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Time Business News
6 days ago
- General
- Time Business News
Why Hartford's Historic Homes Need Specialized Air Conditioning Repair
Hartford, CT is known for its historic charm — tree-lined streets, Federal-style townhouses, and pre-war colonial architecture. But while these older homes are full of character, they weren't built with modern HVAC systems in mind. That's why air conditioning repair in Hartford, CT often requires more than just standard service. It demands a specialized approach that respects the structure of older properties while delivering modern cooling efficiency. Unlike newer constructions that are built around central HVAC design, many homes in Hartford were retrofitted decades later. These retrofits often included patchwork duct systems, undersized units, or aging equipment pushed beyond its limit. Common issues found in older homes include: Restricted duct access behind plaster walls or crawlspaces behind plaster walls or crawlspaces Antiquated electrical systems that may not support high-efficiency units that may not support high-efficiency units Poor insulation , which leads to uneven cooling and system overwork , which leads to uneven cooling and system overwork Mismatched equipment added over decades without a unified plan Each of these issues complicates even basic AC service, making experienced, locally-informed repair technicians essential. A technician unfamiliar with the quirks of older Hartford homes might treat your AC issue as a generic mechanical problem. That often results in temporary fixes that don't address the root cause — or worse, damage to original features like crown molding, trim, or flooring during duct access or equipment installation. True professionals offering air conditioning repair in Hartford, CT understand that these homes need careful diagnostics, minimal-intrusion access techniques, and historically sensitive solutions that preserve both comfort and character. Modern HVAC technology now includes solutions tailored to older homes. Some of the more appropriate upgrades include: Ductless mini-split systems , which offer zone cooling without the need for invasive ductwork , which offer zone cooling without the need for invasive ductwork High-velocity air handlers , which use flexible, smaller ducts ideal for retrofit , which use flexible, smaller ducts ideal for retrofit Custom-sized AC units , which match lower load requirements in draft-prone structures , which match lower load requirements in draft-prone structures Whole-home dehumidifiers, essential in Hartford's humid summer months A qualified technician will recommend these technologies based on load calculations and house layout — not a cookie-cutter approach. When your home is over a century old, a generalist won't do. You need technicians who've worked in Hartford neighborhoods, understand local building codes, and know how to retrofit cooling solutions that work with — not against — old bones. That's why it's important to work with a provider that specializes in air conditioning repair in Hartford, CT. These professionals have seen every type of legacy system, understand the nuances of Hartford architecture, and offer solutions that balance comfort, efficiency, and preservation. If you live in one of Hartford's historic homes, don't wait for your AC to fail in the middle of July. What you need isn't just a repair — you need a repair done right, by people who understand your home's history as much as its cooling demands. Partner with a trusted local expert for air conditioning repair in Hartford, CT, and protect your comfort without compromising your home's character. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
New York Post
13-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Potential NYC megamansion lists for $15M
Two historic West Village townhouses that are connected on each floor can be yours — for a cool $15 million. With exteriors combined, they would create a rare, 39-foot-wide megamansion — the latest billionaire trend to rock the West Village. (For comparison, the city's widest home is currently the 57-foot-wide landmarked Vanderbilt mansion at 60 E. 93rd St.) It's the first time they've been on the market in almost 100 years. 15 A charming, exposed brick fireplace anchors this room. Brown Harris Stevens 15 The townhouses enjoy coveted outdoor space in the West Village. Brown Harris Stevens 15 Combined, they'd create a rare, 39-foot-wide megamansion — the latest billionaire trend to rock the West Village. Brown Harris Stevens 15 The stairs and hardwood floors in one of the units. Brown Harris Stevens The Federal-style homes, at 277 and 279 W. 12th St., were built in 1829. The owners connected the townhouses, floor by floor, during a 2003 renovation, said listing broker Senad Ahmetovic of Brown Harris Stevens. 'It's a unique layout,' Ahmetovic said, adding that the owners currently live in one townhouse, plus half of the other, which also comes with three rental units. They've chosen to place their townhouse's public spaces — the living and dining areas — on the upper floors to take advantage of the 'beautiful treetop views.' 15 An open dining area inside the connected home. Brown Harris Stevens 15 Entertain by one of the 10 woodburning fireplaces. Brown Harris Stevens While the townhouse does not have an elevator, there is a kind of quirky, mechanized dumbwaiter that was updated during the 2003 renovations, and is fully operational. 'With the push of a button, you can send groceries from the first floor to the kitchen on the top floor,' Ahmetovic said. Additional design details include lots of exposed brick and 10 working woodburning fireplaces. 