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We don't have a particular term to describe them in Philadelphia. They fit right in with other rowhouses, except that there are three doorbells either next to the front door (newer ones) or inside the vestibule (older ones, which were often converted from SFRs).
We don't have a particular term to describe them in Philadelphia. They fit right in with other rowhouses, except that there are three doorbells either next to the front door (newer ones) or inside the vestibule (older ones, which were often converted from SFRs).
Row houses, townhouses, were initially built as SFRs. Triple deckers were 3 individual units/apartments/residences. They are not the same as the previous.
Row houses, townhouses, were initially built as SFRs. Triple deckers were 3 individual units/apartments/residences. They are not the same as the previous.
I understand, but over the past decade or so, new three-flats have risen in some of the rowhouse neighborhoods west of the Temple campus especially. As I said, we have no special terms for these, as they're not part of the historic housing fabric of the city — rowhouses are, and up until these, all the three- and four-flats were converted townhouses/rowhouses/
I sure wouldn't call them cheaply built by today's standards! Most have architectural features, brick or stone exteriors, solid core doors, hardwood floors, etc.
They were also a great path to home ownership since if one bought a triple decker, one had rents form 2 other units.
Lots of triple deckers in my neck of the woods have gone condo which has contributed to lack of apts for rent.
I lived in two of these in Worcester Massachusetts. I wouldn't call them cheaply built by ANY standards. Many in Worcester that were rented to students from Clark University, where I attended, have been turned into condos. I think it's sad.
The two that I lived in were spacious and bright. They were detached, so they weren't dark on the sides. Both had the following features -
Three good sized bedrooms with closets.
A large eat in kitchen and a pantry with LOADS of hardwood cabinets.
a front room or parlor with a large bay windows and access to a porch, on levels 2 and three. The porch or balcony was a great place to hang out. We had baskets of hanging flowers, with macrame hangers, (anyone remember those?) We had some folding webbed beach chairs and a small round table.
Depending on how many people shared the triple decker and the finances of the tenants, some people rented out the front room, and hung drapes, decorative sheets, beads, or Indian print blankets for privacy.
The Living Rooms were HUGE - that was between the front room and the kitchen. The whole apartment had this wonderful craftsman era, quarter sawn oak trim. NO ONE PAINTED THEM white or grey. The Living room was where we had an old coach, a braided rug, and a discarded Early American cabinet clad color TV, and Heywood Wakefield Early American end tables and coffee table. All of this had been my one of my apartment mate's grandmother's. In fact, most of our furniture was from her. She had sold her house and went to live in Florida. Everything was brown and gold plaid.
Forget the furniture, the built-in bookcases and beveled leaded glass cabinets were magnificent and stately. They separated the large Living room from the kitchen. I wonder know if the area closest to the kitchen was once used as a formal dining room or if half of it was.
Does anyone know how the front room and the Living Room were originally purposed? While the kitchen was very big, I wonder if the middle room wasn't really supposed to be the dining room. Dining rooms were more important back then. My New England friends called the front room the "parlor". Two parlors seem redundant.
The largest bedroom was off the living room. There was only one bath with a clawfoot tub, octagon tile floors and tiled walls/ The pantry in one of them was also tiled.
The doors were heavy and solid with crystal door knobs.
In the back there were two medium sized bedrooms, and a door that led to the basement. Also a more sparce back porch. Locals hung clothes back there.
Some of them had ornamental fireplaces. They really were beautiful.
These were not built as "company homes". The owner was usually in management at the mill, shoe factory or other manufacturing establishment. He would have been comfortable working class and very proud of his home. One had a small, stained glass window in the middle room, with his family name initial in one unit.
I would have been, too. The other two apartments, at least in Central Massachusetts, were often rented to extended family, or lower level factory workers.
Does anyone know if there is a book or documentary about the triple decker?
I understand, but over the past decade or so, new three-flats have risen in some of the rowhouse neighborhoods west of the Temple campus especially. As I said, we have no special terms for these, as they're not part of the historic housing fabric of the city — rowhouses are, and up until these, all the three- and four-flats were converted townhouses/rowhouses/
I know Philadelphia has three deckers that are separate standing and grouped as triplexes. My grandparents downsized from a large rowhome to a three decker. Only the second and third levels contained residential units. The first level (or ground level) was strictly commercial. They lived on the second level of the middle unit. The building was solid, and the apartments were large. I didn't hear any of the neighbors.
