Additionally, the contractors power washed the stone facade and noted that it was "holding in a lot of water" and needed to be sealed.

I gave the architect direction with pictures of other projects and building designs that I like so he would use it as a baseline for design elements to incorporate on the facade and outside finishes of the homes.  

Considering maybe French doors that has single pane glass on each side to have it kind of match the four overall glass front façade of the house.

Internet research might eliminate properties based on what you see online, google street view and the like, but you should not depend on them to determine what to buy.WAY too many times I see nice houses on the tax roll, or if we're lucky in the pictures from the law firm, and google street view looks good, and then I drive to the property only to find the house gone and fresh dirt replacing it....or the front is like a façade in a movie set and there is no back of the house, like it was destroyed in a tornado.   

This Summer we are scheduled to have the facade repaired & painted (black trim).

Additionally, the old aluminum siding on 3 sides (the front facade is new vinyl) has damage but I've not had any interest in redoing it as, in my humble non-insurance adjuster opinion, it is not going to add any value for my rent.

but to address the improvements that need to be made and such, Its my expierence that the selling number does not matter to the seller as much as the "net to seller" so even though they want the $800K theres always room in there to ask for closing credits to address the things you are seeing on the facade of the building.Additionally if you are worries about inheriting a vacant building or the whole building going vacant in my mind then you are analyzing the entire building and area as an investment, so what is the population trends, for that area, any data or comps on that asset class as far as per sf rents. 

We upgraded our to gas logs, made the cavernous opening smaller, simply tiled over the horrendous facade, then added a reclaimed fireplace mantle & a slightly raised hearth.

If the front facade is salvageable, if the utilities operate, if there are curbs and gutters all those have cash value that a lot doesn't offer.

Brick facades last a very long time & foundations are very strong as well.