Before & After ~ From Threatened to Fabulous. The 1874 James and Lucinda Bedell House in Tottenville, Staten Island, NY, was at the center of a battle between a community that wanted it preserved and an owner who wanted to tear it down and build four new houses on the lot.
It was in good shape when purchased by the owner. The city landmarked the house to save it when it became apparent it was threatened, and out of spite, the owner removed character-defining trim elements and painted it with florescent spray paint graffiti. Eventually, the graffiti was painted over, but the porch collapsed, and it looked like the house would be lost. The before photo was taken at this time.
It sat vacant for a decade before being restored by a new owner. The house once again lives up to its landmarking documentation description as “the most beautiful Second Empire house on the south shore of Staten Island.” It is fortunate this house was located in a community that supports historic preservation and is willing to fight to save its history.
I wrote “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” to help people understand what it takes to save a historic house and how to approach the work.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop, YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott t. Hanson 2023.
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