THE STARTING POINT
Why does material vocabulary matter when buying a historic house?
A façade can combine stone, brick, wood, metal and other materials. Naming the component helps you ask the right inspection and repair question. A style label describes architectural character; it does not establish condition, construction throughout the house or legal use.
Read the shape of the building.
| Term | What to look for | A district connection |
|---|---|---|
| Cornice | A projecting element at the top of a wall; brackets may support or visually articulate it. | The Italianate rows and the Neo-Grec bracket details at 21-22–21-32. |
| Mansard | A roof with a steep lower slope that can contain an upper story. | The Second Empire pair at 21-53–21-55. |
| Dormer | A window structure projecting from a sloping roof. | The dormers recorded in the mansard pair. |
| Gable | The triangular upper wall associated with a pitched roof. | The wood-house group at 21-36–21-40. |
| Bay / bow front | A projection from the main façade: angular bays and curved or shallow bow forms create different shapes. | Compare 21-42–21-46 with the 23rd Street row. |
Read the entrance and the openings.
| Term | Plain-language meaning | A useful buyer question |
|---|---|---|
| Stoop | The exterior steps and landing leading to a raised entrance. | What is its repair history and what do the approved records show? |
| Balustrade | A railing assembly with repeated upright supports beneath a rail. | Which material is present, and how are the components connected? |
| Areaway | The exterior area between the building’s lower level and the sidewalk or retaining boundary. | How does it drain and how is access maintained? |
| Lintel | The element spanning the top of an opening. | Is there evidence of cracking, movement or corrosion that needs investigation? |
| Sill | The lower horizontal element at a window opening. | Does water shed away from the wall, and what repairs are present? |
| Sash / frame | The window’s glazing-holding assembly and the surrounding fixed framework. | Which parts need repair, and is whole-window replacement actually necessary? |
Sources: LPC · 1968 designation report, LP-0450 ↗ · LPC Permit Guidebook · Windows and Doors ↗
Read the material before specifying the repair.
| Term | What it describes | Why the distinction matters |
|---|---|---|
| Westchester stone | The designation report’s term for the paired stone-row fronts. | Do not silently substitute a different geological or quarry identification. |
| Composition stone | A manufactured stone material recorded for the stone-row balustrades and yard railings. | The façade and railing can require different repair approaches. |
| Terra-cotta | Fired-clay architectural material used in ornament and inserts. | The 23rd Street details deserve material-specific assessment. |
| Repointing | Replacing deteriorated mortar in masonry joints. | Mortar compatibility, joint profile and the source of deterioration matter. |
| Flashing | Material detailing that directs water away from vulnerable roof and wall junctions. | A leak may arise at a junction rather than across an entire roof surface. |
| Clapboard | Overlapping horizontal wood siding. | LPC’s description of 21-34 emphasizes timber and clapboard details. |
Sources: LPC · 1968 designation report, LP-0450 ↗ · LPC Permit Guidebook · Restoration ↗ · NPS Preservation Brief 2 · Repointing ↗
Knowing the term is the beginning of the investigation.
Use the vocabulary to make a specific request: a cornice-connection inspection, an assessment of mortar compatibility, a window repair schedule or a review of roof-to-wall flashing. Avoid turning a new term into a diagnosis from a photograph.
The material and repair chapter explains these questions in more detail. The property-record guide covers a different vocabulary—BBL, BIN, CO and other records needed to understand what is legally and physically being sold.
KEEP GOING
Put the next piece in place.
Sources for this chapter
Official records and agency guidance are linked below. Historical descriptions, general guidance and a particular property’s current facts answer different questions.
- LPC · 1968 designation report, LP-0450 ↗Pages 1–3: boundary, hearing and history; pages 3–6: the historical building inventory.
- LPC Permit Guidebook · Windows and Doors ↗Window components, assessment and repair/replacement guidance.
- LPC Permit Guidebook · Restoration ↗Historic materials, masonry and architectural features.
- NPS Preservation Brief 2 · Repointing ↗Masonry-joint terminology and compatible repointing.