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The smallest house in Richmond? (UPDATED)
02/04/2017 8:27 AM by John M
This cozy 448 square foot home at 2724 Q Street (built 1920) has to be in the running for smallest house in Richmond. The property last sold in 1994 for $3,500.
A 315 square foot house on Nine Mile was demolished in 2014. A 576 square foot house on 1st Avenue sold for $38,000 in 2016.
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UPDATE from the comments:
1837 Georgia Avenue (442 sq ft)
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801 Albemarle Street (420 sq ft)
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2000 Farrand Street (396 sq ft)
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1902 Lynhaven Ave. (357 sq ft) via @jtknopf:
TAGGED: Q Street
1813 Georgia Ave is 442 sq ft!!
Would not have taken much to restore it; yet someone wrapped it in a vinyl box.
Not sure if that was a house though… I think that was a store.
810 Albemarle St in Oregon Hill comes in around 420sqf according to the assessment.
http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/PropertySearch/Detail.aspx?pin=W0000209052
It also is older than 1920… it is on the 1905 Sanborn map… I hate the city’s guestimates… they have St. John’s Church being built in 1900.
2000 Farrand St. 396 square feet!
Use to be a beauty shop in early 70’s! Got my first perm there, Ms. Poole.
As someone else pointed out, a lot of these little “houses” were actually shops and offices, but still very cool. Wish there was a movement for tiny homes like these with period appropriate architecture. Seems like it is a lot easier to come up with a snazzy, historically accurate Victorian decorative scheme for a house that is only 12-18 feet wide and one story! Also, wouldn’t these make great affordable/starting housing if someone could build whole blocks of them? (maybe bring them up to 600 sq Ft, but still)
I believe this started out life as a grocery store and later as a barber shop and beauty salon until it became a house.
Let me see what I can come up with on the house. Yes, I believe it was built as a business since it doesn’t have the look of a house nor the size of one. Yes, it would be great to have a proper restoration with some facade embellishments, and landscaping to make it into a nice proper small house. I would live there. So many of these small buildings have already been lost. From what I have found already below, I bet its walls could tell many stories and has a lot of energy within the structure.
A trustee sale in 1914, where the original deed (at time of sale) dated in 1913, was owned by Thomas McDonald and sold to Edgar B. English. It was a Barber Shop then and still was one at least until 1930, and apparently longer, after the sale.
There is a good possibility that it was originally built around 1895 as a grocery store, and may have been a dual business for a while. I can say it was not there in 1892. In 1894,at the next door address 2722, Frederick Engelson, a butcher who was living on N 28th in 1892, shows up. In 1905, the 2724 address was shown as a grocer owned by Frederick Engesson (different and proper spelling) at 2724. In 1924, they were selling off a grocery cart and horse so this may have been when it went from a dual grocery-barber business to only a barber shop?
Marilyn above, got her first perm in the 1970s, when it was a beauty parlor. At one time, it was called the “Imperial Beauty Salon” owned by a Miss Annetta Neal, who passed in 1986.
This is where city directories and tax records come into play but can’t access those until Tuesday.
Eric
Looks like a tax sale occurred in 1904 to sell the entire block across the street consisting of houses and a store : 2715, 2717, 2719, 2721 2723 2725 2727. Wonder what that was about?
Seems like 2727, across the street from this house, was also a grocery store in 1910, owned by W.W. Crowe. This may be around the time 2724 went from grocer to barber (between 1904-1910) since there would be no need for competing grocers directly across the street from one another. The deed dated 1913, shows it as a barber.
I know many cities have ordinance that require a minimum size for new construction. Does anyone know if that is case in Richmond?
1824 Carlisle is pretty small, as well.
471 sq feet http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/PropertySearch/Detail.aspx?pin=E0110184014
The information and historical facts you’re sharing are really interesting. Has anyone determined if there is a minimum size requirement for new construction? I have a lot off Terminal that I’d like to use for a small rental.
I am not sure? I think it depends on the zoning designation and town or county. I believe it has to have living, sleeping, eating (kitchen) and sanitation (bathroom) as a minimal requirement for occupancy but, also have seen people with those “tiny houses” setting up on properties. There may be some calculated ratio but the best thing would be to contact the city and ask.