2016goodbricktour

Remodel & Expansion of a 1947 John Staub-Designed Home

Photo by Peter Molick Photography

house& home | 2016 Good Brick Tour | www.preservationhouston.org36

TThhaannkkss ttoo OOuurr SSppoonnssoorrss

NEOCLASSICAL SPONSORS:

CRAFTSMAN SPONSORS:

QUEEN ANNE SPONSORS:

Rob Griffith – Circa Real Estate, LLC

Ogletree Deakins

Dates and TimesAll five locations on the 2016 Good Brick Tour are openfrom noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 30 and Sunday,May 1. Information is available at www.preservationhouston.org/goodbricktour/.

Advance tickets are $25 per person throughThursday, April 28 and may be purchased online atwww.preservationhouston.org/goodbricktour/

Tickets are $30 per person after April 28 and may bepurchased 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.

Visitors may begin their tour at any location and proceedin any order they choose. Complimentary printed guides,including maps, will be available at each location.

Please wear flat- or soft-soled shoes.

Street parking is available at all tour locations, but pleaseobserve parking regulations.

Interior photography and videos, including photosand videos taken using mobile phones, are notallowed.

For additional information, e-mail [email protected] or call 713-510-3990, Monday throughFriday, during regular business hours.

TUDOR SPONSORS:

22 001166

2016 Good Brick Tour

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Preservation Houston’s 2016 Good Brick Tour. Since1979, we have presented more than 200 Good Brick Awards forprojects that exemplify excellence in historic preservation. Over theyears, many of you have told us you would like an inside look atthese award-winning properties. We are pleased to offer you theopportunity during our third annual Good Brick Tour on April30th and May 1st – this year featuring five outstanding historichomes.

Our deep appreciation goes to the owners of these exceptionalproperties for restoring their houses to high standards and sharingtheir homes with our visitors for the benefit of PreservationHouston. This year we are showcasing houses from the last half ofthe 19th century to the post-World War II era in neighborhoodsacross Houston. These are not museum properties, but the func-tional homes of modern families.

We also want to thank our many hard-working volunteers, ledby our dedicated Good Brick Tour co-chairs Kate McCormick andPeggy Hull, as well as the enthusiastic location chairs, docents andPreservation Houston board members who help make this eventpossible.

We are very grateful to our sponsors for their generous supportof Preservation Houston, which helps further our efforts to createa preservation ethic for Houston. We are especially pleased to haveHouston House & Home return as our exclusive print media partner

and thank Tim Beeson, Mike Harrison, Susie Reisenbigler, SusanFox and their staff for creating and publishing the 2016 GoodBrick Tour guide.

Most of all, we would like to thank you, our members andguests, for attending this year’s Good Brick Tour and for support-ing Preservation Houston through your interest and involvement.You are ultimately our best advocates. After the tour, tell yourfriends and neighbors about the houses you’ve seen, talk about theimportance of local landmarks and historic districts in your neigh-borhoods, nominate projects for future Good Brick Awards and letour elected officials know that you care about preserving ourshared heritage.

If you are not yet a member, please join Preservation Houstontoday by visiting our website at preservationhouston.org/join/

Thank you, again, for your support. