attached mini-mansards with different front elevations (did I use the word right? I mean the front walls are set at differing points back from the sidewalk.)
Setback, I believe, would be the word you seek, young padawan. Good gravy, what a mess: mismatched windows everywhere, including two mismatching, false-muntin casements on the the 2nd fl left (the left one appears to be open, to boot; makes me wonder if they have a boiler/rad system; I've known people who've done this), two original windows remaining on the right elev., failing vinyl siding, mismatched siding, two front elevation entrance doors, one side elev. door. Oy. I bet this thing has some water infiltration issues, as well. About the only redeeming qualities are the original cornice, and the fact that the house still exists. So, do you ask why the setback? Don't know for certain, except that perhaps the door on the side elevation would have been for public entrance, whereas the left door empties into the kitchen, or some other private area. The third door is definitely not original to the house, and I can't even begin to speculate as to its purpose. I'm guessing that the whole thing is contiguous, or once was. I really don't know why these setbacks occur, other than there were some strange laws on the books back then, and someone may have exploited a loop hole to avoid paying some weird tax on fenestration, just because he was cheap. Hmmm, I wonder if this is one of those rare birds in the City: a frame house. If not, hoo boy. Vinyl siding on a brick house. Not the first time I've seen it, but still...Always fun to ponder a post like this. Thanks. Sorry if I haven't been more helpful.
attached mini-mansards with different front elevations (did I use the word right? I mean the front walls are set at differing points back from the sidewalk.)
Apparently many German-Americans liked to have gardens in their front yards.
ReplyDeleteSetback, I believe, would be the word you seek, young padawan. Good gravy, what a mess: mismatched windows everywhere, including two mismatching, false-muntin casements on the the 2nd fl left (the left one appears to be open, to boot; makes me wonder if they have a boiler/rad system; I've known people who've done this), two original windows remaining on the right elev., failing vinyl siding, mismatched siding, two front elevation entrance doors, one side elev. door. Oy. I bet this thing has some water infiltration issues, as well. About the only redeeming qualities are the original cornice, and the fact that the house still exists. So, do you ask why the setback? Don't know for certain, except that perhaps the door on the side elevation would have been for public entrance, whereas the left door empties into the kitchen, or some other private area. The third door is definitely not original to the house, and I can't even begin to speculate as to its purpose. I'm guessing that the whole thing is contiguous, or once was. I really don't know why these setbacks occur, other than there were some strange laws on the books back then, and someone may have exploited a loop hole to avoid paying some weird tax on fenestration, just because he was cheap. Hmmm, I wonder if this is one of those rare birds in the City: a frame house. If not, hoo boy. Vinyl siding on a brick house. Not the first time I've seen it, but still...Always fun to ponder a post like this. Thanks. Sorry if I haven't been more helpful.
ReplyDeleteWell, there you go. Gardening. Curses, foiled by Occam's razor, logic, and cultural memory again! :)
ReplyDelete