HERITAGE Magazine - Fall 2020

HERITAGE PEOPLE, HOMES AND HISTORY of Old Southwest Reno

IN THIS ISSUE

A TREE LIVES ON

A Norway Maple gets a new life

ULTRA-MODERN ON MARSH

GONE TO THE BIRDS

The home of Turkey & Peter Stremmel

How to get started with backyard chickens

As a fourth generation Nevadan, JD was born and raised in Reno. Known for his work ethic and heart, he played multiple sports while attending Reno High School. He also worked many years in the hospitality industry, working in our local casinos to pay for his tuition at UNR. JD met his wife Dulce while attending college, and with the desire to raise their son in the neighborhood he grew up in, they bought their first home in the heart of Ward 1.

During the recession, Dulce and JD started their careers as residential realtors. For the last 11 years, JD has had the honor of helping hardworking folks achieve their dreams of homeownership while fostering honest relationships that keep him grounded within the community.

Homeless

Solving the problem with prevention and housing, and a focus on options to assist our unsheltered who sleep and live in public areas.

Housing

Proactive approach in bringing affordable and attainable housing, with a smart growth strategy aimed at sustainability and diversity.

Small Business Champion

Promote smart policies and streamline our local government to help small businesses succeed.

775-391-6026

drakulichforreno@gmail.com

drakulichforreno.com Paid for by the Committee to Elect J.D. Drakulich for City Council Ward 1

JD is in his fourth year as a Board Member at the Eddy House and was elected into his second term as their Board President. He led them from a drop-in center, to a 24/7 facility that helps our homeless youth get off the street and into the workforce. Solving our community's homeless issue is the main catalyst for JD's run to be a City Councilman.

JD believes that our leaders need to be more proactive in providing our community with affordable and attainable housing. He wants to engage with national organizations that specialize in the financing and preservation of low to moderate income housing. He will also work together with our builders and developers to meet our community’s housing needs in a smart growth approach while preserving our community's natural beauty and open space.

JD will make sure that our law enforcement and firefighters will have the resources needed to keep us safe. He supports our police officers, but recognizes that the honor of wearing a badge means they will be held to higher standards. We must continue to be better at keeping our citizens safe.

JD is proud to have built his reputation in his career through service and delivering on promises, and will do the same for you. He prides himself on hard work and compassion, and his effective leadership will allow him to advocate for the Reno we know and love.

HERITAGE Fall 2020

EDITOR/DESIGNER/PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Fall is almost here!

Patrick Turner

Fall is, by far, my favorite season

WRITERS/EDITORS

in the Old Southwest. When the

Alissa Turner Kaitlyn Turner CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Joe Fletcher ADVERTISING

To advertise in HERITAGE e-mail info@heritagemagazine.org or call 775-560-5505 ©2020 HERITAGE. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by HERITAGE, its affiliates or partners—questions and complaints should be forwarded directly to the advertiser. Editorial correspondence can be sent to info@heritagemagazine.org.

amazing variety of trees we have in the neighborhood start to change color, no other neighborhood in Reno can rival the stunning beauty.

I’m happy to report that readership of HERITAGE is strong. After the summer issue reached mailboxes, my inbox was overflowing with e-mail—some praise, some admonishment. When I included the profile of Francis G. Newlands, I had no idea the conversation about his history was about to escalate. Social justice is a hot topic currently, so it makes sense for our community to be part of the discussion, particularly as it relates to the history of our neighborhood.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, I encourage you to learn as much you can. An informed opinion is always best! To help provide

COVER PHOTO

context for the discussion regarding the commemoration of Francis G. Newlands in our neighborhood, the Historic Reno Preservation Society has curated a collection of resources on their website at historicreno.org.

Thanks for your continued readership and I hope you enjoy this fall 2020 edition of HERITAGE. Sincerely,

Patrick Turner, Publisher Ultra-modern home on Marsh Ave. owned by Turkey and Peter Stremmel, completed in July 2016.

P.S. See more from HERITAGE on Facebook and

Photo: Joe Flectcher

Instagram. Just search for Heritage Magazine.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 Ultra-modern Home Lands on Marsh A space-age home lands on a long-vacant lot on Marsh Avenue.

9 A Tree Lives On The story of how Heidi Cooper saved a tree from the chipper.

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10 Tour the Neighborhood Virtually The folks at Historic Reno Preservation Society have adapted to the challenges created by COVID-19.

