Construction Watch: New Build @ 186 Middlesex

It is better than I thought it might be. With some ladscaping, it might fit in with the neighborhood.

The word fugly comes to mind when I see these houses. You'd be an idiot to pay $500k for one.

I've known Angelo for years and I am sure that Natale builds a high quality home, but unfortunately, this sort of home and the materials it uses in its finishing, has no place in this stately city neighborhood. Apparently there was no effort made by the client to bring in an experienced architect (note: architects and builders who design are two very different things) who understood the history and vernacular in this neighborhood. Frankly, the numerous synthetic finishes and "maintenance-free" materials may make the house more liveable for the owner, but it does nothing for the eyes. And while "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" seems to be a catch-all phrase to explain away just about anything, homes like this can be judged on objective criteria; the other houses in the neighborhood, their vintage, what we expect from this neighborhood now and in the future, and so forth. On this criteria, this house fails. Furthermore, taking into account the actual cost it would take to build some of the neighboring houses today, the client should have invested 2 1/2 - 3 times the amount he did to create a fitting home and it is evident that was not done here. While this house may be "beautiful" to some in the Suburbs, it has no place on Middlesex. Bearing in mind that the Darwin Martin House is a short walk away and the word "beautiful" becomes truly inappropriate. This is yet a further example of why Buffalo needs a rigorous and experienced "aesthetic committee" to help shape the architectural future of our city and protect it from misplaced homes like this.

This is far better than I expected back when this project was first announced. The scale and the setbacks look very appropriate for the surroundings. I sure hope they have hired a good landcsaping architect to camouflage some of the tell-tale suburban design flaws (like the garage windows)and more aged features more in keeping with the long established upscale neighborhood. One of the things I find very objectionable about the suburban McMansions is the way they seem to have popped out from the ground as almost stand alone structures. Very cold, stark, and isolated.

This home has nice design features that are reminiscent of days gone by. It could be very impressive when completed. I was one of the first to say it couldn't be done.

I love the front door flanked by garages.. classy. Why even bother with pesky doors.. you know they never get used anymore.

This is definitely a 'builder' special. Love the giant blank sides. Whether it is on the side of the building or that shot with the HUGE roof showing itself off like for no reason. Since when did it become faux pas to have a true second floor.

i cannot understand why people are so upset about these 'mcmansions' going up in this neighborhood...a couple of points

1. we should be glad anyone is willing to pony up some of their own cash to build a home in the city, someone other than government that is...i challenge anyone to cite a new house going up anywhere in the city of buffalo (excluding extreme makeover)...all the new housing and i mean all, being built in the city are government subsidized, low income, and probably to the detriment of the history of the neighborhood (the hudson street proposal for example)...the east side and and west side are experiencing the exact opposite, demolition, with riverside and parts of south buffalo on the radar...

2. the developers are building 'in the spirit' of the neighborhood...nothing is being torn down, plus, as far as i know, materials like vinyl siding are not part of the new construction...as i take a ride around this neighborhood and look at the recently constructed, they seem to fit in, so basically from my point of view i believe it enhances the existing homes, it fills in the missing pieces, and you'll never take away that charm that has existed there for a hundred years...mcmansions are not taking over...

c'mon buffalo, do you have to complain about everything??? this is a good thing...

"Those who can -- do. Those who can't -- criticize."

Mokum - I am not sure why you show such contempt for this house, it honestly doesn't look that awful to me. I like the diversity in the neighborhood and a house that size for that price is very reasonable. Maybe the new owners had to make some changes to the design due to the economic downturn. Maybe there were other considerations, like perhaps the owner actually likes the way this looks and could care less what you feel s/he should have or could have done with the property. Just maybe your opinion doesn't really matter when it comes to what other people are doing with their property.

Maybe if you were an architect or design builder who offered a superior design, superior materials, and superior craftsmanship and quality, then the owner would have taken your advice and gone with your design. It sounds like you have a lot of experience in building and designing, so what is your story? It doesn't sound like you are just a passive observer or even the typical BRO critic (like me). What is your stake in this development and what is behind your agenda?

In looking at this neighborhood, I see a rich diversity of houses, and I don't see how this house is that out of place, especially when the landscaping takes hold and the trees reach maturity and provide the screening that the surrounding houses have.

