5953

The permit for this building was issued in November 1909 to M.T. Moran. The architect, Perley Hale is a familiar name in Edgewater because of other two-flats he has built. The mason was John Christianson. Though designed as a two unit building it is now a single family home. The golden brick façade has a full width front porch with upper deck. For some in this era, the golden brick was a little more classy than red brick. As you walk down Magnolia, you will notice several larger buildings in this type of brick. The porch is wood as are the railings and front steps. Some of the details of note are the decorative elements on the parapet and the large stone lintels with decorative detail above the front windows. The front door is original oak with a sidelight window.

Once inside the building, the transformation into a single family residence is elegant. The entrance area is delineated by a tile floor and the original staircase to the second floor. The large living and dining area has new oak floors and a new marble clad fireplace. Notice, too, the depth of the walls around the windows, which means that the building was built with several layers of brick and is well insulated. The open space of the living area painted in beautiful neutral tones compliments the warmth of the new oak floors. To accomplish this, the developer had to remove walls, add a guest closet and yet retain the staircase. The space flows to a hallway and then to the rear great room and kitchen.

Along the way is an office with French doors. The bathroom has an all new interior and fixtures. The large space at the back of the home has been opened up for an enlarged kitchen with Cherry cabinets and a center granite counter and eating area. All this work in redesign and construction was done in stages according to the owners who feel lucky to find the project after two different groups worked on it.

The back door opens to a large deck and back yard garden. The finished basement will not be shown. Climb the stairs to the second floor and enter into the upstairs entertainment center. The room is about the size of the original living room. Just to the front of this area is another office which was designed as an upstairs laundry and may be converted at any time. A hallway leads to the bedrooms – one on either side of the hall – and a family bathroom.

The master bedroom is spacious and includes an elegant master bath with whirlpool tub and separate shower with steam. From this bedroom is a door opening out onto a second floor deck that overlooks the garden.

The Edgewater community has a wide variety of two-flats built during the first decades of the twentieth century. Few have full front wooden porches and few are in the golden brick. Since this building has no matching buildings in the area it may be that it was built for the original owner as his family home.