Before & After ~ From Threatened to Gorgeous. 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 a developer who wanted to tear it down and build four new houses on the lot. It was in very good condition when purchased by the developer who then vandalized it.
The city landmarked the house to save it, and out of spite, the owner removed character-defining trim elements, pulling off the porch with his pickup truck. It looked like the house would be lost. The before photo by Emilio Guerra was taken while 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.”
Fortunately, 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 bookshop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors.
© Scott t. Hanson 2025.
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