Architectural oddities?

[Crazyraceguy]

As most of you know, I live in Columbus Ohio. It is not as old as colonial states, but has been around, as a centrally located capitol city, for over 210 years. It has gone through many changes in that time. You can see the approximate phases, by the architectural differences. Some of it is economic, for sure, some of it is just evolving construction techniques, materials, design preferences, etc.
Since I have more time on my hands and I have been exploring the city more slowly, I have been noticing things that I have driven by hundreds of times. Some are just streets that I have only been on sections of, never using the rest, etc.
Some of these things I have known about, just never bothered to photograph. Certain styles appear in clusters, in different parts of town. Some of the older areas have alleys separating the backs those area blocks. Newer streets/infrastructure have eliminated that.
The city goes from very small cottages, through taller city houses, into mid-century modern, etc. all the way to the McMansions of the suburbs.
The point of this whole thing is some of the wildest looking anomalies. They just make me wonder why?

I'll start with this oddity. This house is not far from mine, walking distance. I have seen it several times, though it has never been in my daily moves. I have always thought that garages under the house are odd enough, having grown up next door to one. This one however does not have the yard sloping away slowly. It has literal vertical walls, on a single-width driveway. In all of the other times I have noticed it, the space was empty. Of course, the day I was able to take a pic, the was a car in it. The thing looks ridiculous enough with nothing there, loaded it's worse. This thing in about an inch from the right side and still crazy tight on the other.
I have more, but they need uploaded. Feel free to add your own.

 

[luvmytoolz]

@Crazyraceguy That looks bizarre (as well as somewhat dangerous for any kids running around), can't imagine what the thinking process was there.

It looks like it's also sloped towards the rear, or is that just an optical illusion?

 

[mino]

Pretty sure the garage was added later on and the 'idea' was to "eat" the least space from the porch. Likely a wifie request some decades ago to preserve her flowers or such and it was not thought through that much ..

Definitely some character there!

Over here this style - vertical walls and a basement garage - is pretty common as it is very space-efficient. Just the houses are closer to the road, so it does not look weird and cars are /almost/ never parked there either.

 

[twistsol1]

When it is icy and you lose control of the car, you'll be guided right into the garage without fail. Buff out the scratches and you're ready for the next day.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Pretty sure the garage was added later on and the 'idea' was to "eat" the least space from the porch. Likely a wifie request some decades ago to preserve her flowers or such and it was not thought through that much ..

Definitely some character there!

Over here this style - vertical walls and a basement garage - is pretty common as it is very space-efficient. Just the houses are closer to the road, so it does not look weird and cars are /almost/ never parked there either.

We get some pretty torrential downpours here that can dump a massive amount of water in a very short period, so whenever I see driveways sloping down towards the garage door I think it must get pretty flooded at times?