Skinny House

Description

The Skinny House at 44 Hull Street in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is an extremely narrow four-story house reported by the Boston Globe as having the "uncontested distinction of being the narrowest house in Boston." According to the executive director of the Boston Landmarks Commission, "In a city where there are many narrow lots, this far exceeds the norm.... As far as we know, it is the narrowest house in Boston." It was originally built as a spite house.DescriptionThe house spans 10.4 feet (3.16 m) at Hull Street, its widest point. There is no entrance here; the house may only be entered via a small alley. The house tapers to 9.25 feet (2.82 m) at the back. On the interior, the outer walls are as little as 8.4 feet (2.56 m) apart and none are more than 9.2 feet (2.80 m) apart. The home's narrowest interior point is 6.2 feet (1.89 m) across, close enough to allow an adult to touch opposing walls.There are only five doors in the house, despite it having four levels. The second floor holds the living room and the bathroom, one of the few spaces separated by a door. As of 2005, the owners are Jennifer Simonic and Spencer Welton, who live what the Boston Globe called "a vertical life".Simonic described: We had a party of 10 one New Year's Eve, and when one person has to go to the bathroom, everyone has to move.... We've had people just walk into our backyard and sit at our picnic table.... They say, "We'll just be a couple of minutes, we just want to take a coup