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Over-The-Top-Property of the Week: Saintly Digs in Morristown, NJ

post@clickscape.com (clickscape) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:54:37 -0400

When it comes to luxury real estate, there’s special, and then there’s over-the-top. This Moorestown, NJ listing fits comfortably into the latter category, with its architectural mashup, beautiful setting, and incomparable interiors. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around where the old ends and the new begins. Since the listing offers little in the way of background, it’s hard to tell how the religious touches fit into the overall scheme of things. Were they incorporated from a historic conversion, or are they new features installed by an especially devout homeowner? Let’s call it the “Mystery in Moorestown.”

The six bed, three bath home occupies a beautiful eight acre spread along the Rancocas Creek that includes lush lawns, a generous flagstone terrace, and a beautiful pool. The view across the creek (are they sure it’s not a river?) displays a similarly serene vista, leading one to question exactly why New Jersey gets such a bad rap. Oh, that’s right, “Jersey Shore.” Let’s talk about the house itself; no exact date is given, but the listing describes it as a 19th century estate. You get a completely different impression depending on which view of the structure you’re given. There’s a slate-roofed Second Empire section with a great porch that we’ll assume is the oldest component. The front facade is something we’ve never before encountered: read from left to right it’s composed of a columned portico, a fairy tale French Normandy tower, and a quasi-Italianate wing replete with Gothic stained glass windows. Is this starting to sound like a glossary yet?

Inside, the original section retains its plaster moldings and gleaming South Jersey red pine floors. It’s in the newer addition that things start to get, shall we say, unorthodox. For starters, there’s an all out chapel that sets the tone for the rest of the house with its religious windows and classical details. Did we mention its domed ceiling inset with a massive chandelier worthy of a Trump-anything? The two story great room possibly gives away the intent of whoever designed this unique specimen: it gives the feeling of a converted church. You could certainly hold some kind of service with all the multiple seating areas at your disposal. The kitchen received the ecclesiastical treatment in the form of arches galore and gilded details, but honestly the creek view is the real showstopper. Even if the eventual buyer doesn’t care for some of the more custom touches, the idyllic surroundings might be enough to make one overlook an altar or two.

Colonial Cousins: The Philadelphia Row House and the Charleston Single

post@clickscape.com (clickscape) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:55:00 -0400

It’s said that architecture has become irrelevant. With the advent of globalization, air conditioning, and wireless technology, the same structure could theoretically function just as well in Scotland, Scottsdale, or Scarsdale. This is what makes local building traditions so important; they’re a reminder of an era when a building had to be tailored to its location. We already delved into the shotgun houses of Memphis, so now we’ll travel east to look at the homegrown housing types of Philadelphia and Charleston. Philly was the birthplace of the rowhouse, which spread to plenty of other Northeastern cities, while the Charleston Single house for the most part stayed in one place for its 200 year run. Here’s a quick look at how these two modes came to characterize their respective cities and still charm the pants off of visitors and residents alike.

The rowhouse first popped up in Philadelphia around the turn of the 18th century. Although William Penn desired a “greenie country town” of detached homes and plenty of greenspace, economics and the need to house a lot of people quickly displaced this ideal with rows of attached housing. There’s some controversy on which block holds the title as oldest in America. Some say its Elfreth’s Alley, while others will name Jewelers’ Row; it depends on whether one defines rowhouse is a speculative development, as was the case with Jewelers’ Row.

The most interesting thing about the rowhouse is how it can vary while still retaining the same one to four story, narrow and long configuration. The earliest examples tend to be plain but well built, while some that went up during the Victorian era completely deserve their “wedding cake” metaphor. Some may feature stoops or even porches and tiny yards, and others meet the sidewalk point blank. Beside style and features, rowhouses could be categorized by the social class they housed. The barely-getting-by to the pompous nouveau riche all occupied the same basic configuration. Unless it’s on the end, some creativity may be in order when it comes to maximizing the light in a rowhouse; also, storage is usually at a premium.

