Style
1900's Fan Bayfront Row House Details
These homes enjoy high ceilings (9-10ft), deep millwork, pocket doors (separating parlor rooms from each other and the front-to-back hallway) on the first floor.
Size and Shape
These long and narrow homes rarely offer less than 2000, but up to 4000 sq. ft. which is divided equally between 2-floors, atop a rectangular footprint. Basements vary from full footprint to just room for mechanicals living room, dining room and kitchen hallway, and often times a smallish bath or powder room (added beneath the staircase) make up the first floor Upstairs.
2-4 bedrooms, (depending upon how they have been renovated), with 1-2 full baths, are accessed by duplicate front-to-back hallways. Many larger examples still retain their back staircase. When viewed from the street, the front facade telegraphs the apportionment of hallway to parlor room space. These front to back hallways account for approx. 1/3 of the home’s width, on both floors, these hallways run straight back along a sidewall and contain the formal staircase. The remaining 2/3 of the width may contain a decorative Bay Front (or rounded bow) feature to front living parlor space, behind which either another sitting room or the dining room will be found. (If you own a Baby Grand piano, this space can accommodate them handsomely).
These parlor rooms can be connected to each other and/or the hallway, by either architectural columns or pocket door sets, across as much as 8-10 ft wide openings. Excellent examples, of both size formats, occur on Park and Hanover Avenues and offer a entry portico or covered ‘half-porch” that visually connects the Bay to the side of the house.
These lovely City homes occur between the 1600-2800 blocks of most Fan streets, though flat fronted facades are most common. In close in to VCU, and on narrow, but sometimes quite deep lots, ample garage/carriage house structures can still be found. Accessed by a rear alley. Garages are usually detached, with zero lot lines on one side but may be elaborately renovated.
