This Old House | The Newton House [S2, E1] | Full Episode

We're just 39 days away from our big 40th-anniversary TV special on PBS! In the meantime, take a stroll down memory lane with Bob Vila, as he introduces the Season 2 project in Newton, MA. This series premiere episode is available FREE for a limited time in celebration of TOH's 40th anniversary! To view the rest of Season 2, get a FREE trial membership to TOH INSIDER. Learn more. https://bit.ly/2XEaAPf #ThisOldHouse #AskTOH SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse In this episode: The Newton House, a 19th-century hilltop home in Newton, MA, was designed by Victorian architect H.H. Richardson. The challenge is to convert this abandoned structure into five modern condominium units, while preserving architectural integrity. Bob Vila talks with Norm Abram about how to achieve this balance. In the housing crunch in the early 1980s, single-family homes were snatched up so quickly-and at such prohibitive prices-that developers began to look for alternative forms of housing, transforming triple-deckers, downtown brownstones and even old factories into condominiums. This Old House joined the fray when it stepped in to rescue the long-neglected and often-vandalized Bigelow House, a sprawling historic mansion in Newton, Massachusetts. Designed by famed Victorian architect Henry Hobson Richardson as a summer house for Dr. Henry Jacobs Bigelow in 1886, the large, rambling Shingle-Style house commands a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside. The property, which fell into disrepair when it was abandoned in 1973, found new life as a set of five condominiums with extensive grounds and a sunny interior courtyard. In addition to the main house, the This Old House crew converted a woodshed, ice house, stable and barns from storage and haylofts into livable condominium units with modern amenities. Details like eyebrow windows, hayloft windows and a cupola remained constant reminders of the historic building's past, as modern amenities such as central heat, electricity and telephone service arrived at the house for the first time. Because the house was designed for summer use, the crew also added blown-in cellulose and rigid polystyrene insulation, storm windows and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, including solar collectors and wood stoves. About This Old House TV: This Old House is the No. 1 multimedia home enthusiast brand, offering trusted information and expert advice through award-winning television, a highly regarded magazine, and an information-driven website. This Old House and Ask This Old House are produced by This Old House Ventures, LLC and are presented on PBS by WETA Washington, DC. Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter http://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: https://ift.tt/2ROpRve Tumblr: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr