly no snootyness intended on my part. I understand all too well about “funzalo” syndrome. As I stated, most people have probably concentrated on the interiors. I am sure that to have one of these enormous homes stripped of old siding, housewrapped and reshingled is more than I would care to spend. Just as I am sure that it costs a pretty penny to restore a Brownstone or Limestome facade. Beautiful neighborhood with or without vinyl though.
Before people get too snooty about vinyl siding, let me note that we put it on our VF house after an extensive interior renovation and mechanical upgrade did not leave us the funds to remove the nasty asphalt-and-whatever shingle on the exterior and re-side with authentic and high-maintenance materials. The house looks far, far better than it did when we bought it. So, for some houses, vinyl is an improvement rather than an abomination.
Xris,
Interior photos were not allowed this year. As a Victorian Flatbush resident, I voluteered to work on the tour. All volunteers received written instructions from FDC which included instructions that “No food, beverage or photo taking within the homes of our hosts unless specifically allowed by the host.” Some homeowners granted permission and others did not. Some visitors asked volunteers for permission to take photos but if the homeowners were not present to give consent at that moment, the volunteers politely informed the guests that photos would not be allowed. I think that this may be standard on all of the tours. You did manage some very nice photos though.
I did not get to see all of the homes on the tour but what I saw was impressive. The guidebook is a big help and assisted in sorting out the perimeters of each sub-neighborhood. Each of the Victorian Flatbush neighborhoods had at least one home on the tour with the exception of Caton Park, West Midwood and Ablemarle-Kenmore Terrace. Arsenicandoldlace noted that there were not many knock out exteriors. Homeowners probably renovated interiors before venturing outside. I did notice several homeowners having their clapboards and shingles painted though. Kudos to them for not opting for vinyl siding. Tour well organized and enjoyable.
And SOUTH Midwood is NORTH of Midwood!
Noone’s ever been able to explain that one to me.