5844

In this area of single family homes and two-flats, a few lots remained in the teens and 1920s. This corner lot was vacant, according to the 1905 Sandborn Map. However, when W. Holzapfel secured a permit to build his three-flat home in October 1915, he was shown as living at the same address. That house now stands at the back of the flat building. Holzapfel hired Architect B.J. Winkel and contractor H.A. Anderson to build the three-flat at a cost of $18,000.

The building is a red brick with some geometric details on the façade. The face brick is on the two sides of the building that are visible from the street. A horizontal band of limestone delineates the boundary from the basement to the first floor. Below this line are bricks set with recess rows as bands to create a horizontal design. The windows are detailed with a band of vertical bricks and corner squares of limestone.

A more elaborate design is used above the front entrance, which is through a terrace with side brick walls and beautiful cement planters. The entrance door is unique, with very complicated mullion design. On either side are sidelight windows. In the first vestibule, the floor is ceramic and the original wood has been refinished by removing the dark varnish so that the wood grain shows. The wood is either birch or ash. In this little hallway, great care has been take in the design of the cove ceiling. It has a raised plaster edging, which appears to be a twisted branch interrupted by leaf accents. This design is also in the apartment in various places of the socializing areas.

The first floor unit is up just a few steps. As you enter the reception hall, there is another cove ceiling with detailed plaster work. To the right is the dining room. To the left is the gracious arch to the living room and front sun porch. The woodwork in all the apartments has been painted. Note the wide sweep of the entrance arch, which indicates perhaps a thicker exterior wall in the center of the apartment.

In the living room at the north end is a classical fireplace and bookshelves on either side. The fireplace, as in many homes and apartments, was built without a flue when the quality of gas used in the home did not require venting. Later, when the gas was improved, none of these fireplaces could be used. Through the living room is the large sun porch. The windows in the sun porch are the original leaded glass casement windows with a row of fixed windows above.

In the dining room, the cove ceiling repeats the design style of the front vestibule. The casement windows in this room match the sun porch. Originally, the walls in this room were divided with wooden strips to create an idea of paneling. Just off the dining room is the original pantry and the compact kitchen, which was mainly used by the cook/maid who had a room in the back. At the time the building was built, live in servants, many of whom were immigrants, were in ready supply and middle class families often had live-in household help.

Off the hall is a hallway with linen closet and bathroom. The sink is a pedestal sink and the walls in the bath are covered in original subway tile. Today, this tile is a classic and is available for rehab projects. Just off this little hallway is the master bedroom and through another door is a porch facing south which has been turned into an office.

The hallway continues to the front hall with another bedroom on the right. This large format apartment presents a city lifestyle without the yard, trees and garage that most homes have. You will exit through the back door and into the back yard that has been turned into a terrace with seating and plantings and an apple tree. From the terrace, you can get a view of the older house at the back of the lot.

Please stop and enjoy some refreshments.