The home at 845 Pine Street was demolished by the City yesterday with reluctant support from Friends of the Old West End. While most every home can be rehabilitated given enough time and money, it’s difficult to change a home’s location.
This home was older than its neighbors, most likely built about 1888 on an 80-foot lot. Then, sometime before 1910, the lot was subdivided leaving 845 Pine with 43 feet and the newer home next door at 847 with just 37 feet. As a result, the roofs of the two homes were just inches apart (see photo at right).
Moreover, 845 had been divided into four tiny apartments – two on the main floor and two in the basement. If it once had significant internal features, they were lost to the apartment conversion and the ravages of time.
On a more positive note, the streetscape on Pine will now be much improved and the neighboring homes will soon have larger lots – each with more than 60 feet.
Goodbye 845 Pine.
Agreed that it was needed, but hoping that anything that could be salvaged to help the other renovations remain authentic, was indeed salvaged, such as tiles from fire places, authentic moldings, wooden banisters, or even pieces off flooring, which could be used as replacements in other homes, missing a piece here and there. Even the smallest thing could be as valuable as gold in these beautiful old homes.
Sad, but it was needed. Thank you, Gazateer, for letting us know the, “why”, and for pointing out the positives!