Are we sure this home was built on Middlesex and not Spaulding Lake?

A disgrace to a historic neighborhood of Buffalo.

This house needs more and bigger garages, more pseudo peaks, more dryvit, vinyl, and aluminum. Maybe a big rock in the middle of the lawn surrounded by some generic landscaping and of course two oversized SUVs with patriotic bumper stickers parked in the driveway.

I agree with O'Brien. Everyone loves to complain, especially the armchair architects. Maybe he should have built the house in Amherst where it would have aesthetically fit in better rather than in North Buffalo, that probably would have been a better option for the city. If he had done the entire facade in cultured stone trying to match the look of some of the original mansions in that area it wouldn't have looked cheesy.

Here's what's wrong with these McMansions (applies to some of the previous houses built by "Extreme Home Makeover as well):

http://www.violentacres.com/archives/35/mcmansions-are-for-mcidiots/

The house is boilerplate, Clarence-East Amherst design with a vengeance. Aside from the depressing materials, it's sobering to see a house built that is aggressively unattractive, and ironically right behind one of the most stately homes in the area. Are builders walking around with closed eyes? The one consolation is that it's a house that can be torn down more easily than a really fine house, and no one will object if/when it is.

well at least they didn't face the garage to the front of the house.

Is anyone else as annoyed by the term "McMansion" as I am? It's almost as obnoxious as the comments from people who feel it is appropriate, acceptable, or good manners to rip into the appearance of someone's private house. How would you like it if a picture of your home was posted on a website, and everyone had a field day with what they think is wrong about your home. I hope everyone posting here owns a home in the city, and that there is nothing wrong with the landscaping, color of the paint, size of the windows, length of the driveway, garage, etc. It would be so good to know that everyone here lives in a perfect home. I read a lot of comments from people who see themselves as expert in matters of good taste. Well it is extremely in poor taste, and in fact downright rude, to ridicule someone's private home in a public forum like this. Good going Buffalo Rising!

This house actually looks like a larger, steroidal, version of the new homes at Sycamore Village.

I just love it when BRO readers pass judgement on how developers and owners spend their millions of dollars and whether someone else's plans are appropriate to your wishes.

NEWS FLASH: Life will go on, regardless of your worthless opinions.

Everyone is a critic. Its ridiculous. Being completely honest, there is not a single person on this board who wouldn't love living in this house. Thank God Buffalo still attracts this kind of high end housing and developers and homeowners willing to throw down some serious money. Without it, the city is finished.

I have few problems with this house. It's no more suburban than the rest of this neighborhood, which has always had a focus on larger lots, houses that turn away from the street, garages, and was built up through about the 1970's. This house does not stand alone. To do something totally urban, with a large front porch, no visible garage, etc, would have been equally out of character for this neighborhood.

A more refined, clean, and classic approach to the facade would have been nice, but it's not like the current design detracts from the neighborhood, yes/no? I'm the first in line for a return to architect designed, classically oriented city houses, but all in all, this house does what it's supposed to do.

And if you disagree, then take YOUR million dollars and build the house that will prove me wrong.

I'd like to see pictures of the inside.
I like it.

Has anyone actually driven/biked/walked around this neighborhood? All the houses look fairly different, as much as I hate to use the word "eclectic", that's the word I think about when I see the mix of houses in this area. This house fits in just fine.

Again with the us against them city versus suburb throughout these rants. Western New York may never learn and the continued population declines show this. Buffalo is on its way down to 250,000. When will it stop? Unless this region stops the infighting between these arbitrary little municipal borders its over. Buffalo if you take the suburbs you hate so much away you are a metro region of 260? 270K???? Suburbs you cannot survive with a decaying hole in the middle of the metro region and its equally in your interests to care for the city you are built around. Outside regions dont care about Amherst, Kenmore, Buffalo, East Amherst and Clarence, Orchard Park proper. They care about the whole economic region, the entire market. Sorry that doesnt stop at your municipal borders. Though many Western New Yorkers would seem to like to have an international type border crossing at their towns edge it doesnt work that way.

