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IT is a sliver of a word, and a nonspecific one at that, but in New York City real estate, “prewar” speaks volumes. The term, applied generally to apartment buildings built before World War II, conjures images of high ceilings, thick walls, plaster ornamentation and generous layouts.
What does prewar mean in NYC?
Pre-war architecture refers to buildings built in the period between the turn of the 20th century until the Second World War, particularly in and around New York City.
What does prewar refer to?
According to Jamie Safier, a luxury real estate agent at Douglas Elliman in New York City, “prewar” generally refers to buildings that were constructed between 1900 and 1939, before World War II. “They do not make buildings like these anymore,” says Cusani, who lives in a prewar apartment.
Are prewar buildings better?
By and large, pre-war buildings remain a good investment. They also deliver a lot of value to buyers, especially those who plan to buy and hold for at least a decade. This largely reflects the fact that most pre-war buildings are co-ops, which are generally much less expensive than new condos.
What is prewar real estate?
Prewar properties were built to last and included hand-finished plaster walls, durable hardwood floors, and solid-wood doors. “Postwar apartments have smaller and simpler windows, 8-foot ceilings, unadorned Sheetrock walls, and poorer quality parquet wood floors or, more recently, ‘engineered’ flooring.”Feb 10, 2020.
Why is it called prewar?
Mickey Conlon, a senior vice president of the CORE Group, said some prewar apartments can be further categorized as pre-prewar or even pre-pre-prewar. The former, he said, refers to apartments from before World War I, typically with even higher ceilings of 10 to 12 feet, multiple fireplaces and more ornate detailing.
Are prewar buildings quiet?
Because of the aforementioned structural integrity and quality build, most prewar apartments are quite a bit quieter than newer postwar apartments, as the materials between each unit are often thicker.
What is prewar period?
Pre-war or prewar (Latin: antebellum) is the period before the most recent or significant war in a culture’s history, and may refer to: Prior to World War I. Between World War I and World War II. Pre-war architecture, buildings from the 20th century before World War II.
Why are NYC apartments so old?
The reasons are varied. Some of the buildings have too much residential area, too much commercial space, too many dwelling units or too few parking spaces; some are simply too tall. These are buildings that could not be built today.
What are prewar buildings made of?
(2) Much less noise. Pre-war apartments have plaster walls and poured concrete floors. Newer apartments tend to have gypsum (aka “sheetrock”) and thin concrete-and-steel floors.
What are NYC apartment walls made of?
Drywall consists of crushed gypsum plaster sandwiched by cardboard paneling and is generally a half-inch thick. Therefore, unless you’ve found a stud — a vertical beam that’s part of the apartment’s internal structure — you’ll hang your object onto a hollow and relatively weak wall and will need to account for this.
What is FT doorman?
A full-time doorman means a full-time salary (and generally benefits are included as well), and the cost of the doorman is typically added to the rent of everyone who lives in the building.
What is a pre-war classic 6?
A desirable layout of pre-war apartments is the “classic six” which refers to the number of main rooms: kitchen, living room, formal dining room, master bedroom, second bedroom, and a maid’s room/office. There are also classic five layouts without the maid’s room, and the classic seven with a third bedroom.
What is postwar apartment?
As you could probably imagine, a postwar apartment is one that was built after the Second World War but before the 1990s. They (prewar) often have more character and each apartment is different from one another, while postwar apartments often look similar to other units that were built in the same time frame or area.
What does post WWII mean?
: occurring or existing after a war especially : occurring or existing after World War II.3 days ago.
Are older buildings more soundproof?
Not necessarily. It depends on the specific sound control measures in place. In fact, many older apartment buildings are much quieter than their newer counterparts because they were built when construction costs were lower.
How do you find a quiet apartment in NYC?
“Apartments located on side streets are usually your best bet,” he says, “but you can find quiet spaces in buildings located on major streets and avenues depending on where they’re located in the building.” Rear-facing units, for instance, will typically have less noise than street-facing ones.
How do I turn on the heater in NYC?
Typically you turn the knob clockwise to turn the heat off, counter-clockwise all the way to turn the heat on. If the radiator is off, it shouldn’t make any banging sounds.
What year did WWI end?
Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies on November 11, 1918. World War I was known as the “war to end all wars” because of the great slaughter and destruction it caused.
What countries made up prewar Europe?
Pre-war Eastern Europe is made up of 4 countries. Hungary. Romania. Soviet Union. Poland.