Garagescape or Porchscape?

Happened to be driving by a ‘planned residential development’ today and saw the perfect example of what I’d heard once defined as a ‘garagescape’. You likely only need the picture to illustrate the concept.

I make no secret of my bias, I love old houses and neighborhoods. Residential developments such as these leave me completely cold and help define ‘Generica‘. I can hear the prospective home owner talking to their realtor. “Yes, we’re looking for a three car garage with a house attached. Our garage is the priority as we’ll be miles from absolutely everything and anything we’d ever care to do we want to drive there.” They’re clean, new, fully modern and ‘efficient’ homes I’m sure, but one’s ‘quality of life’ is greatly influenced on where one makes their home and I find these… well, interesting. No doubt our old neighborhood shows it’s wear-n-tear after eighty to a hundred years or more. I wonder what condition this development will be in half as many years.

Me, I love a ‘Porchscape’ pedestrian neighborhood. Likewise, this term is best described by some pics of a neighborhood that looks warm, interesting and inviting even in the snow.

Church Street

Park Avenue

Wisconsin Avenue

Church Street

I love porches. Even though they’re not used to the extent they once may have been they’re still likely the single most defining characteristic of fine old homes. Perhaps like a fire place in the living room, they may not always be the most practical but they’re what people look for, appreciate and desire in a vintage home. They are what often defines the character, warmth and personality of the home.

Many otherwise proud and distinctive vintage homes lost their porches in the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s in the name of ‘modernization’ to penny-wise / dollar-foolish enclosures. I often wonder if the homeowner, in the 60’s after enclosing their porch walked out to the street, looked at their home and said… ‘Oh yes, that’s much better’.

Does anyone have a ‘before’ pick of the house at Chapin & Central? I’d like to get one. All I have is the ‘after’. The restoration of this fine home by uncovering and restoring the porch was dramatic, amazing and I’m sure added to it’s marketability. Wise Construction who had the vision to make this transformation a reality, in my opinion has done a favor for the entire neighborhood. They’ve made a truly ugly house beautiful (beautiful enough to be purchase by a young couple new to the area) and shown what is possible for other home owners in the area.