December 29th teardown on Morninside Drive, Atlanta

They tell us that the economy is horrible, that nobody is building. So yesterday they tore down a house on Morningside Drive.

I Regret This Teardown

We talked about Ansley Park carriage houses this week, one of Atlanta's greatest neighborhoods is denser that you think. Morningside too but it's getting less so.

Replacing multi-family with single-family is gentrification on steroids. Fewer students, singles, starter families, and empty nesters can live around here anymore. We won't get them back.



This multi-unit wasn't in sparkling condition.


There were 3 multi-families in a row built in the mid-30's according the property tax records.


They were so well integrated I didn't pay much attention. I got this picture from Google.


The replacement house (not shown) is just fine but you can't do this mix anymore.

Faux Chateau is No Mo and I'm sad.

It was a big 1952 brick rancher on a half acre. I don't exactly when, before 1990 for sure. I don't know by whom, but they turned it into a lovable modern - a POMO - and gave it a nickname: "The Faux Chateau" during construction.


Inside it was breathtaking, spacious, and fun. It was a gallery; the owners were collectors.

It wasn't a 1952 rancher anymore.


Now it's an $800K tear-down.


I saw it for the first time on a Morningside - Lenox Park Tour of Homes in the late 80's I think, soon after the conversion.


They haven't yet leveled the garage, but they will.


I saw it again last year when it was for sale. It was perfect both times.

But at 2,719 square feet, 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths, it was no longer "in" in this neighborhood.


Here is was with it's rancher neighbors.


The rancher next door is now a mansion.

That's what you do these days.

John Willis Custom Homes' sign is in the yard and and they do fine work.


But I'm feeling sad.

On Peachtree You Can't Do It Like This Anymore

Demolition of 109 Seventh Street Atlanta, the J. A. McCord Apartment 1923 designed by Neel Reid of Hentz, Reid & Adler. It faces Seventh Street but it's just 50 yards from Peachtree.

Picture taken 2012-12-18.



"Rumor that this was a Reid design proved correct. First Occupied in 1923."  - J. Neel Reid: Architect of Hentz, Reid and Adler and the Georgia School of Classicists by William R. Mitchell.

 
If you've lived in Atlanta long enough and frequent midtown, you might have caught this out of the corner of your eye.


Which one doesn't belong? Each floor had two, 2 bedroom apartments. This shows the three east side apartments.

White and Pointy - 80 years apart

I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to Susan! Not a nice metamorphosis now, but let's hope these come back.

This new house - a teardown - by Atlanta architect Bradley E. Heppner - takes my breath away. It's a 2009 Morningside interpretation of something older. But isn't everything? In any case I love the pointy shapes, the simplicity, the interesting roof, the straightforward windows. I think it will be on magazine covers.



So here is a 1929'er in Druid Hills. I've been driving by it forever, always enjoying the simple white shapes. Would you keep the white windows or go for a more metal look?


The new one is a bit stark in the picture, it hasn't weathered in yet, the driveway too new. In person, it's striking but not so stark. Can you imagine white windows?


My field guide to American homes says that English houses have a door emphasis, French ones a roof emphasis. I include the door surround for Things That Inspire's post about a "carved" doorway.


Compare to the neighboring house. I've been watching it since before the teardown. Every day has been interesting. Exterior walls are concrete block with hard coat stucco.


The more I look, the more I learn, the deeper I look, the more I like.

Thanks,
Terry

P.S. What I particularly appreciate about architects and builders: Their work is forever in public and can't come in out of the rain.


That can mean gutter rocket science.

Thanks to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Teardown gets it's rafters

Lot's more to go before this is pretty: wood shingles, clapboard, stone, curvy porch roof, arches, columns, balconies, chimneys, eyebrow, dovecote...

We've been waiting to see the roof line. It defines the outlines, massing, the height, and the relationship with neighboring houses. (see a "wall of dread" picture in the P.S.)


There is no getting around the bigness...


...but I think the final shape moderates the bigness. This is a well designed house. Great detailing will emerge as the house nears completion. I believe it will make its neighbors look better.





