Photo by Peter Molick Photography
Remodel & Expansion of a 1947 John Staub-Designed Home
Thanks to Our Sponsors
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2016 Good Brick Tour Dates and Times All five locations on the 2016 Good Brick Tour are open from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1. Information is available at www.preservationhouston.org/goodbricktour/.
Visitors may begin their tour at any location and proceed in any order they choose. Complimentary printed guides, including maps, will be available at each location.
Advance tickets are $25 per person through Thursday, April 28 and may be purchased online at www.preservationhouston.org/goodbricktour/
Street parking is available at all tour locations, but please observe parking regulations.
Tickets are $30 per person after April 28 and may be purchased on the days of the tour at each tour location. All major credit cards are accepted. Tickets provide one admission to each house on tour. Tickets are not refundable. 36 house& home | 2016 Good Brick Tour | www.preservationhouston.org
Please wear flat- or soft-soled shoes.
Interior photography and videos, including photos and videos taken using mobile phones, are not allowed. For additional information, e-mail contact@preservationhouston.org or call 713-510-3990, Monday through Friday, during regular business hours.
Welcome Dear Friends, Welcome to Preservation Houston’s 2016 Good Brick Tour. Since 1979, we have presented more than 200 Good Brick Awards for projects that exemplify excellence in historic preservation. Over the years, many of you have told us you would like an inside look at these award-winning properties. We are pleased to offer you the opportunity during our third annual Good Brick Tour on April 30th and May 1st – this year featuring five outstanding historic homes. Our deep appreciation goes to the owners of these exceptional properties for restoring their houses to high standards and sharing their homes with our visitors for the benefit of Preservation Houston. This year we are showcasing houses from the last half of the 19th century to the post-World War II era in neighborhoods across Houston. These are not museum properties, but the functional homes of modern families. We also want to thank our many hard-working volunteers, led by our dedicated Good Brick Tour co-chairs Kate McCormick and Peggy Hull, as well as the enthusiastic location chairs, docents and Preservation Houston board members who help make this event possible. We are very grateful to our sponsors for their generous support of Preservation Houston, which helps further our efforts to create a preservation ethic for Houston. We are especially pleased to have Houston House & Home return as our exclusive print media partner
and thank Tim Beeson, Mike Harrison, Susie Reisenbigler, Susan Fox and their staff for creating and publishing the 2016 Good Brick Tour guide. Most of all, we would like to thank you, our members and guests, for attending this year’s Good Brick Tour and for supporting Preservation Houston through your interest and involvement. You are ultimately our best advocates. After the tour, tell your friends and neighbors about the houses you’ve seen, talk about the importance of local landmarks and historic districts in your neighborhoods, nominate projects for future Good Brick Awards and let our elected officials know that you care about preserving our shared heritage. If you are not yet a member, please join Preservation Houston today by visiting our website at preservationhouston.org/join/ Thank you, again, for your support. Enjoy the tour. Sincerely,
John N. Cryer III, FAIA Board President
David Bush Acting Executive Director
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Peggy Hull, ASID 2402 QUENBY ST. HOUSTON, TEXAS 77005 713-529-7681 • WWW.MYCREATIVETOUCH.COM
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Above: a new pool allows the residents to enjoy complete outdoor living. Below: The facade of the home.
Good Brick Award Winner John Staub Home Designed for Family Attracts Couple Who Lovingly Restore It Edited by Susan Fox • Photography by Peter Molick
Eric Nevil and Jim Reeder were first attracted to the house on Meadow Lake Lane because of its unique design. While they bought the house aware of its architectural and historical significance, they initially were completely unaware that it was a John Staub-designed home. At the time of their purchase, the house had minimal updating from its original condition and had experienced significant weathering that was addressed as part of the eventual restoration effort. The restoration really focused on capturing the details of Staub's work (brick coursing, muntin configurations, trim, handrail, etc.) and in maintaining the proportion of the spaces. The restored Meadow Lake residence respects Staub’s attention to detail, proportions of the interior spaces, and the relationship to its site. The project, directed by Dillon Kyle Architects, strives to preserve the historically significant design while maintaining a functioning and lively home for its occupants.
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After: Dillon Kyle Architects replaced the old 1953 addition with a whole new one-story wing.
First level
Second level
BEFORE: The 1953 back addition.
