Great Opportunities!

There is a lot of good news for owners of historic properties like the Dayton House.  The tax credits available as a result of the historic status of these houses means that energy efficient repairs and upgrades are potentially eligible for a 20% credit (i.e. refund) on your income tax.  The amount spent must be at least five thousand dollars.  This amount may be daunting for those who don’t have the cash to put into the house to begin with.

Well, there is a new program offered by the New York State Energy Research Development Authority which may make the cash part of the idea doable for those in historic homes with good credit but not a lot of cash on hand.  It is the On-Bill Recovery Loan program which was announced this week.

Eligible homeowners can finance approved improvements with a low interest loan.  The payments are figured in as part of your monthly utility bill. The interest rate is fixed at just below three percent.  There is a processing fee of $150 and you can borrow up to 13K.  Your monthly installment is not supposed to exceed the amount of savings you will realize by making the repair or upgrade.  You can also pay the loan off early if you’d like. For details on the program, click here.

Things that would qualify for the loan would be air sealing, insulation, boilers, water heaters, air conditioners, light fixtures and some appliances.  Not all of these things would qualify for the historic tax credit but many would.  The work must be done by an Energy Star certified contractor.

One thing we had always wanted to do was put in an exhaust fan in the attic.  That would likely qualify for both the loan program and the historic tax credit.  So might gas inserts for the fireplaces.  Another nice thing about the loan is that it is transferable to the next owner.

Given that the historic tax credit is 20%, you would still come out ahead by taking out the loan – in fact, the credit basically pays for the interest!  And best of all, you’d be helping the house and the environment.

It's a Cellar -- Not a Basement

This is a picture of an old-style cellar door, often referred to as a bulk-head.   In earlier days, the Dayton House almost certanly had a trap-door like this.  Eventually it was covered by what is now the side porch and the access is covered with a trap-door that is not unlike the one shown above, except that it is flush to the floor and covered with linoleum.  Old exterior basement doors are/were susceptible to rotting and rusting, and many of the old wood doors that still remained exposed to the elements end up ultimately being replaced by steel doors.   Keeping the doors in good condition is a crucial part of protecting a cellar from moisture, cold air and debris.   Luckily, the doors in the Dayton House are protected by a porch.

Modern steel doors look more like this:

Here’s an example of a bulkhead on a home near Delaware Park (66 Agassiz Circle, near the entrance to Medaille).  I picked this one as an example because it’s attached to a brick house and it is likely a configuration that existed on the Dayton House at some point.

Aside from the style, the type of foundation stone (cut and structure) along with the raised elevation marks this as home built much later than the Dayton House.

The trap door on the Dayton House is a very rudimentary form of access to a very rudimentary cellar.  The below-grade area of the house is not finished and never could be.  Aside from the fact that the foundation is a stone water table which is designed to attract moisture from the ground, finishing the basement and improving the access would make no sense.  Modern/current building code requires that furnished basements have two points of egress, which would mean either serious excavation, or a loss of living area to provide access directly through another point in the house.

In short, there is no reason to consider the type of entrance to the cellar as a problem.  The style and configuration is about the best that can be done for the style of cellar under the front portion of the house.  The below grade area of the home is the ideal place to locate the boilers and hot water tank and perhaps a stash of fine wine.  But other than that, its access is best left as is.

Woodwork

One important aspect of the Dayton House is the amount of intact woodwork.  Over the years, the original integrity of the configuration of the house and the craftsmanship of its components remained surprisingly untouched and largely unaltered.  Perhaps one reason for the near pristine and authentic quality of the work was that it was done so well to begin with and because the house was never vacant.  And although it is a zoned multi-dwelling residence, it has always been owner occupied.

The early owners of the Dayton House were affluent citizens.  A house of this style and construction would not have been built by a laborer, but more likely a mill or factory owner.  First of all, solid brick/masonry construction was the most costly form of building.  It would be today as well – if that form of construction was still employed.  It’s not, mostly because it is so costly.  The house was built in three stages and each stage was the same method of construction.

Baseboard moulding in c.1840 (original) section of the house

Woodwork and moulding in c.1870 addition of house



Another hallmark of affluent construction and design is the use of quality wood and decorative moldings.  While the Dayton House may seem inferior to more showy styles (such as Victorian), it is no less impressive with its simple style door and window frames and baseboards.  The ogee style of the woodwork is historically significant for the time in which it was produced.  Even more significant is that the style and quality was carried on throughout the entire house.  In many homes, only the public rooms received this decorative treatment.  The builders of the Dayton House, at each stage, had ample funds to employ this decorative detail to both public and private rooms.

