Wednesday, October 17, 2007

I just toured a house with some folks who I believe had been on the Deutschtown House Tour. It soon became apparent these folks had minimal appreciation for old houses and instead wanted to remove all the interior walls to create large, modern spaces. I really wish people who appreciated the antique nature of our homes could be found to live in them. I don't see much point in living like a Victorian, but I don't understand the desire to make these old townhomes look like a downtown condo with an old stairway. There's a certain charm in the antique, and unfortunately that seems lost on many of today's urban homebuyers. I'm big on city life, but there are those who are better suited to the suburbs. If you want big expanses of space, better to build new and slap in an old mantle.

1 comment:

A Girl said...

i agree with this. one of the things i find most frustrating about looking for real estate in phila is that the majority of the homes have already been bought and been through similar renovations, so it is extremely hard to find an older home that doesn't look like a loft or condo. i love the old charm, and sometimes having smaller, more intimate rooms creates a better space. and i am so sick of seeing home depot cabinets and granite countertops i could scream, but that's a whole other issue.

i enjoy your blog, and like to keep up with things in the 'burgh. hopefully i'm be able to move back one of these days! know of any open planning jobs for an experienced community planner? (kidding.)