Most houses around here need to be demo'd and something modern put in it's place.I'm not really a fan of all the apartments that replace the old houses. 

My thoughts were to make the studios into extended stay for blue collar folk with a modern vibe w/some common area amenities (laundry, vending, & business center) .

In my opinion, panel blinds can add a touch of modernity and might be more attractive than traditional verticals.

We have one breaking ground in Newark, OH in Licking County, a submarket of Columbus and it's ultra modern no garage testing the market for affordable housing. 

My window had a film over it for privacy- bt I nejoyed it more than modern day bathrooms with the fans

I plan on gutting the rest of the bathrooms and making them more modern than what's currently there. 

@Kenneth Hynes LVP looks more modern and will help the apartment stand out.

Hello BiggerPockets Community,I'm embarking on an exciting journey to acquire and renovate a duplex from 1900, aiming to tackle the inherent challenges of outdated insulation and the lack of modern vapor and air barriers.

Just get a proper home inspection and investigate the basement quality, electric type (i.e. knob and tube, aluminum, ungrounded, modern romex), plumbing type (i.e. cast iron, galvanized, pvc), and just be overall ok with an older building material.

About your concerns on rents: you'll be hard pressed to find an example in modern history where rents declined in a meaningful way, not even 2008.