Window sill moulding in Dining Room

Baseboard in Office/Small room off Dining Room

Upstairs Bathroom - with authentic/period tub, baseboards and Windows, original

Upstairs Bedroom, showing imrpessive molding for a non-public room

That this house was well built to start and has been dutifully maintained is obvious in the fact that most of the original components remain.  That there is so much original intact detailing is a blessing.  It is far easier to move into a historic house that is intact, than it is to take on one that needs to be restored.  The Dayton House is fortunate that it has always been occupied by owners who care about it and who want to see it survive into the future.  The original builder and subsequent builders did their part by constructing a home of quality.  Everyone who has lived here since has benefited from their work and obviously felt committed to maintaining it.   There are many aspects of the house that speak to this sense of importance.  But perhaps one of the most obvious example is found in the woodwork itself.

Furniture

Furnishing and old house can be a challenge.  Modern furniture often looks incongruous, while antiques can be cost prohibitive.  While modern over-stuffed sofas are easy to come by and certainly very comfortable, massive furniture and well stocked rooms are not the friend of old homes with wood joists.  These homes were built at a time when furniture was smaller and houses more sparsely furnished.  You do not do an old home any favors by furnishing it with large reclining sofas, waterbeds and pool tables.

Most of the Dayton House is currently furnished with older solid wood pieces.  Concessions were made for the sofa – a historically correct sofa is not going to be comfortable enough to watch a Sabres game on!  But a small scale sectional sofa fit well into the living room without over-taking it – and a diminutive couch was not an easy thing to find.

One good example of period-appropriate furniture is the dining room set.  This is a Duncan Phyfe reproduction set manufactured by Berhnardt, most likely in the mid 1900’s.   This set was purchased second hand and is not in pristine condition, but it fits well with the style of the house.  We intend to leave this set when we move on and hope it is kept in the house for future owners as it is perhaps the most aesthetically appropriate dining suite for the space.  TLC would do it justice.

Here’s a bit of info about Duncan Phyfe

Duncan Phyfe (1768-1854) was one of nineteenth-century America’s leading furniture makers.  He was born in Scotland and immigrated to Albany, NY. 

Phyfe started out as a cabinetmaker’s apprentice, eventually moving to NY City to open his own shop. He became known as one of America's leading cabinetmakers by selling affordable quality furniture.  Stylistically, his pieces encompassed a broad range of the classical styles popular in the late 1700’s (Empire, Sheraton, Regency, Classical French and Federal).  His most enduring work is a simple style which was in opposition to the imported French designs popular at the time. It’s this simplicity that makes the style of his furniture so well suited to the high quality but simple design of the Dayton House.

Duncan Phyfe's furniture is highly collectible but not easy to find.  If one were to purchase a new reproduction of his classic style drop leaf table today, it would run about $2500.00.  Here’s an example:

The set currently occupying the dining room at the Dayton House could use some refinishing.  The brass knobs on the hutch have been cleaned, but the same still remains to be done on the buffet.  The table itself has a shaky leg that has been shored up.  There is some discoloration on the table and buffet top – but in spite of this all, the set still looks right in the room:

A heavy and ornate modern dining set just isn’t a good fit for this space.

Not quite right for the room:

Old and simple is a better fit for the house than new and ornate!

Marking History in Black Rock

This sign hangs above the front door of the Dayton House and it indicates who the house is named for.

This sign is posted at the corner of Amherst and Niagara, at the Western terminus of Amherst St.  Black Rock is historic for many reasons and this marks the beginning of the section of the street where the historic district begins.

This sign marks the spot where the British landed prior to their scorch and torch efforts on December 30th 1812.  This is one of the most historic spots in the city, but few really know about it.

Down the street from the Dayton House is perhaps one of the most historic and important homes as far as the designation and district goes. The Dayton house boasts ownership by a mayor, but the Howell House was built by a man who was far more important.  History shows that he donated one million dollars to the city in order to help establish it.  Back in 1830, that was a substantial sum.  Can someone please step forward with a similar largess today?

Folks often wonder what historic designation does for a home or area.  The Federal and State designation is quite different from local districts and the effect on property values are strongly affected by the type of designation.  Federal and State designation is usually the result of an effort to protect an area, neighborhood or structure from demolition or devaluation as the result of an infrastructure project.  This was the case with Black Rock.  The study was done to protect this part of the city from a project which sought to build an international truck bridge.  The effect would have been devastating.  The study and designation has ensured a stable future for the neighborhood and we are grateful for it.

