Pendleton Heights Holiday Homes Tour Part 2

Last Saturday was the Fourth Annual Homes Tour in Pendleton Heights... and a tour highlight was the Folk Victorian home of Greg and Amy. Bradford pears shield the house from view which accounts for the angle of the shot above. This home was built in 1892 for Harry and Rosa Browdy, natives of Russia. Mr. Browdy operated a tavern on Independence Avenue.
The block stained glass window in the image above is original to the house and it has much of its original woodwork and ceiling height. Note the transoms over the doorways.

The owners love art, particularly locally produced, and have adorned their house with wonderful examples. I love it.
Many of the homes on the tour also had goodies... I felt that, since I walked between homes, that I deserved to splurge....



Amy and Greg moved into the home last year and have updated the bathroom, above, and the basement and backyard.
The painting on the wall in the picture above is an original by local artist Hector Casanova Cinderhouse.
Above, the expansive backyard and below the redone garage/basement with an original painting by Betsy Barratt.



Visiting this house is a visual treat.... excellent use of space.

Scuola Vita Nuova was also on the tour this year. A charter school it stands where two Victorian mansions once stood... the stone walls above and portions of a carriage house are all that remain of those. Visitors were greeted by a bell choir below....
There were tour guides for each group of guests... our guide, Maria, talked about the founding of this public charter elementary school that teaches children of many cultures. It's credo is based on the philosophy and service of Dr. J.B. Bisceglia who assisted and motivated Italian immigrants in Kansas City from the late 1910s until his death in 1988.

This portion of the school is a chapel built in 1941 for Christ Presbyterian Church... all the school buildings on the site are owned by the Northeast Community Center.

Above and below is the middle school of Scuola.... very bright and airy...


The library is housed in what is left of a 100-year-old carriage house for one of the mansions that used to be on the site. Below you can see one of the rings where horses were tied up.

Above a tribute to Galileo painted on the window.

Above and below in the gym.... tap shoes and the implements of competition.



Our final stop this year is the home of Benjamin and Angie. Built in 1888 by the Western Lumber Company the first known occupant was Dr. Valcolon W. Mather.... however, by 1893 there was a new owner, John W. Merrill, manager of the Big Four Tea and Coffee Company.
Above two of the neighborhood elves who served as tour guides... Damian and Marcellus... their home was on tour last year.


The house is blessed to have much of its original woodwork and ornamentation.... like cherry and walnut detail, pocket doors, bay windows and the beautiful lower staircase.


Benjamin and Angie just moved in last year.... they have converted the garage and studio into a studio and guest house.....

Stay tuned for word of the Fifth Annual Holiday Homes Tour next year!

Bond Bridge First Lighting

I was privileged to be riverside as the first set of Bond Bridge lights were turned on for the first time. Each of the cables is illuminated individually with cannon spots. Later on the L.E.D. lights will be turned on along the sides of the deck. Those can be any color and even controlled individually. The Bridge was completed six months early and the Paseo Bridge was retired last Friday. It really is gorgeous. I can see lots of riverside visits in my future. This shot is looking northwest and was taken at 6:15pm. It is seven shots at varying exposures sandwiched for the final product. Nikon D3 was tripod mounted, ASA 1000, Nikon 14-24mm set at 24mm.

I was going to post Part 2 of the Pendleton Heights Holiday Homes Tour tonight, but I will postpone that until tomorrow.

Pendleton Heights Holiday Homes Tour Part 1

Last Saturday was the 4th Annual Pendleton Heights Holiday Homes Tour.... six homes and a charter school were toured by over 300 people. Beautiful weather once again helped make it a very enjoyable day.Eric and Deana reside in this home on Olive built in 1889 for George Collier who was in real estate at the time. Since 2002 successive owners have lovingly restored the home to it's original Victorian beauty.







Above, Andrew and Jessica make this 1889 Queen Anne their home. Built by the Western Lumber Company for Frank S. Groves, the home was right next door to his partner in Simpson and Groves, Frank Simpson. Simpson and Groves was the largest real estate, loan and insurance business in Kansas City at the time.

In 1934 the house was converted into a duplex. Over the years, except for the staircase below, the original woodwork was removed.

The current owners moved in last year and finished the remodeling and upgraded the kitchen. Future plans include a media room on the finished third floor and a wine cellar.




Joseph N. Roll and Elmer E. Roll, a peddler and carpenter respectively, were the first owners of this house in 1886. In the 1950s the house was turned into an upstairs/downstairs duplex. The current owners, Gayle and Sarina, are in the process of a total restoration to a single family house... above you can see the second door which was added in place of the original window. That will be fixed as progress on the structure is made.

Interior ceilings were lowered and windows bricked up as part of the conversion to duplex. The 10-foot ceilings will be restored along with the oak flooring.




This ornate three-story walk-up apartment building was constructed by A. P. Arnold in 1918 for Pearl Arnold. In 1919 the units were renting for $30-$40 per month. They were two or three bedroom apartments with kitchnettes.
The building, at one time used as a convent, fell into disrepair over the years. In 1992 it was rehabbed with the building opened up into one residence. Samuel, the current owner, has completed the restoration which now includes a rooftop deck with a spectacular view of the Kansas City skyline.



You can look from first floor to third floor after the remodel. (And visa versa.)








Above, the second floor and, below, the view down to the first floor. Tomorrow part two of the posting with two more homes and a tour of Scuola Vita Nuova.... a spectacular charter school in the heart of the community.