One rowhouse has the original brick steps leading up to the front door. The house next door, recently renovated, converted the front steps from brick to metal, allowing more natural light to enter into the basement door area.
Here is another example -- this time, from the 2100 block of Flagler Place NW.
What do YOU think?
Above: 2117 Flagler Place NW with brick front steps
Above: Recently renovated 2119 Flagler Place NW next door where the front brick steps were removed and replaced with metal steps.
6 comments:
Since you last posted this question, I have had a change of heart. After the last snow, listening to my neighbor shovel his metal steps early in the morning, has changed my vote from undecided to pro brick steps. :)
Metal seems practical as it lets more light into the basement... also probably safer as people can't so easily hide in the stairwell... either look fine and metal can be done true to period.
People hide out under your front steps? Creeping me out here...
Those brick stairs look so ponderous to me, those horrible little wing walls as well. i'm not a huge fan of modern-style metal railings, and modern metal (cast iron?) stair treads look a bit industrial. But that said, my 1890 Gtown house has cast-iron stairs that are original to the house (of course they and the newel posts are a little fussier than these). So i'd be fine with modern metal is where i come out on this issue.
I know people don't like the popups and I know people don't like the metal stairs, but can you really say that the house that was there before that was decaying was a better option. I may not be in love with what is there now but it is still better then what is was before. Would I have loved it if someone had come in and lovingly restored the original home and no popup, absolutely, but who has that sort of money to do that? Private citizens who have the money to do that live in Georgetown or around Sibley hospital. Only thing left is developers who have to maximize their investments. Thus we end up with 2 condos that sell at pretty stiff prices. No on wants a dark basement unit so open up the stairs with metal stairs and tons of light can now come in. Not pretty but reality.
I think that there are reasonable solutions for most problems....but i think that there have to be some standards in place....agreed upon by community members....people can't just do whatever they want to do. I don't agree that we should just suck up whatever developers do to our neighborhood and say "oh well" that's the market.
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