Local designations are often sought for neighborhoods that seek to achieve a certain cache and are in need of revitalization.  A prime example would be Allentown which is governed by the Allentown Association.  There is a strict committee that oversees the development and future improvements for the area and seeks to preserve the physical characteristics and charm of the district.  Within the district there are also Federal and State designated properties, but not all buildings in Allentown are designated historic.

The type of designation a structure has affects its over-all property value.  It's a complex topic and most research done to quantify the benefits have been done by urban planners and other civic organizations.  It is hard to broadly apply the results because each city/town is different. 

For Federal and State designated properties, there is extra value because of tax credits available for repairs and improvements that meet the SHPO and Federal guidelines as being done for the good of the house.  If the application does not meet standards, the work can still be done -- there is no restriction on style, materials, etc.  The issue is with what is considered worthy of receiving the tax credit.  Things like a new boiler, roof replacement, and other sort of repairs that keep the house standing.

Local districts face a different standard.  Repairs and other enhancements must keep with the character of the district and are subject to a board/committee approval.  The owner of a building in a local district faces much stronger standards and obstacles when it comes to working on their property.

Valuation of properties are affected by designations.  It is generally recognized that a designation will usually add 15% value to the property.  An additional 15% can be considered appropriate if a person of note lived or owned it.  This means the person or group needs to be rather famous or have enough notoriety to be recognizable -- or a very important event had to have taken place that is widely  known about.  An additional 15% can be added of the structure itself is of superior construction, style or quality.  On the whole a property does very well if it achieves a valuation of 131% as a result of it's status.

Often Federal/State will help add value because the cost to maintain the property is offset by tax credits and also because there is less cost involved because historically correct/committee certified material isn't required.  Homes that must go through a strict approval process can actually suffer because there is an assumption that maintenance will be more onerous.  Then again, if the district itself means the house is situated in a superior location because of the district, location can trump that concern.

The location of an historic property can affect its value too.  A home that is nearer to a major city or important historic area will generally value higher than one which is remote or further away.  A truly horrible/dangerous location might weigh negatively in the analysis of over-all value, but the designation will still probably help the building gain a higher value over other properties in proximity to it.

Finally, the cost to restore a building come into the equation.  If it will cost more than 50% of a building's over-all value to bring it up to functional and "restored" standard, that can negatively affect any sort of Cost Valuation done on the property.

This is a very general explanation.  Accurate valuation of an historic property can only be done by a highly qualified, certified and registered professional (a CRA is a Certified Residential Appraiser).  While it is generally held that an historic property carries a higher value than it's non designated counter-part a true analysis of it's value is not always easy to attain.  The major goal in determiningt the worth of any home is the life it will provide.  We are after all, living in a "home" and not a share of stock or calculated number.

Another Nice Thing About Radiators

Yet another nice thing about radiators, is that they are a great place to set dough for it to rise.  The temperature is perfect.  A lot of dough (of the flour variety) is made at the Dayton House and between this radiator and the one in the kitchen and the one in the lower bathroom, there is plenty of space to set out dough to rise.  Some weekends are baking marathons and the radiators have pots, bowls, ziplock bags lined up with all sorts of rising dough.  Yet another reason to love radiators!

Happy House Inspection!

The house was inspected today.  I know an educational business that teaches classes in building inspection.  They asked us of they could use our home for a case-study.  The goal was to give the three students a chance to inspect an old home.  The class is led by a certified instpector and all three student are already working in construction.  They were eager to see the place and did a thorough job from top to bottom.  We will get the full report on Tuesday.  He also looked the house over for pests and says we are all clear.

The instructor did a preliminary walk through on Thursday and alerted us to a cracked eave in the attic.  This one was actually on the original portion of the roof which is then topped with the addition.  This section of the roof was recovered when the tear off was done but it is still under the second full roof, so this was not a dangerous situation.  No matter, we had someone in fixing it this morning and it was done while the inspector was there -- and received his seal of approval.


We love showing this house to people who want to learn more about old homes.  I told the students about the seminar that SHPO gives for contractors too.  If we are still here in February, we've invited the next class to come an inspect the house.  Between the historical tours and these classes we feel this house has a lot to teach about construction of yesteryear's homes.  And we like knowing about anything that needs attention.  We take caring for this old house very seriously.

