Boston's Three-Deckers: The Beauty And The Blight

An examination of three-decker, or triple-decker housing, which is common in urban neighborhoods throughout New England.

1 minute read

November 26, 2003, 2:00 PM PST

By Connie Chung


"In Krim’s history, there were many builders who went bankrupt, as the production of three-deckers all but came to a stop around 1930. Real estate consultant John Anderson points to another factor: a 1929 change in zoning, which discouraged three-deckers by imposing new requirements for depth and frontage. By the time the building was over, three-deckers had practically defined the texture of a whole city. Even in 1970, the Boston Redevelopment Authority reported, one-to-four family homes—chiefly three-deckers—accounted for three-fifths of the city’s housing stock."

Thanks to Joshuah Mello

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 in Neighborhood News Network

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