The restoration took a total of two and a half years from design to move-in. Architect Dillon Kyle further discusses the project in a Q&A below: Can you provide some history on the home? Who were the original owners – and what was their position in Houston? In 1947, John F. Staub designed a home for Margaret Wiess and James A. Elkins, Jr. Located on a corner lot in River Oaks, the home featured an L-shaped plan and embraced the increasingly casual, family-oriented lifestyle of the post-war generation. Elkins, born and raised in Houston, was the son of “Judge” James A. Elkins Sr., the founder of the law firm Vinson & Elkins in 1917, and First City National Bank, originally founded as Guaranty Trust Company in 1924. Elkins Jr. rose to be president and senior chairman of First City National Bank. Margaret Elkins, also born and raised in Houston, was the daughter of Harry Weiss, a founder of Humble Oil. The Elkins sold the home to Alice Anne “Sanny” and Frank Bellows in 1963, when the Elkins moved into their new Staubdesigned home located in the Memorial area of Houston. Frank Bellows spent his career with his father and brothers at the W.S. Bellows Construction Company. The current owners bought the home from the Bellows in 2012. How did the home evolved architecturally over the years? In 1953, when owned by the Elkins family, a one-story addition for servants’ quarters was constructed and connected to the main house by an open-air breezeway.
In the 1960s, the then-owner added an additional bedroom and bathroom on the second floor to accommodate their growing family. The addition required modifications to the existing third bedroom. After years of weathering and minimal updating, the home was purchased by the current residents — Eric Nevil and Jim Reeder, whose modern young family embraced the spirit of Staub’s original design and his intent to create a comfortable home focused around family. What are some of the changes the current owners made to restore and update the house? Working closely with the original drawings, the team at Dillon Kyle Architects came up with plans to completely update the Meadow Lake residence. The 1953 addition was removed and replaced with a new onestory addition that expanded the informal living spaces with a breakfast room, garden room, guest suite, and covered terrace. A new pool enlivens the yard and underscores the outdoor living for its occupants. The 1960s second-story addition was also removed, and the third bedroom was returned to its original footprint. Although the original house did have air-conditioning, the original chilled-water cooling system and boiler-heating system were replaced and the building envelope was insulated. The original casement and jalousie windows had been replaced in the 1970s with aluminum windows. Exterior fenestration was replaced by the new owners with new
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Renovation with an Eye for Preservation
The 1904 Burnett House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Don Broman, our general contractor, assisted in the final design of the kitchen, master suite and sleeping porch to ensure the final results were historically sensitive to the original interior and exterior of the home. He and his staff have worked together for over 25 years and have mastered the art of Victorian custom millwork and finishes, so that only a very discerning eye can see the subtle distinction between ‘old’ to ’new.’
Don Broman
RENOVATIONS RESTORATIONS ATTIC CONVERSIONS KITCHENS/BATHROOMS LIBRARIES
—3rd Generation homeowner, Arlen Ferguson
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windows; these were coordinated with the brick coursing and muntin configurations of the original casement and jalousie units. The roofing material was returned to cedar shake as was originally specified. Similarly, the brick for the new addition was carefully color matched, and trim details replicated those of the existing house. Anchoring the south end of the addition, the covered terrace reapplies Staub’s detailing from the original roofed loggia outside the living room. The canted soffit with banded paneling, vertical louvers, freestanding brick column, and a new garden gate create a seamless new space. What was the full scope of the job, both inside and out? The original footprint of the house had been changed by previous owners: a major portion of the project scope included removal of a previous addition and replacing it with an addition that was more sympathetic to Staub's original design of the house. The second-floor addition was also removed. Additionally, closets and built-ins that had been added in all bedrooms and hallways were removed, returning each room to its original footprint. The original second-floor mechanical room housing the chilled-water air conditioning system was reduced in size by half because of the efficiency of the new system, thus allowing the space to be divided to accommodate a new laundry room inside the house. Likewise, the boiler room for the heating system was converted into a mud room for new access between the garage and kitchen. Similarly, the HVAC system was completely replaced with an energy-efficient system; this had to be accommodated within the clearances of the original structure. In the existing house, on the first floor, no walls were moved. The door between the kitchen and dining room was moved to accommodate the new kitchen design as was the door between the hall and the kitchen. The original kitchen was a large galley design with St. Charles metal cabinetry and seamless stainless steel counters and backsplash. Although the new owners wanted to try to keep the original cabinetry and counters, their function had deteriorated beyond restorability. The original flooring in the kitchen was vinyl tile on top of vinyl sheet. The flooring in the kitchen and throughout the new addition is a peach-colored flagstone that matches the original flagstone used throughout the exterior hardscapes of the house. The ceiling in the kitchen was also raised a foot, made possible as a result of removing the fourth bedroom addition on the second floor. The living room has a wood ceiling intricately designed by Staub, which had over time been painted over a number of times, diminishing the architectural impact. The ceiling was stripped, cleaned and re-painted. As is so often the case with a restoration, one thing led to another, and the restoration of the living room ceiling led to the restoration of the wood ceiling over the loggia in order to maintain the continuity between the two. A previously added bookcase was also removed from the living room. The massive floor to ceiling sliding doors in the living room were cleaned and restored to working condition.
