5502 N. Charles Street: A Disaster in Real Time

My friend, the brilliant artist and architect, Jerome Gray, has a series of sketches he calls "dead building walking." And that's exactly what this formerly charming, Moderne house is currently experiencing.

This house is located on the corner of Charles Street and Northern Parkway. It's been on and off the market for ages. It seems to have recently been sold and there's some unfortunate work going on with the house. 

The listing says that the house was built in 1947, which would make it very late on the Palmer and Lamdin timeline. But there were enough elements in the house to make it an elegant little place. 

Let's start at the front. There was an elegant copper canopy over the front door.

Very graceful. Fits beautifully with the style of the house, doesn't it?

Recently, we noticed that there was some activity going on with the house. 

It was looking ominous. Sadly, this house sits just outside two neighborhoods with fairly strict covenants, so there are no design standards which are imposed on home owners.

As I was driving by the other day, I could see that more work had been done, but at the risk of crashing, I couldn't see what. Then a friend posted this:

As a reminder, we're in Maryland, not on the ranges of Montana. This is so inappropriate to the house. What was someone thinking??? What next, a split-rail fence?

Here's the other crime. Originally, there were steel corner windows which fit with the Moderne theme of the house. 

At some point, seemingly around 2015, they were changed to vinyl sash windows. Borderline criminal.

There are still ghosts of the original interior, including the staircase and arched doorways. 

But honestly, we're waiting with great trepidation as to what comes next. Transformation into a log cabin?

On the Market: 5601 Waycrest Lane

Waycrest Lane is one of those semi-hidden streets that you're not going to find unless you know exactly where it is, regardless of GPS. 

From the real estate listing:

Designed by noted Baltimore architects Palmer & Lamdin in the 1930s and later enhanced by landscape architectural design by Oehme, van Sweden, thoughtful details abound at this private Poplar Hill residence. 

From the brick herringbone patterned front walk to the renovated Delbert Adams cooks' kitchen to the large bluestone patio, 5601 Waycrest lends itself equally well to comfortable family living and elegant entertaining.

A neutral palette and wood floors throughout make inside as soothing as the concrete and stone falling water fountain does outside. The spacious living and dining rooms feature multi-paned bay windows and access to the stone floored screened porch.

In addition to a large primary bedroom with en suite bath, walk-in closets and access to a screened porch aerie, the second floor offers two or three additional bedrooms and two additional full baths.

The natural light filled third floor provides flexibility for additional bedroom, office or studio space. 25 new double-hung windows, ample closet space, built-in cabinetry, zoned air-conditioning and a two car garage with automatic opener help makes this special home easy to live in.

Rarely available and thoroughly captivating, this home will please the most discriminating buyers.

The listing is here.  

On the Market: 200 Tunbridge Road

From the realtor's listing: One of a kind Palmer & Lamdin stone colonial.

Newly-updated kitchen with high end stainless steel appliances and custom cabinetry. 

Updated bluestone patio with fenced yard. 

Four bedrooms and three full bathrooms on second floor, plus half bathroom on main floor. Many original details beautifully preserved. Dual zone forced AC system. Large living room with wood burning fireplace. 

Dining room with period fixtures and French doors to patio. 

Updated butler’s pantry off kitchen with den off kitchen that leads to patio. 

Two car detached stone garage with updated garage door. 

A beautiful home with many original details and many new updates that maintain the character, details and charm of the original home.

It's always great when a real estate listing includes house plans, like this one does. 

Here is the link to the house.