These are some of the most smile-inducing before-and-after renovation photos we’ve seen in a while. It’s always scary to think what could happen when vinyl or other artificial siding is removed (in this case it was Permastone); you never know what you could find. This beautiful project in Clinton Hill puts our fears to rest, and makes us want to snatch up our own plastic paradise and get to work.

(As an aside, for those looking for a humorous, deeper look into vinyl siding, Blue Vinyl is a must-see documentary.)

According to an Preservation Magazine, the owner made use of the tax photos, housed at the NYC Department of Records, to guide his renovation. Taken between 1939 and 1941, and again in 1980, these photos document every single tax lot in all five boroughs. They are an invaluable resource to anyone interested in NYC history. Currently, the tax photos are viewable only on microfilm, but we hope that someday they will be digitized and searchable.