So basically if you don't own something you cannot be part of the discussion? Don't say the bills are cheap and hire bad coaches, buy your own team and then you can talk. Don't say the electric company has crappy service, buy your own electric company and then talk. Last I checked a civil public discourse was free of charge. What makes an approving opinion more correct than a critical opinion? If those who agree didn't spend the money or aren't design professionals, why do they have a right to chime in either? Your voice of support is neither greater nor less valid than those of opposition.

I would love to be able to afford even a fraction of this house. It looks huge and amazing.

Wow. Nothing like a new house in an old neighborhood to get the critical juices flowing.

As an Interior Architect and director-colleague of Architects and designers in my own Amsterdam-based firm, I look forward to these sorts of vigorous and informed discussions every day. Holland is at the apex of old and new- in a far more extreme way than the Nottingham-Middlesex area of Buffalo, the city I grew up in and on the land where I attended school so very long ago. After all, we design and develop both modern and timeless designs in an environment where a house from 1618 sits meters away from the newest hi-tech, durable, green building…and at the end of the day they must co-exist. So for all of those who began their diatribes with “who the hell do you think you are and what the heck do you know”, I answer that I know enough to know that my opinion has value because it doesn’t come from an armchair, but from a living and breathing professional perspective backed by ongoing architectural, interior and design projects both here and in the States and 14 years of experience in architecture, design, materials, construction techniques, lighting and finishing. This is my life and passion, and as a Buffalonian who values its rich architectural legacy, I am well within my rights to criticize this, or any home, with gusto.

That being said, I want to address a few points.

a. This has nothing to do with Natale or Piscitelli (one of whom I know personally) and
while BRO is indeed, probably not the best forum for this sort of discussion, it is better than no forum at all. My comments were and are an informed criticism of an architectural (I use the term architectural loosely) object in a historic neighborhood and not a person or persons. That it is the “private domain” of someone has no bearing. Every building belongs to someone or was created as a result of the largesse of someone. That doesn’t prevent it from being subjected to intelligent and experienced criticism or discussion by the community at large. In fact, as a very visual part of that community, it is ripe for that criticism or discussion. Furthermore, while the owner can build what he wants and do what he wants with his money, that also doesn’t protect what he’s built from criticism. Our own internal filters prevent us from turning criticism into insult and it seems some commenters here lack that filter.

b. Do I have an “agenda”?
No, other than wishing the best for Buffalo’s ongoing architectural heritage, both modern and preservationist.

c. Does the owner or builder have any specific aesthetic responsibility?
As it now stands, probably not. Unfortunately, as far as I know, Buffalo does not have any sort of professional “Aesthetic Committee” in place to guide, encourage, control or prevent certain sorts of residence or buildings from getting built. Many people raised the issue that this home “belongs in Spaulding Lake” and that speaks directly to this issue. What’s good there may not be good here and often a group of individuals can act as the custodian of the larger vision. In Holland, every new development and every region, town or city has a group, either elected or appointed, to insure that nothing too inappropriate or ugly gets built. This has nothing to do with safety or build-worthiness of a proposal, but more the aesthetic value. Often the criteria of a certain town is quite broad. The committees are not designed to prevent people from building their dream home, but they are designed to insure that that dream home doesn’t turn out to be the nightmare of the neighborhood. These committee’s are generally made up of social servants, urban planners, architects and professionals who have a combination of profession-specific experience and respect for the community and the architectural history of that community. Do ugly things get built? Yes. It’s not foolproof. But it does perform a filtering function and yes, I’ve sat in front of them on numerous occasions to justify, support and explain my designs. Should Buffalo have one or more than one? Yes.

d. Less is more. There is an old design adage that says “ Beautiful, Cheap, Fast…Pick two”
While this is often applied to product design, it can also apply here. There was some criticism that suggested how dare I suggest that this owner spend 2 ½ - 3 times more on this house. Simply. In order to achieve the same result in quality over a larger square footage, the budget needs to be increased. The money that was spent on this house just doesn’t jibe with the square feet and the result is visible to me. It might have been more prudent to build a slightly smaller footprint with the same budget and spend the money on higher level of design, materials and specification… A diamond doesn’t have to be big to be beautiful. Unfortunately, this idea is often lost- Give me more is the mentality, without a corresponding raising of the budget. I know, I deal with it regularly. Again, this is ultimately the decision of the owner and there is no system in place to guide those decisions.

