Tim Sick and Sal Zambito II, along with Matt Moscati of TRM Architect, are building a series of small houses in Buffalo. These “so called” small houses might be on the small side, but they are huge in heart. The house that we’re looking at today is located at 151 16th Street, close to Richmond Avenue and Connecticut Street.
This house has tons of character, and is super spacious considering that it is being branded as a “small house”. If it was up to me, I would hand the keys of The City of Buffalo’s ‘new build department’ to this trio, and once this series is complete, you will see why. Actually, hopefully, this series will never end.
Back when property was still super cheap on the West Side, Tim and Sal purchased this City-owned lot for $1800. It’s on the narrow side, but runs deep enough to boast a sizable backyard and porch, with room for parking and a two-plus garage to be built at a later point. The house is set back from the street, allowing for a wonderful front yard, allowing for fruit trees and front porch.
According to Sal, the house was built with no basement or attic. That means, no flooding below, and no hoarding up top. The place is spacious, open, breezy and bright. There’s a living-dining area, two master bed suites (or a bedroom, and an office), custom wood features, rolling barn doors, storage nooks, appliances, alarm system, an array of south facing windows (passive solar), radiant heat floors, central air, high ceilings, aviator fans, with super efficient mechanicals.
The house was built with “aging in place in mind”, according to Tim, although he doesn’t like the way that that sounds. With ramps in the front and back of the house, and oversized bathrooms for a such a “small” house, this is a place where the owners never have to worry about what the future brings. It’s built to live in the moment – to live a hassle and worry-free life.
“It’s got all of the features of an old house,” said Tim. “Baked into a new house. It exceeds all of the building codes. We went out and compiled a list of all of the amenities that people would want in a small house, and we believe that we addressed it all. We got very creative – we wanted it to look like a Cape Cod cottage, bright and airy with old world style accents.”
16th Street was once a troubled area. Now, houses are selling for lucrative prices, porches are being restored… the sounds of hammers and saws is in the air. The addition of this spectacular house in the middle of the block sends a signal that there’s a bright future, and people aren’t afraid to invest. This is one of seven houses that Tim and Sal are presently working on in the city. If you’re in the market to purchase one of these beauties, give Sal a call at 716-553-6911. 151 16th Street is on the market for $300K, and if you ask me, it’s worth every penny.