The front garden gate leads to the backyard.
The family room had been updated by the prior owners with the removal of a closet and the original bar. A new bar was designed and the walls were paneled in eucalyptus. Vinyl tile was replaced with carpet. Walls and ceilings throughout the house were plaster, thus acting as a deterrent to structural modifications, as well as to modifications like new recessed lighting, electrical outlets, and HVAC ducting and registers. Original semi-flush mount fixtures were used in each of the bedrooms and in the halls to the guest bedroom and pool loggia. Original freestanding vanities, tubs, medicine cabinets, and bullet- shaped vanity lights were used in their original location or relocated to new bathrooms. What is the square footage? The original one-story addition and the later added second-floor addition comprised approximately 1,000 square feet. The new onestory addition added approximately 1,000 square feet. Consequently, the overall square footage of the house remained constant at approximately 6,000 square feet. Were there challenges? If so, what were the solutions? Remodels, particularly where historic restoration is involved, often reveal problems resulting from foundation changes. A rusted balcony, and a need for extra brick to match the original design were among the challenges.
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RESOURCES ARCHITECT Dillon Kyle Architects 3219 Milam Street Houston, TX 77006 713-520-8792 www.dkarc.com BUILDER Brent Goodland Goodland Construction Company 1410 Cedar Post Houston, TX 77055 713-464-6724 WINDOW VENDOR Houston Window Experts 448 W 19th Street Houston, TX. 77008 832-900-7881 www.houstonwindowexperts.com CLAD FIXED & CASEMENT WINDOWS Andersen Eagle Mirror Gallery, Inc. (Andersen Windows) Kyle Heliste 9600 Grant Road Houston, TX 77070 281-893-6922 kheliste@mirrorgallery.com
Houston Window Experts supplied the newly installed windows.
Why is this house special? Staub's design for this house, as much of his later work, was really centered on family and a casual lifestyle with emphasis on the outdoors. The current owners worked with the design team to preserve this home and adapt it to address the same priorities for their own family. The house is special because it is and always has been filled with love. When the daughter of the second owner came through the house after the restoration, she walked into what had been her bedroom to find the owners’ 17-year-old daughter studying. With tears in her eyes, she said: “Grace, there have only been three little girls that ever lived in this room…and two of them are sitting right here together.” What do you wish to point out to those touring it? Seamless connection between the original structure and the new addition. What prior preservation experience does DKA have; strengths that helped make this project successful? Dillon Kyle Architects previously won a Good Brick Award in 2013 for the 1912 Larchmont Residence, so we were familiar with the need for attention to detail. As with all of our projects, we prioritize the goals that our clients –the owners – have for their homes, and we are practiced at translating their desires into built space.
Photos by Peter Molick Photography
RAM Industries, Inc. Trina Polaniec 8600 Commerce Park Drive Houston, TX 77036 281-495-9056 ext 32 trina@ramind.com www.ramwindows.com SLIDING NORWOOD DOORS Fleetwood Masters Doug Deselle 713-702-1131 2001 Karbach Street Houston, TX 77092-8435 POOL SUPPLIER The Pool Man Ted Ritts 19111 Cypress Rosehill Rd Tomball, TX 77377 281-351-2577
KITCHEN AND OTHER CABINETRY Siematic Micqui McGowen Kitchen & Bath Concepts 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 148 Houston, TX 77024 713-528-5575 mmcgowen@kitchen-concepts.com BRICK INSTALLATION Victor Flores, Masonry Contractor Abram Flores 2513 Pecan Chase Drive Richmond, TX 77406 281-657-5476 BRICK SUPPLIER South Texas Brick and Stone (bought by Detering Co.) 6800 Helman St. Houston, TX 77022 www.detering.com WOOD FLOORING Parquet Flooring: Weikel Woodwork Steve Weikel 11310 Charles Rd Jersey Village, TX 77041 713-983-8989 FLOOR INSTALLATION Fine Flooring by Cameron Rene Padilla 21811 China Green Dr Cypress, TX 77433 281-256-7727 VENEER MILLWORK Carlton Cook Company Carlton Cook 11320 Charles Rd Houston, TX 77041 713-849-4400 Insight Structures Brad Dougherty 5311 Inker Street, Suite B Houston, TX 77007 713-523-0775 brad@insightstructures.com www.insightstructures.com
INTERIOR DESIGNER Ken Kehoe Ken Kehoe & Company 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 261 Houston, TX 77024 713-523-0580 Ken@kenkehoe.com
ENGINEER Sikes Engineering (civil) Lonnie Sikes 11415 Bedford Houston, TX 77031 281-561-8118 Lonnie.Sikes@SikesEngineering.com www.sikesengineering.com
LANDSCAPER Randy Fajkus Fajkus & Co. 2419 Huldy Houston, TX 77019 713-526-9990 ranfsinc@aol.com
HOME ENTERTAINMENT Overstreet Audio & Video Greg Overstreet 2914 Burning Tree Lane Missouri City, TX 77459 713-542-2917 oav1959@comcast.net
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PHOTO BY KENNETH RAMEY
1. 1203 Edwards Street (1899), First Ward, 2016 Good Brick Award
stained. In the kitchen, historic built-ins were retained and refinished. The kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area were upgraded along with the electrical and plumbing systems. A deteriorated rear addition was replaced. The new sunroom in the addition has an impressive view of downtown Houston. According to the owners, the house was in relatively good condition when
they got it and was just a little old and tired. The owners say they “peeled off the dusty layers to reveal the charm, soul and history hidden beneath.” The house received a 2016 Good Brick Award.