Here it is in context with it's neighbors, pictures you don't see in real estate listings which always show houses as if they are the only one on the block.


The new house is making the houses on either side look different but surprisingly they don't look smaller. That's not ironclad 100% yummy goodness - I mean- those houses would look better with a garden between them.

It's a skill we don't appreciate: Architect Bob DeFiore can't make today's house look like it's neighbors. Nobody builds houses like it's neighbors any more. But within the constraints and tradeoffs between, owners requirements, costs, loans, and zoning, he controls the masses and roof lines, the details and finishes.


There is a pleasant framing / backdrop effect for the existing houses. Rather than being somewhat indistinguishable from their neighbors. Now they stand alone, framed by bigger houses in different styles, now unique rather than a pea in a pod.

Now the small houses have the deep front yards. It's part illusion, but still a luxury in our neighborhood.

Lot's more to go before this is pretty: wood shingles, clapboard, stone, curvy roofs, arches, columns, balconies, chimneys...

Here is the whole slide show


Thanks,
Terry

P.S. This is a big wall of dread in Ashford Park...


I'm sure they expected to tear down all the existing houses but I'm not crazy about the new ones.

We partied at Sterling Hall, a new mansion on Paces Ferry

My mouth got repetitive stress injury from saying "Wow." It was the kick-off party. The World of Rugs launched of their new brand, The Foundry Home Furnishings. The party was at Sterling Hall, a tear-down show-house across the street from Pace Academy. The Foundry has posted some pictures.



It's not quite the place for our empty nest dotage but we want to party with those guys.

If an ad says, "multi-part crown moldings dialed to 11," you'll know.


If you are doing a tear-down on Paces Ferry, your foyer will need hammer beams, a curvy indoor balcony, and a righteous chandelier just for starters, right?


You'll want lot's of fireplaces with as many caryatids as you can get.


I can't imagine a better party house. There were at least 50 people in just this one room. And there are bigger rooms.


It's all just too much and we loved it, we loved being there. I'm impressed with Shane Meder of Black Sheep Interiors who did the interiors. Understated, un-precious, and unintimidating, I felt welcome to go anywhere and sit in any chair.

This was a comfortable bedroom. Assistant Architecture Tourist photographer KK took a picture of Nathan Williams from The Foundry.


The master is bigger than a gymnasium but we chatted happily in comfy twin couches in front a a fireplace, looking at the mirror wall. What a wall.


Here it is before the tear-down.


A 10 second drive-by.

Very Prominent Teardown/Poptop on North Highland -Part 1

It's at the corner of Morningside and North Highland, one of our busiest crossroads. The curves and hills make this house a terminal vista. This one will have more visual impact than other renovations in the neighborhood. Could it be too good?

They seem to be raising the roof rather than tearing it down.


On Tuesday guys in HASMAT suits started on the siding, working in the rain.


I wonder if they'll keep the porch a porch. I always liked it.


This is the approach on Morningside. You can't miss it. It's not a landmark building; it was never meant to be fabulous, more a work-a-day family home.

The 2 Morningside/Rockspring intersections are a bit more upscale; so is the Rocksprings/North Highland intersection.


This was a quadraplex. That tax records imply that it was converted from single family, who knows when?

It was always well kept. The generous front porch seemed cozy even on this intersection.


I always wonder how they fit four apartments in there. The skylights must light a livable upstairs.


Must be a unit downstairs too.

I wonder what it will look like. I wonder if it will remain multi-unit or go single-family.


I hope it's good.

In Part 2 I'll show you the intersection.

Demolition Heartbreaker in Virginia-Highland

I've blogged about it before ("Why waste a great garage on a stupid car?") It's been for sale on and off for a while. It's not everybody's favorite.

I loved the porch roof, the bodacious pink trim, awesome garage/workshop and unequaled location. It's much more than meets the eye.


Here is a closer look.




The owner said folks had offered to buy the porch roof and build him another.


Well, they are rehabbing the house, they tore off the porch, it's now in pieces at the bottom of the dumpster.

I asked the demo guys. They said, "I wish you'd told us, I'd have sold it to you for $20."

I want to cry.