Untouched since the 1890s, tasteful friends

I'd totally leave the kitchen alone.

Well, maybe add a newer sink and a dishwasher.

Love that kitchen! those tall cabinets make my heart flutter.

I would keep it completely intact and move in as-is. Wonderful house!

I love the tall cabinets too R3. What's sad is someone will buy this and strip all the character out and put in a SS and granite kitchen. All those cabinets will be torn out.

I'll bet some obnoxious nouveau riche white or Asian family buy it and gut the entire house because the NEED to put their mark on it. Subway tile EVERYWHERE!

The main upgrades needed would be behind the scenes, so to speak-- electricity, plumbing, HVAC.

But provided the rest of the house is is good shape--no termites, so sagging floor, no water damage from holes in the roof, then it is a steal.

You can easily update the kitchen without losing the charm, though you'd need to find an architect with a similar vision

I wonder what the taxes are?

They can’t. Changes are subject to historic commission approval and is being sold with a preservation easement that the front and interior woodwork downstairs cannot be changed.

Taxes are very high in Montclair.

Listing.

Not as high as I'd imagined R8, $48K

Here's the listing

Don't vorry. I poot in vhite shag and gold tassels.

I am a minimalist to core, but that is seriously almost my dream home. If I could add a showerhead to one of the bathtubs and hire a couple of hot butlers, some hot landscapers, a hot chef, a hot chauffeur, and a hot coal-shoveler, I'd move in tomorrow.

Kitchen needs granite!

The interior looks like the house from American Horror Story - Roanoke.

Pass.

Google Mapped it and it is a 5 minute walk from a Whole Foods and other shopping.

Too dreary. All those dark wood interiors are depressing.

@r12, "I am a minimalist to core"

Haha, as long as you have a staff of hot men taking care of your every need. High maintenance minimalist

Once the house is modernized the taxes will go up.

I’d leave the kitchen the same too. In fact I’d be happy to put that kitchen in a brand new house. Plenty of storage.

There’s a lot of companies that make modern reproduction appliances and fixtures for old houses. They look like the old ones but they’re modern. Elmira makes refrigerators, microwaves and dishwashers in the Victorian style, in a lot of colors. You could put a complete modern set in there that wouldn’t change the style at all.

The main things you need to worry about in a house like that is all the electrical has to be replaced, because the old type of wiring isn’t safe (and it’s probably been done already), plumbing, likely the same, and water damage, mold and roof leaks. Termites are another. If those are all covered, it’s probably fine for another hundred years.

R19 see R7

It's really great. So much to love. But, I can't gauge how much work it needs. I'm sure that's the reason it's not selling.

The large rooms and ample natural light mitigate the darkness. It's really beautiful and it sits on 2 acres.

I could see this in there without changing the theme too much. This is a brand new stove by Elmira.

Someone who loves old homes and has the cash could make this place amazing.

Wonderful! Is that a woodworking shop in the attic?

What’s going on with the ancient-looking addition in the back?

The price reflects the work needed.

Stephen Colbert lives up the block.

That kitchen is lovely, I hope the new owners keep it as is.

Elmira's wares look great but they need some major help with their website which is barely functional

Its very beautiful. All the cabinets, behind GLASS no less! Very practical. Of course it would be a lovely home but it could also function as an office or setting for something more community minded. It would be a nice small school of some sort, or a half way house or sheltered home, etc etc.

Also the wood looks to be in great condition but DRY. Everything needs to be humidified and oiled desperately.

R24 why would you need a lot of cash to keep it the same?

I live in a 1893 house which is almost entirely original, although the kitchen was redone in 1980's. It is beautiful and has wood that is no longer available (old growth redwoods). It is hard to find a house that hasn't been gutted and given an open floor plan.

As I rant to the Historic Resources Board, "Why buy an old house if you don't like an old house?"

I grew up in So Cal post war tract house, so that may be part of why I love these old beautiful houses. Our house costs very little to maintain.

Really beautiful, thanks for posting. I don't think I would want to live there, but I ave great appreciation for what it takes to preserve such a treasure of architecture.

About a month ago I visited an old friend who lives in Montclair. I never realized it was so nice there with mansions adorned with beautifully landscaped acreage. We ate downtown and it was really good. It's close to NYC. The price is what you'd pay for a two bedroom in Manhattan (if you're lucky). Does anyone know the history of the town? Why all the grand homes? I mean, it's New Jersey.

[Quote] They can’t. Changes are subject to historic commission approval and is being sold with a preservation easement that the front and interior woodwork downstairs cannot be changed.

I live in an area in Los Angeles where Craftsman homes rule. Two doors down a Chinese family bought a perfect 1908 Craftsman. I mean it was perfect. The owner died who was the 2nd owner of the house. You could see just the beautiful wood front sitting room from the sidewalk as you pass by when he owned. The family gutted the entire house and now you see from the street all the way to the kitchen in the back of the house. All white subway tile. It's gross! Yes, these are newly wealthy people. The house was/is under our historical commission. The new owner just didn't fucking care. They basically said fuck you to the commission. Newly rich do whatever they want.

Such a feeling to see this. I love the woodshop and the sewing room.

All that beautiful, unpainted wood! I'd buy it in a heartbeat (if I wasn't poor).

LOL @ R34

Many transplants to NYC are surprised to find that NJ is not tract houses and Jersey Shore guidos, that there's there's a very large swath of the state that is upscale suburbia that looks a lot like Montclair, with older houses built about 100 years ago, towns with small cute downtowns centered around a train station with commuter trains to NYC, the best schools in the region, etc. Meryl Streep grew up in that area, in Summit, and is a good representation of who lives there. And Maplewood/South Orange, the "gay suburbs" are in that area as well.

Go further out and you have the horse country around Far Hills and Bernardsville, where Jackie On Assistance had her country house.

[quote] Does anyone know the history of the town? Why all the grand homes? I mean, it's New Jersey.

You wouldn’t be referring to the wealthiest state in the union, would you?

The area was originally part of Newark. The southern part of town was settled by the English and the northern by the Dutch. Montclair split off from the town of Bloomfield (where I live) in a dispute over building a commuter railroad. The town has 6 stations.

My ex is old money New Jersey, according to him many of these old mansions were the summer homes of wealthy New Yorkers who fled the city and the "bad air" in the summer time. Many are quite unique to accommodate a casual Victorian lifestyle, if there were such a thing

@r26, "What’s going on with the ancient-looking addition in the back? "

I believe that would be the old carriage house and horse barn. Cool, huh?

I would love for a friend to own it and be able to visit often. Live in it .. no. What appears to be the stairs with the grill leading down to the basement gives me the serious creeps.

R35 I believe the widow who owned the Gamble House was selling it when she overheard prospective buyers saying they would have to paint the woodwork white, and she took it off the market.

Love the built-ins

I can smell mould.