e. “And if you disagree, then take YOUR million dollars and build the house that will prove me wrong.”
Proving you wrong through a design that is a sensitive response to the architectural history of this area and that can coexist with it’s residential neighbors, the Park and Buffalo’s larger architectural vernacular is achievable. Period.
As an architectural professional, I don’t need MY million(s) of dollars to do it, I will carefully and respectfully use those of my client to deliver a residence or building that is more than what he/she wanted, it will be what he/she needed and exceeds his/her expectations. Never forget: “Anything worth doing is worth doing very well.”

Lastly, this is just one home. It comes under such scrutiny because of where it is located and how much we are nostalgic about or value that location and it’s role in Buffalo’s architectural and planning history. Let’s be glad that we have the freedom to respectfully and intelligently criticize, discuss and debate these issues and let this discourse be used to shape the future of the city we love.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts”- Patrick Moynihan

Seriously, I would love to see some of the critics here put their own house up for a public evaluation, if they have one.

There's nothing wrong with these houses. If you want a fake Carriere & Hastings, buy a lot and go spend the 10 million dollars. Otherwise, STFU.

I watched as the house was built and they used particle board, not plywood - all over the house - including the roof.

If you're going to spend this kind of money on a lot and a house, why would you use inferior building products?

From what I saw, the house has not been built to last.

After reading these comments the only conclusion to which I can arrive is that the harshist critics are the ones who can least afford to live in one of these homes, nor have they ever. It's a simple matter of jealousy and life experience.

There's an awful lot of attitude in this comment thread, so I'll throw my two cents in.

I am in complete agreement with those that say that compared to the rest of this neighborhood, this new McMansion is an eyesore, and most certainly does NOT fit in with the existing homes. (Remember, I used to live in this neighborhood)

I don't think that anyone who finds this home unattractive, and not in keeping with the character of the neighborhood is unhappy with the fact that someone has chosen to purchase the lot and build a new home, but simply unhappy with the owner's choice of design.

It's a suburban style McMansion, that's all there is to it.

To the owner I say welcome to the neighborhood, but your taste in homes is certainly going to be subject to some scrutiny. I'm guessing that the surrounding neighbors are less than happy with the choice of design as well.

To all those that are angry and flaming the people here who have commented that they don't like this new home, I would be so bold as to remind you that many of those of us who choose to live in a city like Buffalo do so because we are attracted to older homes that show character and craftsmanship in their design and construction.

Unfortunately, this home looks like it came from the same mold as thousands of others in suburban subdivisions all over the country.

One doesn't need to be an expert in construction to see that a structure just doesn't fit in with the surrounding area.

As for the commenter that said something to the effect of "when the trees fill in they will screen this house like other in the neighborhood" has obviously never driven down Middlesex. There isn't a single house on the street that is screened from view by trees.

I wonder how many of the critics live in the neighborhood? I feel there have been many negative comments coming from people who may come to visit but aren't actually form this area. I've lived on Lincoln for nine years- when I moved in I was the youngest home owner by far (decades younger than my neighbors). Why is there such interest about what a private family has done to build their new home? Its not like it was the model home for a new development. Why is my street and neighborhood the source of constant critiques and commentary? The answer is simple- lots of people like to comment when the topic is a higher end area. Personally I think its great that unused land is being used. I used to hate walking my dog and seeing an messy, weed filled vacant lot on one of the most prestigious corners in Buffalo. I just wish that you people would stay out of other peoples business, but I know that won't happen. If you are not these people's neighbors then why do you care so much about a street that is not yours? The real answer is the classic class warfare- the rich are bad, they shouldn't build anything new or change their neighborhood without a public poll giving them permission. Leave these people alone, they don't deserve your venom. Save that for the elected officials that have destroyed our once great city...