ing lot. The Eisele house was originally used as a meeting place for the HPD Explorers, a program for teenagers who are interested in careers in law enforcement, and later for storage.
The current owner purchased the house at auction and moved the building to its current location in the Old Sixth Ward Historic District where it was restored.
1203 Edwards Street will be furnished by Creative Touch Interiors during the Good Brick Tour.
PHOTO BY KYLE HUMPHRIES
The house at 1203 Edwards Street in the First Ward was originally located about 12 blocks away at 1702 Shearn Street, where it was built in 1899. A sympathetic townhouse developer donated the historic house to the current owners on the condition that it be moved. The move took place in May 2014, and the owners embarked on what they call a “respectful restoration.” The house was covered in vinyl siding, which was removed to reveal the original cypress underneath. The front porch, which had been enclosed with plywood and screening, was restored to its historic appearance. Original double-hung windows were repaired and rehung; modern doors were replaced with period appropriate doors. The original three-inch pine floors were repaired, sanded, and
2. 716 Sabine Street (1872), Old Sixth Ward Historic District, 2016 Good Brick Award The house was originally constructed in 1872 by carpenter and contractor Gottlieb Eisele as his residence. The distinctive vergeboard on the eaves and pediment give the home its Carpenter Gothic appearance, a rare style in Houston. The restoration of the house, including the recreation of the vergeboard ornamentation, was based on a historic photo of the home that documented its original appearance. The house originally stood at 34 South Street on the far eastern edge of the Sixth Ward. When Houston Police Headquarters was built in 1952, all of the surrounding streets and historic houses, except for the Eisele house, were removed or demolished and the area around the Eisele house became a park-
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3. 3229 Groveland Lane (1936), River Oaks, 2012 Good Brick Award
The ornate hardware was replated and historic lighting fixtures and chandeliers were restored. On the exterior, no detail was too small. Copper guttering was repaired or replicated and millwork was
restored or reproduced when the porches were repaired. Finally, the brickwork was cleaned, leaving a house that would make Mr. Briscoe proud.
warm natural materials. A new plywood ceiling was also installed to match the original finish. The house features period-correct fixtures, accessories and hardware, some of it salvaged from neighboring homes that
were being demolished. The house is furnished with vintage pieces appropriate to the era of the home’s construction. The owners collected the furniture for their house over many years.
PHOTO BY BENJAMIN HILL PHOTOGRAPHY
Birdsall P. Briscoe was known for designing gracious homes — such as this one in River Oaks. The house was completed in 1936 but had been altered several times as it changed owners. When the current owner began the project, the guiding principal was, “What would Mr. Briscoe have done?” In the 1950s, the palm court had been enclosed with metal sliding doors and plate glass windows. The renovation recreated the original multi-pane windows. Craftsmen also repaired the original arched dormers and reinstalled the distinctive depression glass. Historic design elements were restored or recreated throughout the house.
5. 4111 Drummond Street (1953), Ayrshire, 2016 Good Brick Award The house was designed by Lars Bang, one of the first graduates of the University of Houston’s College of Architecture. Although Bang’s innovative design received much attention in the local and national media after the house was completed in 1953, the property was largely forgotten through the years and suffered from many insensitive modifications. The project was planned using a complete set of construction documents that the current owners had received from Lars Bang more than 20 years ago, around the time they first acquired the house. During the restoration, all non-original exterior and interior surfaces were removed. The original paneling and millwork were stripped of paint and restored with tinted stain finishes that re-established the original calming palette of
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