36.005181, -78.892242
The very bare-bones national register nomination listing for 204 East Trinity states:
"A triple A structure, single story with German siding. Design detailing in all gables, small attached porch covers most of front of house supported by slender columns with gingerbread detailing."
I first took notice of this house in the late 1990s, as it was the first small house I noticed that had two front doors like I surmised my house must have originally had - two 24" doors in a 48" opening. I wanted to take a picture of these. The people sitting in the front yard were very wary of my intentions.
November, 1998
(Photo by G. Kueber)
Unfortunately, not too long after this, the house was purchased and stripped of all its character - at least on the exterior, although probably on the interior as well.
The Einsteins who did this, thereby reducing their property value in order to turn it around into a cheap rental without much investment, still managed to get foreclosed upon in 2011. The property sold in 2011.
Hooray! Restoration has started! The vinyl started coming off this morning, June 30, 2014
Comments
Submitted by John Martin on Thu, 4/10/2014 - 8:26pm
Gary Kueber's camera has saved this house!
I toured this property today with several other Old North Durham residents, the head of the non-profit that now owns the house, and an architect. They are planning to renovate the house, and judging by the "renovation" done on the house around the corner on Roxboro St., I was frankly afraid of what they might have in mind.
Much to my surprise, they had reviewed Gary's pictures, and are planning to make the house once again look like it once did. That means:
1. Remove the vinyl siding and restore the original German siding.
2. Replace the vinyl windows with new 2 over 2 wood windows like the originals.
3. Replace the Home Depot front door with wooden double doors with windows like the original.
4. Replace the gingerbread porch trim.
They will expand the footprint of the house in the rear, but windows, doors and siding will be consistent with the original. And from Trinity Ave., it will look much like it originally did.
Peter Katz of the Old North Durham Neighborhood Association deserves credit for pushing for an historically sensitive restoration. And Reinvestment Partners deserve credit for making it happen. But without Gary's pictures, no one would now have a record of what it originally looked like, and this restoration wouldn't have really been possible.
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