I agree with those that think it doesn't fit. I live in this neighborhood, I walk my dog past this house daily, I've been watching the build. First, TWO driveways/garage doors facing Lincoln!!?? Ugly and no sense of of the beauty of Lincoln, any historical architect or sensible designer would, one assume, hide the two eyesore's somewhere behind or further back. The color of the house is drab putty grey, yech! and mediocre obvious prefab materials. The new materials out there are important but you need to use them with some integrity so it's not so obvious. They tried to copy the mansion next door. What about that ugly roof and color? What about the asymetrical roof lines? they seem to be pushing a design just to be clever. Why use prefab stone just partly, it seems like they ran out of money to continue. The design should have either been purely historical or purely modern to compliment this gorgeous hood. The ugliness of the house makes me admire the wonderful homes that do exist here, thank goodness there's no more land to buy!!

Why is this story even on this website? If you were a prospective buyer of a nice home, or if you were the person building this home, how impressed would you be with our community based on this feed... not only is your house plastered on the internet simply because you bought an expensive lot and built on it, but your new home is then publicly debated on and insulted for being "suburban" "poorly constructed" "architecturally ignorant of the neighborhood"... ya know what a lot of those people have out in clarence and spaulding lake in addition to their "cheaply made, McMansions"... money. and ya know where they spend that money... clarence, and williamsville and amherst. this is one more homeowner paying city taxes, shopping at city shops, frequenting city events...why? probably because they like the city, so let's not bash new homeowners. It's nobody's business how they choose to construct their home, not Buffalo Rising's and certainly not any of ours. If anyone already in that neighborhood feels it diminishes the value of the area then im sure they will let them know, but i think this whole article and the argument that followed is incredibly innapropriate.

i also find it interesting that people on this site continually talk about how this region needs to downsize it's governments, unify its villages, city, towns, etc. to act as one for the better of the region... that we need to stop competing against each other... and yet we feel we have the right to criticize people in those other towns and villages as arrogant, wealthy and ignorant people with no taste in architecture or style... that simply because someone lives in a certain area they are inferior to those of us that have chosen to live in the city... THAT is ignorance, and THAT is what keeps this region from unifying itself...

"Beautiful" isn't a word which comes to mind when I see these pictures, but the owner must like it well enough. It's a pile of random shapes and materials, to me. I blame the local builders, who seem to pick this junk out of planbooks and know nothing about traditional domestic styles.

Would I like to live in it? No, but I'd take it for free, then sell it and buy a house I WOULD like. (1880s Queen Anne or maybe a classic Federal style house, on a big big lot and not in Erie County, thank you)

Well in a neighborhood surrounded by 1920s classic and understated grandeur, this home broadcasts that its a new build contemporary better for Grand Island, Amherst, Clarence, Lancaster, OP or EA.

But...regardless...it continues to make the point that Buffalo could bring well designed brick, stone and stucco townhomes, rowhouses, singles, duplexes to infill our urban neighborhoods.

BUT...the people and the homes will not come back to the city unless the city is successful in redeveloping its idle areas for urban office parks and unless the unions are broken to the point where parents have something that they cant get in the suburbs: choice between parochial, private, charter and public.

This house ia awesome...in a subdivision of Clarence maybe. I agree that in this area of stately homes built with the best natural product, attention to detail and sheer grandeur, how can anyone for even one moment believe it belongs here. On the plus side, while people are driving through the area, admiring the homes and dreaming of owning one, this place will ar least give the dreamers a giggle as they drive back to their smaller version in the burbs.

I am curious as to what it would really cost to build this home if it had to appear in every way to be consistent in appearance to construction designs and materials used in the 1920-30's. That is assuming that they are even available. What would a builder really have to spend to duplicate window frames, roofing tiles, garage and outside doors, stone features, siding treatments, and all the other considerations that would have had to be accommodated to achieve that goal. Could any project meet that criteria and still remain feasible?

if its a failure of anything, its a failure to establish well thought out building guidelines beyond basic code/zoning requirements.

if suburban areas can dictate giant lots sizes and large setbacks that produce sprawl, urban areas can just was easily create design guidelines that enable better blending of new construction into the old.

sadly, there was yet again a lapse in foresight. hopefully, this could provide neighborhoods around the city with a motivation to develop guidelines unique to their sense of place.

its not the bui

with some social justice we can remove the people living in these houses from our community. We just need to ban together and picket these and other houses on Middlesex. Join us this Saturady to picket. The revolution starts Saturday. Together we CAN rid wealth of this City.