12 The Backyard Chicken Craze Check out this beginner’s guide to getting started with a flock of your own.

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Photos: Joe Fletcher

HISTORIC HOMES

Ultra-modern Home Lands on Marsh If you were driving or walking down Marsh Ave. in the summer of 2016, you might have thought you were witnessing the construction of the set for a high desert science fiction film. The scene wasn’t the assembly of an interstellar landing pad, but rather an ultra-modern home being built for longtime Reno residents Turkey and Peter Stremmel.

Turkey and Peter chose the Old Southwest for their latest architectural endeavor after having lived in a widely published, expansive home in south Reno for almost twenty-five years. For a number of reasons, 6

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not the least of which involved some medical issues, they decided they wanted to be in town, closer to their business, and within walking distance of theaters, museums, restaurants, and shopping.

The contemporary home, completed in July 2016, is built predominantly of concrete, steel and glass. It was designed by architectural firm OPA which is based in San Francisco. According to Peter, “The design process was one of evolution and took on many different shapes, concepts, and elevations over a period of a year and a half. Primarily we wanted a

space that was minimal in terms of plan but embraced the outdoors and the dramatic vistas to the northwest and Peavine Mountain.”

The Stremmel’s home is made up of three floors.

Despite its relatively large square footage, the home contains just two bedrooms and two and a half baths. The remainder of the home includes an overhanging loft office and an expansive lower level that boasts a kitchen, dining area and large living area. Regarding the floor plan, Peter remarked, “Considerable thought was given to how we interact with the built environment, avoiding the delineation of specific rooms dedicated to dining, cooking, and formal living. The home was designed to explore how we relate to the built environment that is self-

contained in the winter and unfolds and expands into outdoor living in warmer months.”

Another unique feature, which adds to the home’s energy efficiency, is that it is partially embedded into the landscape, providing a thermal mass that aids in both heating and cooling—all of which is radiant, eliminating the need for a conventional HVAC system.

Although technically not from another universe, the home definitely holds the title as the most space-age looking home in the neighborhood. When asked what they like best about their new home in the Old Southwest, Peter responded, “The neighborhood is ideal for walking, particularly with a dog. Nothing could be nicer on a Sunday morning.”

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HERITAGE PEOPLE, HOMES AND HISTORYof Old Southwest Reno

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NEIGHBOR STORIES

A Tree Lives On Longtime Old Southwest Reno resident Heidi Cooper lives on Nixon Avenue in a quaint cottage surrounded by trees. A few years ago, the City of Reno tagged one of the trees in the parkway that separates her yard from the street as one that needed to be removed. Rather than allow the city to chop down the beautiful Norway Maple and dispose of it, she decided to find a way for it to live on.

Heidi didn’t do anything drastic like chain herself to the tree to impede city workers. Rather, she contacted the City of Reno arborist to ask if the tree could be cut into manageable logs and left on her

property. The city’s arborist was happy to oblige.

After having the logs milled into lumber that could be used for various projects, over the next few years Heidi found a variety of artisans in our community who could turn the wood into useful and artistic items. The tree now lives on as a bench, shelves, window sills, cutting boards, a Monopoly game case, bowls, a side table, and even canoe paddles.

Heidi’s quick thinking and the cooperation of the city arborist truly helped preserve one of the Old Southwest’s greatest assets by giving it a new life.

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Deb Hinman leading a tour of the University neighborhood

THINGS TO DO

Take a Neighborhood Tour (Virtually) With COVID-19 affecting nearly every aspect of our daily lives, even history is being forced to adapt. The folks at Historic Reno Preservation Society (HRPS) have seized the opportunity to use technology to continue to deliver a summertime tradition in a new, virtual format.

Artown. Participants could tune in to view guided tours of everything from the UNR Historic District, to the Newlands Neighborhood, to the ever-popular Mansions on the Bluff. Presentations ranged from 20 to 60 minutes and were narrated by some of the same familiar faces you’d see on the in-person tours.

Normally, on a summer weekend day you’ll see a group of curious people walking the neighborhood on one of the many tours offered by the volunteers at HRPS. This year, with the pandemic canceling nearly every event in town, HRPS decided to offer their 2020 Neighborhood Stories series virtually, via Zoom. The series was presented in July as part of

If you missed this year’s series, don’t despair—all 18 stories are available online. To view them, and get a little dose of the way things used to be (pre-COVID), check out the HRPS website at historicreno.org and click on “Neighborhood Stories” under the Tours tab. No sunscreen required!