The Charleston Single house isn’t too different from a Philadelphia row house, in that they tend to both be long and narrow. However, there’s one huge difference. A Charleston Single features double porches perpendicular to the street; the front door is actually a door onto the porch. Make that “piazza.” The piazzas typically overlook some kind of garden space, which in the early days usually also served as a place to grow food. In some cases, the greenery has been replaced with a more utilitarian purpose indicative of our times: auto parking. In addition to being just plain beautiful and a great place to wile away the afternoon, the piazzas and the one room wide configuration of the Charleston Single lent itself well to air ventilation, which is serious business in a muggy place like the Lowncountry.

Rumors abound concerning the origin of the Charleston Single. Some say it’s derived from the architecture of Barbados, where many wealthy Charlestonians had sugar crop holdings. A more colorful explanation is that homes in 18th century Charleston were taxed on the width of their facades, which is also a tall tale. Even the typical porch ceiling color,a heavenly shade of sky blue, was said to repel ghosts and/or mosquitoes. You know how people in the South like to talk…

Historic Midtown: Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, Baby

post@clickscape.com (clickscape) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:31:48 -0400

Midtown Atlanta has its name tossed around more than pig leather at the Super Bowl. Areas that technically have nothing to do with the district (west of the Connector, or south of North Avenue) are given the “M” name as a descriptor in hopes that some of its desirability will do its magic. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? If you want to be solidly in the middle of it all, take a gander at the intriguing neighborhood south of Tenth Street and bound by Juniper Street and Monroe Drive, sometimes referred to as “Historic Midtown.” It’s the real deal.

Historic Midtown developed in the late 19th century partly as a result of Atlanta’s natural northward progression, but also as a consequence of two popular recreational spots: the Ponce Springs amusement park (now the site of Ponce City Market), and what became Piedmont Park after the Atlanta Exposition. Streetcar lines were extended to serve these activity centers, and not surprisingly people saw the residential opportunities waiting to be exploited in the area.

Unlike the majority of Atlanta, most of the neighborhood’s laid out on a simple grid system, which makes wayfinding approximately 1,839 times easier than say, Ansley Park. Development carried on until after the Second World War, giving the neighborhood plenty of architectural diversity. Grander homes are found on Piedmont Avenue and Myrtle Street, while most of the interior blocks are filled with modest bungalows, foursquares, and a whole slew of 1910s/1920s revival styles. Post-WWII development was generally restricted to low brick apartment buildings.

Although Historic Midtown’s composed of leafy streets and plenty of single family homes, it garners high praise for its walkability. Walkscore.com gives the center of the neighborhood a rating of “Very Walkable.” All points of the compass offer something interesting worthy of a walk or short bike ride. Of course, Piedmont Park is a huge attraction just north of the neighborhood. To the west is the more urban district of Midtown, increasingly composed of highrises centered along Peachtree Street. Atlanta fave Viriginia Highland is to the east, while the burgeoning and hip ‘hood Old Fourth Ward is directly to the south.

Prices in Historic Midtown depend on condition and type: single family homes typically start around $300,000 for a fixer upper and can top $1M, while condos in the neighborhood range from under $100,000 to $400,000. Find Midtown properties here.

Over-The-Top-Property of the Week: Living Large in Rittenhouse Square

post@clickscape.com (clickscape) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:11:42 -0400

2023 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 – $3,350,000

We’re having a little too much fun salivating over the extraordinary real estate listings of Philadelphia. We won’t be wanting for Over-the-Top-Properties any time soon, that’s for sure. With plenty to choose from, it seemed like 2023 Locust Street, the Lippincott Mansion, would be a great place to start. This regal urban manor has graced the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood since 1897 with an austere facade of tan brick and stone. Most recently serving as a bed and breakfast, it could just as easily house impressive offices or a fantastically elegant abode. $3,350,000 isn’t junk change, but if you transported this home to the best streets of the Upper East Side you’d be guaranteed the addition of another zero. Think of the deal!