15 A home office area inside the megamansion. Brown Harris Stevens 15 A snazzy open chef's kitchen comes with all the trimmings. Brown Harris Stevens 15 One of the eight bedrooms inside the connected townhouses. Brown Harris Stevens The townhouses have been owned by the same family since the 1930s. Combined, the red-brick townhouses would create a five-story, 6,200-square-foot mansion. They occupy a tree-lined, cobblestoned street in a landmarked historic district. 15 Large windows above the treetops in the West Village. Brown Harris Stevens 15 The outdoor space is divine. Brown Harris Stevens 15 A view of the layout. Brown Harris Stevens Currently, 277 W. 12th St. operates as a single-family home that is 4,148 square feet, with five bedrooms, four bathrooms and two powder rooms. There's also a library, a formal dining room and a planted roof deck. The single family that occupies No. 277 also occupies the upper two floors — renovated in 2003 — of adjacent 279 W. 12th Street. That space features a large living room and a formal dining room with an exposed brick woodburning fireplace and a window wall, and a large, windowed chef's kitchen — all with a separate entrance through No. 279. Additional details include a temperature-controlled wine cellar and a landscaped deck with a self-watering irrigation system. 15 This bedroom has room for a writing desk. Brown Harris Stevens 15 A sitting area inside one of the two townhouses. Brown Harris Stevens 15 Plenty of windows bring in light to the West Village dwelling. Brown Harris Stevens The property was originally owned by a grocer, James McAlliss. Past residents include the abstract Canadian-born American painter Ralston Crawford.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Florence Griswold Home: Artistry Encased in Georgian-Style Architecture
The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, has served multiple purposes since it was built in 1817. Designed by Hartford, Connecticut architect Samuel Belcher, it originally served as a home where its namesake was born in 1850, but then operated as a Griswold's Home School for Girls and eventually as Miss Florence's Boardinghouse. The late Georgian-style house with its Federal-style features and surrounded by woods and the serenity of the Lieutenant River provided endless fodder for burgeoning 19th-century artists. As Florence Griswold explained in 1937, 'So, you see, at first the artists adopted Lyme, then Lyme adopted the artists, and now, today, Lyme and art are synonymous.' The house and the region were known for a time as the Lyme Art Colony, and the house was its centerpiece. The house was filled to the brim with paintings by around 200 artists who gathered there, as well as ornamented with painted wood panels and doors. Griswold lived there until her death in December 1937; the house became a public museum in 1947 and a National Historic Landmark in 1993. After a $2.5 million restoration, the museum reopened in 2006. The first floor is maintained as it appeared in the early 1900s. The house's second floor showcases a rotating gallery of the museum's permanent collection. On the grounds are restored barns and a restored artist's studio. The home's parlor served as a gathering place for evening events: Artists sketched and played music on the harp or piano. A variety of seats, including upholstered and woven chairs and an ornately carved Victorian settee, provided ample places for guests to gather comfortably. The piano is set into an arched niche, while the window niches are framed in layered moldings and wood paneling. The decorative mirror is ornamented with a gilded scrolled pediment. Joe Standart/FloGris Museum The main floor's interior features a spacious central hallway. The wide arched and paneled opening is topped with a capstone that gives the hallway a classic, sophisticated appearance. Forty-one paintings by artists boarding from the late-19th to early-20th century adorn several areas of the house, including the hallway. Joe Standart/FloGris Museum A total of 38 individual panels by 33 artists are presented in the dining room, as well as a frieze over the brick fireplace's mantel. Artists staying at the Griswold house during the turn of the 20th century were responsible for the dining room scenes that depict nature, animals, architecture, and culture. Joe Standart/FloGris Museum The Florence Griswold Museum features lush English gardens with a wild array of various-hued perennials in textures and shapes. The flowering bushes and established trees fill in the area at the back of the house and surround the John & Kelly Bill Hartman Education Center. It was built in 1999 as a place to teach art and other creative endeavors. FloGris Museum Between the hall and the parlor, Florence Griswold's bedroom was a refuge from the countless boarders that occupied her home when it became a public boardinghouse. In the built-in corner cabinet with doors is a display of painted china by Florence's eldest sister, Louise Augusta. The polished wood sleigh bed coordinates with the multi-drawer dresser and claw-footed round table. Over the paneled mantel is an oil painting of a ship, and on the mantel is Florence's father's brass spyglass. Both memorialize Robert Harper Griswold, a ship captain. Joe Standart/FloGris Museum Situated on 12 acres, the Florence Griswold home is in walking distance to the Lieutenant River, which joins the Connecticut River. The river became a favorite subject for artists when Florence Griswold operated her property as public boardinghouse in the early 20th century. Visitors to the property can stroll from the historic house to the river by a maintained trail. Sean Flynn/FloGris Museum What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A 19th-Century Savannah Mansion With Film and Literary Ties Can Be Yours for $4.3 Million
