Dayton's Bluff Home Tour April 30-May 1

Dayton’s Bluff Home Tour 2016 April 30 * 10:00-5:00 pm May 1 * 1:00-5:00 pm

A: 324 Bates Ave B: 400 Bates Ave C: 720 East 7th St D: 401 Maple St E: 833 Margaret St F: 1029 Hudson St G: 1064 Pacific St H: 8 Bates Avenue

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H

8 Bates Avenue

This 1885 Queen Anne is situated on a large corner lot with a magnificent panoramic view of St. Paul. The Mississippi Valley serves as a roughly three-mile doorstep before it turns southward, curving around Holman field just below the site. The home has a history of being moved approximately 100 yards from its original location in 1915. The interior has been lovingly restored and redone with a variety of woods and finishes. The interior represents a stunning adaptation of a period home originally finished without a bit of crown moulding, which now graces every first-floor room. The owners’ long-term goal has been to open a B&B, and they have named the property Sans Adieu (with apologies to Citizen Kane.)

Open only Sat April 30

A

324 Bates Avenue

This year is my 20th year in my lovely home in Historic Dayton’s Bluff. The 1876 Italianate VonDeyn home features a heavily wooded triple lot, front and rear porches, 11-foot ceilings, 8-foot windows in the front parlor, an extra large kitchen, main level laundry, and a sitting room for the three-bedroom upstairs. In the early nineties, this home was vacant and slated for demolition, but Tom and Susan Dimond returned it to its stately beauty. Since I’ve purchased it, we’ve added a three-car garage with loft, treehouse, picket fence, and perennial gardens.

B

400 Bates Avenue

I knew I wanted to live on the East Side, and this home was gutted of plumbing and wiring and had numerous holes, presenting itself as a blank canvas for me and my talented friends. With a gift for finding salvaged materials, this house shows the beauty in creative reuse—from the ceramic female figures salvaged from the Rossmor, double handcarved doors saved from a dumpster dating back 140 years to St Paul’s Little French church, marble slabs enclosing a found Jacuzzi, and a baby grand piano. I’m glad I could save a home from destruction and restore it to the best of my ability.

D 401 Maple Street

Our 1909 Foursquare Craftsman had a major renewal in 2004 undertaken by a group of the neighbors, including a refurbished kitchen and a new downstairs bath. Even through its checkered past, no one had painted over its extensive woodwork. In the ten years we’ve been here, we’ve added some stained glass, most recently had the attic redone as a bedroom, and put a privacy fence around the backyard. Mississippi Market was built next door, so we can always find a place to borrow that proverbial cup of sugar. We appreciate our excellent neighbors, the diversity and growing strength of Dayton’s Bluff, being part of an historic district, our proximity to Metro State, and the convenient access to public transportation.

F 1029 Hudson Road Open only Sat April 30

Stop by and see the beautiful Historic Mounds Theatre and enjoy beer, wine, and popcorn from the open concessions stand.

Built in 1922 near the end of silent movies, Mounds operated as a movie theatre until July of 1967, after which it was used for storage for about 30 years. The building was rehabbed and a wide variety of arts and entertainment has been featured over the last 15 or so years. Visit with managers Alex Bajwa and Jessica Johnson and ask for a tour.

C

720 East 7th Street

This new 55+ independent senior community offers downtown views and excellent amenities while maintaining a comfortable, neighborhood feel. Opening in summer 2016, the Cambric is comprised of 113 one- or two-bedroom apartments with open floor plans, granite counters, large bedrooms, walk-in closets, and inhome washer/dryer. Other features include controlled-access entry, community room with fireplace, courtyard with grilling area, fitness center, crafts center, on-site shuttle service, and underground heated parking. The Cambric is an amazing affordable housing community with rents beginning at only $901. See CambricApartments.com.

E

833 Margaret Street

Built in 1913, this post-Victorian, preArts and Crafts, two-story with walkup attic had everything I could have hoped for: beautiful hardwood, stained glass, dining room with bay window, intact pantry, and back deck. The home had been beautifully preserved. I purchased it in May 1985. I am the second owner of the home, which I think explains how well preserved it was. There hasn’t been a need for many renovations, but it was always my desire to finish off the attic and make it a livable space. We completed this project only five years ago, and we call it our sanctuary.

G

1064 Pacific Street

Built in 1902, we purchased this Category 1 HUD home in 2011.

Although it looked challenging, we fell in love with the original woodwork and kitchen cabinets. Staying true to its Victorian roots, we made necessary infrastructure updates and brought an eclectic flair to the house with design elements ranging from rich, bold and bright Victorian colors to a wallpapered kitchen ceiling. Rehabbing our home has been a true labor of love. With occasional help from friends, we have done all of the work ourselves, except for the crown moulding and items requiring a permit. With the interior about 95 percent complete, you can check out our progress at pacific1902.blogspot.com.