With 2104-2106 Cedar Street apparently safe for now, there is some decidedly mixed news coming to light about 2116 Cedar Street.
David Herring of ACORN gave a short presentation about recent developments at 2116 at the recent Union Hill Historic District Study Group meeting. Having spent much of the past few years trying to save this house, David shared that, despite his efforts, this iconic house will soon have to be demolished (possibly as soon as the coming week).
The property is supported by 2 retaining walls. The retaining wall perpendicular to Cedar Street has been degrading, and the April’s record-breaking rain has only hastened the wall’s inevitable collapse.
An interesting and novel development, though, is that there is a plan in the works to save as much of the original detail of the house as possible and rebuild a new version of the house (PDF) on the lot. The thinking is that renovation of the current structure would involve having to shore up the house so that the retaining could be dealt with, and that in all likelihood the house would not hold up to all of this activity.
This plan to rebuild will require the ok of the community, as under current code the lot would be considered unbuildable.
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This plan received unanimous approval from the neighbors in attendance at last night’s meeting of the Union Hill Historic Distric Initiative.
We are drafting a letter of support and will submit it to ACORN next week.
While it’s lamentable the home was not restored a few years ago when it was still in good structural shape, we are relieved that the rebuilding will begin swiftly and the new structure will feature surviving architectural details from the original structure.
With ACORN’s sure hand shepherding this project, we are confident this plan will yeild the best possible outcome for the Union Hill community.
In David’s words, “this will be a phoenix that rises from the ashes.”
Elaine… while I am glad someone is going to try and salvage as much of the old and rebuilt the rest, the two front porches I believe are not period to the house? I may be wrong but know the embellishments there now are characteristic to a house built in the 1890s not 1830s. The first floor (which is actually the basement) didn’t have a porch when built but only what was on the first floor (now the second floor) after the roads were lowered as Bill pointed out and probably only a stoop type porch?
Eric
eric, so what’s your point?
Try and change the porch back to original like they are doing with the house on Mosby to keep the archetecture close to original. If it is being salvaged, should be restored in the process.
Eric
Who says the house has to be restored to its 1850/60s appearance? The victorian porch is interesting and shows that the house has been a living building over multiple eras.
After all, we don’t want a museum, we want a living neighborhood.
Eric, this house is ACORN’s baby. Personally, if if’t good enough for ACORN, it’s good enough for me (and a lot of other grateful Union Hill residents.)
I trust ACORN’s (board of directors and staff)judgement on this implicitly.
I’ve adored the house and have taken a few of it. I’d love to live in its replica… but timing is not right…
Neighbor in Union Hill and Elaine… Here we go again. If you are going to restore houses DO THEM CORRECTLY and back to original appearance. That is cosmetically. Just fixing up what is there is only “fixing” them up and not restoring them. I disagree, they ARE museum pieces hence “historical” houses and should be treated as such. If you don’t want to fix them up accurately, buy a 1950s rancher in the suburbs and let someone who can appreciate the historical aspects do it.
Eric
So Eric…. I would suspect that since your house is one of the oldest on the Hill, you visit the outhouse on a regular basis? Now don’t even begin to tell me that you have those things called lightbulbs over at your place. 🙂
William… You are splitting hairs here. Give it a rest. How many times do I have to reiterate that “cosmetically” it should be accurate – meaning any “wood and/or brick” structures. Things like electrical, plumbing, heating, etc… are necessary and should be updated. But things like floors, windows, porches, siding, roofs, etc… should remain original to the “original” design of the house.
Eric
2116 Cedar Street has had all of its historic materials removed and all is being stored at the contractor’s warehouse until the new house is ready to receive them. The house will be demolished *very soon*, probably this week.
maybe this blog needs a limit on how many times one geek can belabor a point. now i dont want to name any names and he seems like a very nice old lady but for gods sake could somebody take huffstutlers keyboard away?if i wanted to read the eric chronicles i would ask him to start a blog. he could call it confessions of a know it all and we could choose to not read it instead of being forced to endure his snarky pedantic musings. i know this sounds personal but really dude how about a little forbearance ? your typing diarhea attacks are not a substitute for actual communication. oh and yeah i am not trying to quash poor erics right to free speech. it would be nice to read one post without the old witch of 27th street weighing in on how he once again has the only right answer to whatever question is being asked.buddy(i am not your buddy)corbett.