What is a Row House? A Home Style Fit for the City

Table Of Content

• Georgian row house style (1710s to 1830s)
• Row House Insights: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Key Features
• Reasons To Move to Irvine, CA, and Why You’ll Love Living Here
• Row House Architecture: The Origins and Variety of This Style
• Ways to Find Out About a Neighborhood Without Being There
• Key Characteristics of Rowhouses

San Francisco is also famous for its terraced houses, especially in the older neighborhoods of North Beach, the Castro, the Haight-Ashbury, Russian Hill, the Mission District, Duboce Triangle and the Western Addition. The "Painted Ladies" on Steiner Street, in the Western Addition's Alamo Square district, although not strictly "terraced", are a symbol of the city. Other ornate, intricately-detailed Victorian-style homes labelled as "painted ladies" around the city are terraced, and others again are semi-detached.

Georgian row house style (1710s to 1830s)

Much like Philadelphia, some areas of the city that contain row houses are neglected. Montreal's characteristic row houses and their iconic alleyways, balconies, and outdoor staircases have become cultural symbols of the city, featured in David Fennario's Balconville and Mordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. This series of affordable homes in Houston works with the same economies of scale that made industrial-age row houses affordable places to live.

Row House Insights: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Key Features

MoreYou also agree to our Terms of Use, and to our Privacy Policy regarding the information relating to you. This consent applies even if you are on a corporate, state or national Do Not Call list. Our high-energy, music-driven group classes combine rowing intervals with floor-based strength exercises for the ultimate all-in-one, low-impact, cardio-enhancing, full-body strength workout for all fitness levels.

Reasons To Move to Irvine, CA, and Why You’ll Love Living Here

Its current owners honor this history by integrating contemporary decor with local artistic heritage, a look they dub "Southern Modernism." In this row house, a large angled box window replaced two third-story windows in order to flood the interior with light—but this was not the only surprising intervention. Inside, the architect installed the weighty wooden beams of an abandoned barn, and an open staircase, in order to raise the ceiling of the front of the house by 12 feet. Here, the dining room enjoys access to natural light from both the front and back sides of the house.

Row House takes over Dormont's Hollywood Theater with plans for upgrades - 90.5 WESA

Row House takes over Dormont's Hollywood Theater with plans for upgrades.

Posted: Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Detached houses sharing a stylistic resemblance but not physical walls are not considered row houses. “Row houses are desirable for city living because they offer enormous square footage that is often not available in an apartment or condo,” points out Sassoun. She says that today most are modernized, with roof gardens and private elevators. Row houses were also a desirable style, because they made an economic use of narrow lots, addressing the issue of land shortages and small lots in major cities. Reach back into your memory of ’80s and ’90s television, and see if you can recall the opening credits of “Full House and “All in the Family.” Those houses—where much mirth and merriment took place—are textbook examples of row houses.

In the living room, the stair’s lower step reaches out to form an arm, while the ascending stairs create a natural incline for cushions. Inside, the stairs were moved against the party wall, where the lower stair reaches out to form the arm of a custom lounge. The residents furnished the interior themselves, even hand-picking the exposed reclaimed beams from a barn in Pennsylvania. The dining table and shelving unit are 1970s vintage and the sofa is from Design Within Reach. To give the interior a more open and spacious feel, the team exposed the ceiling beams. Wooden paneling framing the windows complements the home’s custom-built front door.

Because of this, it can be tough to narrow down the exact costs of both rowhouses and townhouses. Building a townhouse from scratch will definitely cost a pretty penny, but the high price of city living in places like New York City and San Francisco will undoubtedly play a role in overall living costs, even if renting. One of the significant differences between rowhouses and townhouses is the grouping. There is an unspoken clue that if you see houses of the same height, connected, and lined up in a row, you are looking at rowhouses.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, row houses became an integral part of urban planning in New York City to accommodate a large number of middle-class workers. Row houses were also popularized in cities across the US like San Francisco, CA, and Baltimore, MD. Today, row houses tend to be located in cities’ historical districts, displaying the charm of a European city amongst modern high-rise buildings. In the real estate market, row houses are often sought because of their history, but also their similarity to apartment living. In many major cities, They sell for amounts well in excess of $1 million US Dollars. Of particular value are those with several units included so that they can be rented out by the owner to generate income.

And, adds Sassoun, since it is a stand-alone property, rather than a co-op or condo, owners are responsible for all the maintenance, with no manager or board providing assistance. Row homes also frequently have landmark status, so owners can’t make drastic changes to the facade. Here at The Row House - USC, we offer lavish floor plans to provide our residents with an extraordinary living experience. Terrace housing can be found worldwide, though it is quite common in Europe and Latin America, and many examples can be found in the United Kingdom, Belgium, United States, Canada, and Australia.

According to Redfin, rowhouses played an essential role in the urban development planning of New York City, mainly during the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. This was partly due to the number of middle-class workers who began to move into the city as the industrial revolution boomed. Landis Construction mentions that rowhouses consist of two to three floors; however, in some instances, rowhouses can even reach up to five stories.

From warehouse conversions to rehabbed midcentury gems, to expert advice and budget breakdowns, the renovation newsletter serves up the inspiration you need to tackle your next project. If you’re interested in renovating a Row house, contact Landis to learn more about our design/build offerings. Despite the communal layout, each house has its own entrance, ensuring individuality within the collective structure.

Depending on location and size, townhouses and rowhouses will typically cost less than a single-family home. The cost of a townhouse will change drastically whether you're planning on owning one that's already been built or building a townhouse from the ground up. Fixr estimates the average cost to build a townhouse is around $115,000 to $250,000. However, if you're looking to build a 1,500 sq.ft., traditional-style townhouse, you'll probably end up paying close to $175,000.

They also offer homeowners space and privacy with large windows and open floor plans, while accommodating the density needed to create more sustainable and livable cities. Architects designed row houses to provide low-cost housing to the burgeoning middle-class working family – a step up from railroad apartments. As a result, these row house districts developed a unique character and history in each city.