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the 1994 bestseller written by John Berendt, was turned into the Clint Eastwood-directed 1997 film and is set to debut as a Broadway musical this year. Fans, then, may be interested to hear that a Savannah home associated with the novel is now up for sale for $4.3 million. The five-bedroom, four-bath Federal-style abode was originally built back in 1821 by the merchant John Hunter and once served as the home of attorney-turned-musician Joe Odom, one of the true-crime tome's main characters. The current owner did a complete restoration of the historic dwelling as well as its one-bedroom, one-bath carriage house. Elaine Seabolt at Seabolt Real Estate holds the listing. More from Robb Report Watch This New 'Star Wars'-Style Speeder Bike Fly at Almost 125 mph This $33.2 Million Private Island in the U.K. Has Long Been an Under-the-Radar Creative Haven Inside the Edition's City-View Residences in Nashville's Gulch Neighborhood The exterior of the home looks much as it did when it was built 200 years ago; Philadelphia hard-pressed red brick covers the facade, and the Ionic-columned limestone portico sports a balustraded balcony. Many modern touches have been added to the interior spaces, but the original mahogany stair rail, plaster, and woodwork remain in place. And throughout, classical moldings complement the original grey marble mantles along with six-panel doors and triple sash windows. The chef's kitchen is updated with dove grey custom cabinetry and high-end appliances. A cozy seating area adjoins the space. A private primary suite is found on the second floor, with a decorative fireplace, while the garden level has been converted into a secondary living space, with a full kitchen and Belgium bluestone floors. Outside, there's a covered seating area and a tucked-away courtyard. The carriage house has two parking spots on the ground floor; balconies in the well-appointed second-floor apartment look out over the courtyard. Savannah isn't known for flashy, multimillion-dollar properties; rather, the genteel Georgia city is dotted with elegant homes filled with history and character. Just a couple years ago, a Greek Revival mansion across from Forsyth Park sold for a record-setting $6.2 million, meanwhile, the most expensive home ever sold in the Hostess City of the South is the $8.4 million paid for celebrity chef Paula Deen's former estate in November of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
New York Post
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Conn. home built by a Revolutionary War soldier asks $5.49M
A historic Federal-style home, built by an American Revolutionary War soldier, is on the market for $5.49 million. It's at 142 Main St. in a part of Fairfield, Conn. called Southport. The tony area has been a low-key favorite for privacy-loving public figures including Marlo Thomas and her late husband Phil Donahue; the late executive Jack Welch; and Daytime Emmy Award-winning soap star Jensen Ackles, brokers said. More recently, celebrity chef Ina Garten sold her home nearby, at 219 Main St., for $1.36 million, according to reports. 11 The historic home was built in 1811. Borgatta Photography 11 The residence's open chef's kitchen. Borgatta Photography The sellers of this seven-figure residence are orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bob Stanton, who worked with the US Ski Team for 30 years, and his wife Mandy. The Stantons bought the residence for $1 million in 2016. Extensive renovations by builder Paul Tallman, architect Jack Franzen and interiors firm Parker & Company Designs followed. 11 Celebrity chef Ina Garten was once a neighbor. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images 11 Daytime Emmy winner Jensen Ackles. Variety via Getty Images 11 Entertaining is easy in this lovely and buzzing living room. Borgatta Photography The residence is named the Eleazar Bulkley House after the first owner, who also built it. An American Revolutionary War soldier, Bulkley bought a fleet of vessels after the conflict and, as captain of his fleet, docked them in Southport Harbor. Along with his five sons, Bulkley started E. Bulkley & Sons, which was known for shipping Southport onions. 11 An aerial of the property. Borgatta Photography 11 There's a butler's pantry off the kitchen. Borgatta Photography 11 The dwelling boasts plenty of pretty places to entertain. Borgatta Photography Built in 1811, the four-bedroom, 4½-bathroom home is 3,603 square feet and sits on 0.67 acres. Original features include re-milled, 200-year-old pine floors and chestnut beams, while the home also incorporates modern elements such as a floating staircase made, in part, with structural steel. Additional details include a chef's kitchen and six fireplaces: four gas and two woodburning. 11 This elegant and cozy room comes with one of the home's six fireplaces. Borgatta Photography 11 The open dining room is charming and chandeliered. Borgatta Photography 11 Catch a flick inside the media room. Borgatta Photography Outside, there's a classic front porch, a generator and mature perennial gardens that have won landscape architecture awards. The sellers also discovered a handwritten date, July 4, 1811, on the roof rafters. The listing broker is Libby McKinney Tritschler of William Raveis Real Estate.