The Gilded Age was a time of uninhibited opulence, and the Lippincott Mansion is no exception in that era’s attitude. The exterior is somewhat restrained, but detailed and composed in a way that says, “Yeah, we’ve got a horseless buggy and electric lights!” The difference between that and our own “Real Housewives” variety of showing off is the craftsmanship. As cliche as it sounds, they just don’t build like this anymore.

Mahogany woodwork in the common room, Brazilian rosewood in the lounge; elaborately carved mantles inset with bronze detailing; and oodles of stained glass throughout add up to an extravaganza of eye candy. It’s got one of those vertigo-inducing staircases from which you can’t help but imagine a dramatic plunge. Not to mention, the place is sort of huge: 9 bedrooms, 5 full and 2 half baths for a total of around 10,000 square feet. The facade is described as being double wide, which is just as important in Philadelphia as it is in Mississippi. We kid!

If you’re going to live well in Philly, there are few better choices than the vicinity of Rittenhouse Square. It’s truly one of America’s urban jewels; since at least the mid-19th century an address in its vicinity has denoted prestige. The greenspace itself is an ideal spot for strolling and people watching, and it also plays host to a yearly lineup of flower markets and art exhibitions. Surrounding the square are chic apartment buildings, hotels, and upscale restaurants and shopping. How could you go wrong?

Clickscape now available in the Delaware Valley

post@clickscape.com (clickscape) — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:23:32 -0400

Clickscape is pleased to announce that you can now search for listings in the Delaware Valley metropolitan region on our website! From Northern Delaware to the Jersey Shore, Rittenhouse Square to Reading, PA, it’s all here. In recognition of this milestone, we’ve put together a little primer highlighting some key facts and quirky footnotes that define this area’s dynamic character and the city around which it revolves, Philadelphia. In an area that’s been continuously built up since the early 1600s, there’s bound to be interesting real estate!

Photo by B. Krist

The Delaware Valley (which follows the Delaware River) is the 6th largest metropolitan area in the US with 6.53 million people as of the 2010 census; Philadelphia is the country’s 5th most populous city with 1,526,006 residents.
The region boasts a couple of of mall milestones: the King of Prussia Mall is the largest on the East Coast, while New Jersey’s Cherry Hill Mall was the first enclosed mall built on the East Coast, opening in 1961.
After decades of loss, the city of Philadelphia is expected to start displaying population gains as more and more people discover the city’s charms. It’s been especially attractive to artists priced out of New York City.
Fortune 500 companies based in the Valley include AstraZeneca, HSBC Bank USA, Aramark, Campbell Soup Company, Cigna, Comcast, DuPont, and QVC.
Much of Philadelphia’s grittier urban character derives from the remnants of its past glory as a manufacturing center, but the city’s economy is know dominated by financial activities, health education and research, and tourism.
William Penn originally intended for Philadelphia to be characterized by low density housing and gardens, however, economics won out and the city’s developers built intensely. In fact, Society Hill holds the honor of housing the country’shighest concentration of 18th century structures.
The air around Philadelphia is pulsing with brain waves, as its home to the second highest concentration of students on the East Coast.
The rowhouse was introduced into this country by way of Philadelphia. Strip after strip of attached housing characterizes the typical Philly neighborhood street scene.
Philadelphia is a city chock full of older housing stock: 41.73% of it was built in 1939 or earlier, while only .99% has been constructed since 1990. (Trulia)
Fitler Square is currently Philly’s most expensive neighborhood, with an average list price of almost $1,000,000.
The Reading Terminal Market has been a destination and a landmark since 1892; today it houses an amazing selection of baked goods, meats, produce, flowers, ethnic foods,cookware, and restaurants. In other words, it’s not all about the cheesesteak. Or is it?