Sibling Rivalry

When you own a unique old house, you sometimes get a little obsessive.  In our case, we always wanted to know if the others like it in the city were still standing.  There was one we watched for years off of lower Niagara near the thruway ramp.  It was sad to see it decay further and further until finally it was demolished.  There are now no other houses like ours in the city.   But that doesn't mean I'm not still  looking out for the other old brick men (I don't consider my house a lady as he is not Victorian).    The last house I am showing at the end of this posting is on Amherst St, not far from Wegmans.  I hope that it's in good condition inside and that there is a way to get it designated if it still is intact.

This first house is no longer intact and it's sad.  This one sits on W. Delavan at the corner on Niagara.  It's been added on to.  It's now part of a used car dealership.  This house was probably built around the same time as the Dayton House got his Italianate update.  The round segmental window arches give that clue.

This is a picture of that structure from the front.  The facade has been completely obliterated.  A preservationists nightmare!

 This is a side view of an old brick building on W. Ferry near Grant.  This house was converted to offices but still appears to be part residential. It is a double too.  This building could not get historic designation on account of the windows.  It is also not as old as the Dayton House.

Here is a front view of this house.  I think the McDonald's sign distracts from it (and people think the decrepit house next to ours is a killer!).



I've picked these buildings as comparisons because they are masonry construction.  That is different than a brick veneer over a wood frame.  Most "brick" houses in the city are not full masonry construction. That is a lost form of building that will never be revived because it is so costly.  However, it makes for a house that is far more durable than a wood/clapboard counter-part.  This is part of the reason the Dayton House has survived for so long.

I am also going to say that I am not a fan of people who look to these houses -- or at houses like the Dayton House with a mind to find "Comparables" from an appraisal standpoint.  As a person who works in the mass appraisal industry, getting the true value of an old home is a tricky proposition and the attention paid to comps as the result of HGTV shows and get-rich-quick self-proclaimed moguls is the enemy of historic preservation.  It doesn't do these homes justice and it certainly won't help them survive into the future.

We are pulling for the house on Amherst -- we are kindred spirits.  Old brick men who don't want to go over to the dark side and become investment or commercial properties.  If anyone knows the people who own the house on Amherst, please speak up!  It's on our radar....

A Happy House!

The Dayton House would like to thank everyone who visited for the open house yesterday.  While it was a bear to get ready for, it was a lot of fun.  This house likes to be shown.

For those who couldn't make it, here is a good idea of what you would have seen:

Living Room and Parlour

Upstairs Bathroom

Downstairs  Bathroom

Downstairs  Bathroom

Front Hall. entryway to upper (left) and lower (right)

Upper Hallway

Front Bedroom

Middle Bedroom

Third Room

There is no picture of the upstairs kitchen/spare room or of the attic.  There was just so much to do!  We were raking leaves and organizing cupboards and actually ended up starting about 20 minutes early  because of vistors waiting outside.  We met some great people.  Second showings are now being set up and we are looking forward to return visitors.

The Dayton House seems to have a strange appeal in general.  We have had a number of people come up to us and tell us that they admire the house -- and have also had a few that say they "feel" things and that the house puts off good/comforting vibes.  That's probably because Dr. Dayton believed in treating anyone in need -- regardless of whether they could pay or not.  It may also be because many Buffalonians were born in this house (upstairs in the middle/brown bedroom that was the birthing room).  People often ask us if the house is "haunted" on account of its age.  We tell them that we have never felt anything of the sort -- but that it is a house where there is a lot of good will.  We certainly hope that everyone who came by yesterday felt that way. 

And for one final note... The middle parlor downstairs has a wall of stunning photography.  The pictures are the work of a local creative force by the name of Greg Meadows.  He has a blog which is listed to the right, named "As I See It."   Greg takes wonderful pictures that are Buffalo-centric and anyone with an eye for fine photography should check his work out!



Open House!

We are ready for the open house tomorrow.... well, we will be.  There's a lot of cleaning still to do.  This is a picture of the big kitchen and a space that gets a lot of use in this old house.  This old house was made for cooking, eating, big meals and home-made food.  It's not shown on the MPLs until now because it was the Ops Center for the recent flurry of home improvement.  The table has been full of light fixtures, electrical outlets, saws, paintbrushes -- you name it, it's been on the table over the past couple of months!

We are looking forward to meeting everyone tomorrow.  The listing has prompted calls from prospective buyers, agents and we've had some great conversations with folks coming by to look at the house.   No one's been inside (except if you count the carpet installer and various tradespeople) so we are eager now to open the doors to all.

