This Italianate-style home in New York has good bones, but could use a modern a refresh.
About this House
This 4,159-square-foot house was built circa 1870, when the small city was a booming manufacturing center and grand homes were constructed on its most elegant street. In the early 1890s, the house was home to local postmaster Charles Weeks, and at the turn of the last century, to Newton Crissey, president of the Farmers and Mechanics bank. Today it is known locally as the Weeks Mansion, for the prominent family that continued to own it for much of the 20th century.
Why Save It?
The 4,159-square-foot house was built circa 1870, when Jamestown was a booming manufacturing center and grand homes were constructed on its most elegant street. In the early 1890s, the house was home to local postmaster Charles Weeks, and at the turn of the last century, to Newton Crissey, president of the Farmers and Mechanics bank. Today it is known locally as the Weeks Mansion, for the prominent family that continued to own it for much of the 20th century.
Set on a quarter-acre double lot, the house retains significant original features, including extensive millwork, floors, staircases, and fireplaces. On the exterior, the original entryway, windows, wraparound porch, clapboard siding, and brackets survive. Located in the Lakeview Historic District, the house is set among other 19th- and early-20th-century homes and some newer multi-unit dwellings.
It sits on a hill overlooking Chautauqua Lake, in a county known for its natural beauty. The city, which was comedian Lucille Ball’s hometown, became the site of the National Comedy Center in 2018. While this Rust Belt town has its share of urban problems, it also offers a lower cost of living, and a number of revitalization programs are underway to restore its luster.
What It Needs
Beneath its new roof, the house is believed to be structurally sound. Recent renovations gutted the kitchen and first-floor bath, and exposed some of the wall lathe, readying it for plaster or drywall. The porches require new footings and railings, and the house needs all new systems. It’s a prospect not for the faint of heart, to be sure, but the right new owner will meet the challenge for this charmer with great potential.
Pro Tip: When evaluating a fixer-upper of this scale, even seasoned pros consider walking away. This Old House general contractor Tom Silva says of one similarly distressed Italianate-era home: “My first thought was teardown—that it would be better, faster, and almost cheaper to start fresh.” For buyers committed to saving a historic house, that gut check is often the first step.
House Stats
- Price: $99,900
- Location: Jamestown, NY
- Contact: Stefanie Sunday; stefsunday29@ gmail.com
Got a House?
Built circa 1872, this Italianate is believed to be the oldest house in town. Local lore holds that the home’s original owner, Captain William Steers, used the square cupola atop its two stories as a sort of captain’s walk to survey his surroundings on all four sides—though in this landlocked location he would have been hard-pressed to spot a ship on the horizon. These days the home is known as the Francisco House, after the family that owned it for much of the 20th century.
In the early 1980s, Mary Simon—née Francisco—put extensive work into the property, helping preserve the character of what locals consider a cornerstone of Jamestown’s architectural heritage.
If you know of an old house for sale that should be saved, write to This Old House, 262 Harbor Dr., Stamford, CT 06902 or savethisoldhouse@www.thisoldhouse.com.
