The Homes on Baldwin

[AllanY2525]

The white house on Baldwin is not finished yet.  There are still workmen coming and going
on weekdays, probably finishing up the interior of the house.  The 4 x 4's holding up the
front porch roof are only temporary, until they get the columns in place.

[northside lurker]

I think I also like the brick model better.

Is the exterior of the white house complete?  I like the double porch posts on the brick model better than the single 4x4 posts supporting the roof of the white house.

[AllanY2525]

A couple more photos....

[AllanY2525]

A couple more photos....

[AllanY2525]

If my memory serves me correctly, the cost of constructing the new homes on Baldwin
Street was around $140,000 each.  The building expenses have been subsidized, so
that the selling price could be kept within the range of what the homes will appraise
for (in the neighborhood where they are located).  I think these homes are selling
for around $75,000-80,000 each(?) - which is the main reason they were built as cheaply as
possible and the reason they are so "plain".  Personally, I like the model that has the
brick facing on the front of it - this adds a little "charm" to the place, at least.

Extra windows, etc. cost extra money - which is why there are so few windows on the
long sides of the houses - they only put in enough windows to meet the building
code [which stipulates that each bedroom MUST have at least ONE window]
Extra windows also mean lower energy efficiency.   Besides, with the bedrooms
inevitably being smaller than those in the older homes,  less windows means more
flexibility in how you arrange your bedroom furniture.

Even if the people who eventually end up owning (and living in ) these homes are
low-to-moderate income, it is STILL better to be living down the street from
ten brand new homes, than to be living on a street with half a dozen old houses
(ALL of which need rehab work) and a DOZEN EMPTY LOTS with WEEDS growing up
in them.

The whole aim of the project (besides making housing affordable for those who
could not otherwise afford it) is to get families to move back INTO the neighborhood,
and bring with them the tax revenues that are sorely lacking in neighborhoods
like this one.  In addition, these homes will NOT have huge utility bills, as they
are more than TWICE as energy-efficient as the homes that used to stand on
those very same lots.  The average North Side home (without energy improvements
like a high-efficiency furnace, insulation and modern windows and doors) can
have winter gas bills in the $300-$600 [or more] range.  The money saved on
utilities alone will help the new owners pay for the homes.  I would venture to
guess that the gas bills on these new homes will be right around $100-175 a
month.  I pay around $200 a month to heat my home in Maryland, even WITH
a high-efficiency furnace in the house.

I am sure that anyone who buys one of these houses could easily add more windows,
do additional landscaping on the yard, etc, if they wanted to - once they are living in
them.  As far as having a long driveway to salt in the winter - isn't this better than
having to park on the street?  Or park on an old, busted up driveway with lots of
potholes and cracked pavement?  The slope of the driveways is quite a gentle one,
which means it shouldn't be too difficult to get in and out of the driveway in
the winter - and a long driveway means LOTS of room for Mom, Dad AND the
kids to park their cars OFF the STREET - thereby making it easier for the
street department to plow when it does snow.

Personally, I applaud the city and the various organizations (including North Side
Citizen's Coalition) for making this project happen.  Baldwin Street was one of
the "hell holes" of the North Side - and now it's going to be one of the NICEST
streets in this area.

And yes, this project just made all of my property values go up - which SURE as
HECK is a good thing.....everyone who owns property on Baldwin Street just got
a "leg up", too - which means that the existing property owners on this street
should be able to procure funding for rehab to their properties much more
easily, since their homes will now appraise higher than they did prior to the
construction of the new homes.  I TOTALLY encourage anyone who owns
property on Baldwin Street to seek out government grants, loans, etc,
as SOON as the remaining homes are constructed, so that they can fix
up their older homes and make the property values go up even MORE
on this street.

The one feature I would like to have seen included in these new homes
is an electronic security system - it would have made the houses more
attractive to those who might consider moving into the neighborhood.
One of the best ways to combat house strippers, etc is to make the
properties secure enough that they will think twice before attempting
a break in.  If most or all of the houses on any given street had alarm
systems, the thugs would go elsewhere - which would make the entire
neighborhood safer.


Anways, that's my $0.02 on the project.....


Allan

[northside lurker]

There's more information about these houses in this Vindy article.
http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/359471789660302.php

[Jaime Hughes]

Jaime, the houses were built as inexpensively as possible.  That's why they're plain.  But, I have no doubt that they are structurally sound.  If they weren't, they wouldn't pass any of the code inspections.  It's my understanding that the point of these houses was to make new houses available to those who couldn't afford a new house.  That's why they are priced so cheaply.  Allan would probably know better than I, but I don't think a new house could be built (privately) for what these houses will sell for.
[/quote]

I understand that they are built as inexpensive as possible and that is why they are so plain (seems to be a trend anymore). I know that they are structurally sound, they are in no danger of collapsing but they are just flimsy. They do pass all the code inspections and yes they are inexpensive for a reason. I had researched some of the houses where the porches were sinking/falling, they had complications with the foundation etc.

I guess I have to agree with this councilmen, although they are reasonably priced homes I believe that there should be certain restrictions on who moves into these homes. Most people believe it's a huge turnoff to them to know that they are living down the street from section 8 (not that it's a bad thing, used for the right reasons its very beneficial.)

[northside lurker]

Allan, long time no post!

I'm not a fan of having the garage located behind the house.  Also, that makes for a very long driveway to shovel when it snows.
Why doesn't the house have windows on the driveway side?

I'm not a fan of having a garage face the street, on the front of a house.   It is my humble opinion that when building in an urban setting, the garage should be set far back from the street, or not seen at all.

I do agree that it's strange there are no windows on the driveway side of the house, though.

Jaime, the houses were built as inexpensively as possible.  That's why they're plain.  But, I have no doubt that they are structurally sound.  If they weren't, they wouldn't pass any of the code inspections.  It's my understanding that the point of these houses was to make new houses available to those who couldn't afford a new house.  That's why they are priced so cheaply.  Allan would probably know better than I, but I don't think a new house could be built (privately) for what these houses will sell for.

[Jaime Hughes]

These houses are alright,a little plain and I wonder how long they will stand? Are they that  sturdy? My question is, the families that live in these houses are there any kind of requirements. I recently talked to a city councilmen and he said that he wanted to make guidelines and restrictions for living there. One of them was th you had to have a injob, a family and couldn't be on welfare. Whether or not he can actually implement this I don't know.


I just don't think that we should give some of these people new houses because they couldn't take care of their old ones. A few houses they recently built on the southside are already ruined and look like shanties.

[jay]

I'm not a fan of having the garage located behind the house.  Also, that makes for a very long driveway to shovel when it snows.
Why doesn't the house have windows on the driveway side?

[AllanY2525]

Photos of the new homes on Baldwin Street...

[jay]

The Homes on Baldwin
Open House

Sunday, November 11
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

113 Baldwin Street
Youngstown, Ohio

Features:
three bedrooms, great room, 1.5 baths, air conditioned, kitchen appliances, microwave, ceramic tile, carpet, attached 2 car garage, all energy efficient and more!