The open house is from 1-3PM and we promise to have coffee and cider on hand.  The weather is supposed to be great so we hope whomever stops by will spend a few moments enjoying the day -- and the wonderful view of St. Francis.  Buffalo is beautiful in the fall and we feel we are opening the house at the best possible time of the year.

We hope to see you!

Radiators

This house runs two boilers.  One for each floor, each on separate meters.  This is because the house is zoned as a double.  This also serves the purpose of letting us sort of "zone" our heating.  We can keep the upstairs at a lower temperature because of the heat rising from the first floor. 

The heat in the house is also rather steady because it is provided via radiators.  These are hot water, not steam.  This makes them a little easier to deal with.  While we have not had to have any service calls for the radiators, we have had to deal with a few furnace issues over the year.  In fact both boilers (Dunkirks) have been replaced in the past ten years.  It costs less to buy and have hot water boilers installed than it does with steam.  There are many more technicians who know how to work with water boilers than there are those compent with steam.

This is the detail of one radiator.  We have about six or seven like this.  The one in the formal dining room downstairs is twice as long as the others like it in the house.  There are also smaller radiators in less prominent rooms.  We try to keep them painted with a metallic finish because that is supposed to increase their effectiveness.  A periodic coat of rustoleum and regular bleeding is about all it takes to keep these in good shape.

They're functional and also beautiful. 

Next Up (and Down!)

The dining room needs to be finished with moulding.

The carpet has to come up.  There is a sub-floor under it and we can't restore it to the original surface.  This room will be getting a Pergo laminate in a light finish.  When this is done, we will probably put a cover back over the fireplace.  We have too much to do right now to even think about installing a gas insert.  That might still come later on.

Right now the room needs to be finished.  A few years back, we pulled down acoustic tile and put up a real ceiling.  We painted the room the yellow that it is now.  Then the guy who was helping us out just disappeared.  After that the roof required a full tear-off and replacement.  Then the sump pump had to be installed.  Other more important mechanical issues put the finishing of this room on the back burner.  Hopefully be the end of next week, it will truly be "done."  Stay tuned!

Good Old Floor!

The carpet in the front parlor and living room was pulled up as planned.  There were some really bad planks that had to be replaced.  Every plank was checked and shored up.  The floor is now solid.  This was the floor the house was built to have in 1840.  Back then, floors were painted and plain.

This is the same section I showed with carpeting a few days ago.  The color we chose was "Antique Brown" and we are very happy with it.  The boards in front of the fireplace tell us that the mantel here was for a working fireplace and not just put up for show to cover something up.  That would make sense since it lines up with the chimney that serves the boilers.  This would be a great place for a gas insert and it can be easily vented and the gas lines would be very accessible via the cellar.

Here's the big picture of the floor and room.  We have put down an area rug but I snapped this picture before that.  The room is simple, which is how we like it.  Now that the floor is back I can't see it ever being covered up again.

Thermostats

Upstairs

Downstairs

The Dayton House heats with two boilers on two separate meters.  There is currently just one hot water tank.  The boilers just had their yearly service.  We do this every fall in preparation for the winter.  This year, we replaced both thermostats.  The upstairs one has more programming features than we will actually use but it's there because the one we first put in when we painted the room was rectangular and we needed to match the template in order to not have a patch of unpainted wall.

Radiant heat is steady and dependable.  It is dust free and thus great for people with allergies.  It is wonderful to have warm towels and a place to set damp gloves, scarves, etc. after being out in the snow.  The house has very thick walls that help hold in the heat.  The cost to run two boilers is a lot less than one might expect for a big old house.  With newer mechanics that are serviced regularly, we do pretty well.

Big Bedrooms

City bedrooms tend to be small, but this house has large ones.  We have always used the front room as a bedroom although the former owners purposed it as their living room.  Here is the section where the bed is.  There is plenty of room to fit a King and you can move around it without a problem.  The closet is in the corner.  The fireplace is closed up.  The mantel is a good example of the simple style of abundant woodwork in the house.

This alcove is part of the bedroom.  The arch is lovely.  For a while, we had a bed in there but it can get cold in the winter!  If you look under the window, you'll notice that the wood moulding goes all of the way down to the floor. The window casings are original and the same style throughout most of the house.  The front windows used to be six over six but someone knocked out the original fretwork so now they just hold a single pane. However, they are still original to the house and made of old-growth wood.  With three windows and a West facing exposure, they let in nice light during the day but not so much that it's overly  bright in the morning.  This is a fine bedroom.