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How do you science?

Science Distilled, the informal lecture series created by Desert Research Institute and The Discovery, makes cutting-edge science approachable through intimate and interactive presentations on current and curious topics held at hip locations in a social atmosphere.

Find an upcoming event at sciencedistilled.org

S H O P. E A T. D R I N K . E N J O Y. S E R V I C E . L I V E / S T A Y.

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775.825.WALK

URBAN FARMING

A Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Chickens In the Old Southwest, some yards have already gone to the birds! Residents are discovering that farmfresh eggs and watching “chicken TV” are just some of the benefits of raising backyard poultry. As it turns out, raising backyard chickens is actually quite easy, and there are likely more benefits that you realize.

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions about how to get started in the backyard poultry craze.

Doesn’t the city prohibit livestock in urban areas?

Neither the City of Reno nor Washoe County have laws preventing residents from having chickens on 12

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their property. Beware though, if you have a rooster and its early morning cock-a-doodle-doos annoy your neighbors, they can file a complaint with Washoe County. County officials will send you a kindly worded letter explaining that your neighbors don’t enjoy the sunrise wakeup call and you’ll have to get rid of your feathered alarm clock.

My yard is small. Do I have room for chickens?

Chickens are relatively small birds, in turn requiring relatively little space. You’ll definitely want to make sure you have room for a coop with an attached run

so that your chickens have a safe place to retreat to when the weather gets cold and a place to scratch around during the day. Most veterinarians will tell you to allow approximately four square-feet of nesting space and 10 square-feet of room to roam for each chicken.

Even though we live an urban area, you’ll still want to be wary of predators. Raccoons, skunks, hawks and the occasional coyote will be on the lookout for easily accessible chickens. So, make sure whatever you build or buy to house your chicks is secure.

How much does it cost to raise chickens?

Once you get past the initial investment of building a coop for your feathered friends, the expense of keeping chickens is actually quite low. You can count on spending $25 or so a month on food, depending on the size of your flock. A do-it-yourself coop can run you anywhere from $250 to $500 and a custombuilt chicken abode can go as high as $1,500.

Don’t I need a rooster to get eggs?

This is a very common misconception. And the short answer is, no. If you want fertile eggs that can be

hatched, a rooster is a must. But for delicious backyard eggs you only need hens.

I have a dog or cat. Can I still have chickens?

You would think that dogs, cats and chickens would be a recipe for disaster, but actually that’s not the case. To ensure your dog or cat forms an amicable relationship with your poultry, try supervised visits, preferably with your dog or cat on a leash, for the first few weeks. Once your furry friends realize that the chickens aren’t a threat, they’ll likely get along just fine.

I’m ready. Where should I purchase my chickens?

There are a number of places in Reno that sell baby chicks. Green’s Feed on N. Virginia Street near the Bonanza Casino is a popular spot. There’s also Tractor Supply Co. in Sparks which offers chicks seasonally. If you’re not ready to raise your flock from really young stock, you can purchase started pullets (think teenage chickens) online. One popular hatchery that sells chicks and pullets and ships them via United States Postal Service is Murray McMurray Hatchery (mcmurrayhatchery.com).

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As Seen in the Neighborhood Did you capture a great photo from around the neighborhood?

Share it by tagging HERITAGE on Facebook or Instagram, or by using the hashtag #HeritageMag.

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PEOPLE, HOMES AND HISTORY of Old Southwest Reno

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Hello, Old Southwest Reno:

Paid for by Jenny Brekhus for Reno City Council

W

hile you work on making your home more comfortable, I ask that you let me focus on what the City needs to do to maintain the quality of life we enjoy in our older neighborhoods. As a fast growing community, there is pressure to divert public resources to the outskirts. But our older neighborhood infrastructure, including our parks and streets, are showing their age. I’ve championed investment in mature neighborhoods and opposed proposals that would reduce public safety coverage in Ward 1 areas.

But, there is more work to be done. I am asking for your vote in this November’s General Election so th at I can continue to work for you at city hall.

RE-ELECT

JENNY BREKHUS RENO CITY COUNCIL

•

WARD 1

jennybrekhus.com • jennybrekhus@gmail.com 775-544-1694 Brekhus Heritage OBC.indd 1

8/14/20 4:44 PM