I lived in two of these in Worcester Massachusetts. I wouldn't call them cheaply built by ANY standards. Many in Worcester that were rented to students from Clark University, where I attended, have been turned into condos. I think it's sad.
The two that I lived in were spacious and bright. They were detached, so they weren't dark on the sides. Both had the following features -
Three good sized bedrooms with closets.
A large eat in kitchen and a pantry with LOADS of hardwood cabinets.
a front room or parlor with a large bay windows and access to a porch, on levels 2 and three. The porch or balcony was a great place to hang out. We had baskets of hanging flowers, with macrame hangers, (anyone remember those?) We had some folding webbed beach chairs and a small round table.
Depending on how many people shared the triple decker and the finances of the tenants, some people rented out the front room, and hung drapes, decorative sheets, beads, or Indian print blankets for privacy.
The Living Rooms were HUGE - that was between the front room and the kitchen. The whole apartment had this wonderful craftsman era, quarter sawn oak trim. NO ONE PAINTED THEM white or grey. The Living room was where we had an old coach, a braided rug, and a discarded Early American cabinet clad color TV, and Heywood Wakefield Early American end tables and coffee table. All of this had been my one of my apartment mate's grandmother's. In fact, most of our furniture was from her. She had sold her house and went to live in Florida. Everything was brown and gold plaid.
Forget the furniture, the built-in bookcases and beveled leaded glass cabinets were magnificent and stately. They separated the large Living room from the kitchen. I wonder know if the area closest to the kitchen was once used as a formal dining room or if half of it was.
Does anyone know how the front room and the Living Room were originally purposed? While the kitchen was very big, I wonder if the middle room wasn't really supposed to be the dining room. Dining rooms were more important back then. My New England friends called the front room the "parlor". Two parlors seem redundant.
The largest bedroom was off the living room. There was only one bath with a clawfoot tub, octagon tile floors and tiled walls/ The pantry in one of them was also tiled.
The doors were heavy and solid with crystal door knobs.
In the back there were two medium sized bedrooms, and a door that led to the basement. Also a more sparce back porch. Locals hung clothes back there.
Some of them had ornamental fireplaces. They really were beautiful.
These were not built as "company homes". The owner was usually in management at the mill, shoe factory or other manufacturing establishment. He would have been comfortable working class and very proud of his home. One had a small, stained glass window in the middle room, with his family name initial in one unit.
I would have been, too. The other two apartments, at least in Central Massachusetts, were often rented to extended family, or lower level factory workers.
Does anyone know if there is a book or documentary about the triple decker?
Yes, some may have been cheaply built, and some were degraded over time - getting beat up and losing all their lovely detailing due to insensitive renovations over the year. But many were (and still are) actually very nice, with full height bay units or turrets and ornamental trim outside, and high ceilings, nice moldings, flooring and tile inside.
Last edited by OutdoorLover; 03-07-2024 at 05:48 AM..
Does anyone know if there is a book or documentary about the triple decker?
There is plenty of reading material that can be found online alone but if you desire printed material, there is a bibliography at the end of this article:
Row houses, townhouses, were initially built as SFRs. Triple deckers were 3 individual units/apartments/residences. They are not the same as the previous.
Correct. Somewhere I read that the the triple decker was actually designed in opposition to the row house style found commonly in NYC, Philly, and Baltimore. I reckon that Boston, Worcester, and other New England cities were too hilly and had less space to fit row houses though I am not sure.
Correct. Somewhere I read that the the triple decker was actually designed in opposition to the row house style found commonly in NYC, Philly, and Baltimore. I reckon that Boston, Worcester, and other New England cities were too hilly and had less space to fit row houses though I am not sure.
But Boston did already have a lot of row houses, and still does. Back Bay is all row houses and was contemporaneous to triple deckers. All pretty flat though. And a lot more expensive to throw up than a triple decker.
From 1870 to 1900, Boston more than doubled in size - 260k to 560k.
And from 1870 to 1900, Boston added at least 25% land. (back bay was water in 1859, most of south boston was water until the 1900s - Castle Island was an actual island.)
I found this interesting map layering site so you can compare different years over time.
But disconnected MFH do make sense with the geography of Worcester.
From 1870 to 1900, Worcester grew about 3x - 41k to 118k, after almost doubling in the 1860s (24k)
There is plenty of reading material that can be found online alone but if you desire printed material, there is a bibliography at the end of this article:
This style of New England architecture is so well documented, I am sure there is plenty of documentation out there.
Thanks for the interesting link. It seems that someone is working on a documentary now. There may be others, but I only found the trailer to one.
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