It seems we've done a lot of lamenting over lost architecture today, so for a moment let's appreciate 2837-39 Cambridge St., an older building that has survived the decades and looks like it was maybe once a fire house, or more likely a carriage house.
The building has a number of amazing details, with textured brown stone on the first story, handsome lintels above the windows, and various details sprinkled into the brickwork. It stands to reason that the large central opening was once the front door, though various renovations over the years have moved the door to the western side of the building. It was converted to apartments somewhere along the way, and we're pretty sure there are four apartments spread over the building.
Immediately next door at 2841 Cambridge St., developers built a contemporary home in the last few years. Looking at the buildings side by side, we see a major contrast between the old and the new.
Both of these buildings stick out from the rest of the homes of the block, which are are pretty traditional. Many of the homes on the north side have front porches, and MM Partners built some new construction in the last couple years further down the block.
With all the blight that's impacted Brewerytown over the years, it's excellent that this building and the old mansion around the corner of 29th Street have survived. Had these properties been located just a few blocks to the north, it's likelier that they would have faced the wrecking ball at some point over the years. But fortunately geography is on their side, and we can continue to enjoy these buildings for years to come.