1.Classic fugly mcmansion....end of story. They probably picked the design out of a book. It is a shame the city doesn't have stricter design guidelines.

2. Dryvit is just artificial stucco, on fiberglass with Styrofoam behind it, but the trouble with it is that it tends to break down after 5 years or so, especially in cold and wet climates. By ten years, there are reports that it looses any ability to repel water at all. If any moisture gets behind it, you are going to be in a world of hurt. Mold, mildew and rot often attack dryvit, especially if installed on a wood frame building. So it is cheap at first, and it is an easy way to add a lot of insulation to a building, but will cost you (like cheap things tend to do) a lot more in the long run.

http://www.moisturewarranty.com/dryvit_settlement/dryvit.htm
http://www.stuccolaw.com/news/main.html
http://www.stuccoretro.com/FauxStucco.pdf
http://www.stocorp.com/allweb.nsf/waterintrusion

3.To the folks out there who think that the building owners and developers can simply build what they want where they want...this is why we have a city planning and building department. This is why we have building codes and the ADA. Sorry, but you cant just build what you want, where you want, how ever you want. It is against the law, for good reason.

4. No need to be rude, we are all on the same team here.

I think it is absolutely hilarious that there are so many negative comments about a million dollar property:

- within the city limits

- built without government subsidies

- built on an empty lot

- on a blog whose architectural experts live in Chicago and California.

Love it lol

The House sucks, for the same reason that canal side sucks. It is a cheap impression of something that cannot be replicated and to try to is a waste of time and money. Now don't get me wrong I am just as hypocritical as everyone else on this blog saying that I know a thing about architecture and its practice. And to say that I am not pleased that the owners have invested in the city. my problem is the style or more over that lack of style, for all the people who seem to know so much about the this architecture where were your comments against cheap designs, which attempt to replicate a neighborhood that doesn't even exist anymore. However as soon as there was a instance of something new and on the edge of architecture was implemented in the city it was awful (Quad Space; the home that was converted by four graduate students into four living cubes)
So where do you stand?
snow I have been a bit contradictory in my statement by saying that my opinion should be considered valid because in reality my knowledge in the subject is minimal, compared to all the people on here so I use someone to back me up. Maybe you have heard of him; Louis Sullivan

"The Attempt at imitation, by us, of this day, of the bygone forms of building, is a procedure unworthy of free people; and that architecture is finished and done." Louis Sullivan

You people are all retarded.

Building a house only requires a building permit, you don't have to go in front of boards and such. It's a house!

Get over yourselves. If I was the owner of this house and someone told me what the exterior should look like I'd tell them to piss off it's my money and my house. And to say you could have made the entire house sotne with leaded windows and it wouldn't have cost much more is ridiculous.

Hey if I ever decide to build a house in the city I'll make sure I run it by the pretentious douchebags on BRO to make sure it meets their standards. Afterall building a private residence is surely open to public review and comment during the design.

I think its a pretty cool house. I think the only thing it needs is some new color. It blends to much with the roof, stucco and stone. Change the color add some nice cornice work around the entire exterior roofline. I think that would look nice. Just my opinion.

sonyactivision...

I think you are a perfect example of what an "internet troll" is.

High tea?

Fox hunts?

Lose the vowel from their last name?

The vowel comment was easily the most offensive thing you've posted in this thread. I will remind you again, that I lived in that neighborhood in the 90's... and I am BLACK.

Your implication that the residents of that neighborhood are snobs and racists is unfounded, and intentionally offensive. You've done little in this thread other than browbeat others and I am calling you on it.

I wonder what would happen if one of our armchair architects with money decided to build a more modern looking house on this plot. I am talking about something that would be featured in DWELL or some other design periodical. What if a major architect was hired to design and build it. Would we still object and say it doesn't fit in the character of the neighborhood? Would we embrace it because it is new and innovative? Would we be cheering because it was done by an A list architect instead of a local developer, or would we criticize it as much as the house in this article?

I heard this house received a line item appropriation and was built entirely upon the backs of the citizens of New York. Let's torch the place (kidding obviously).

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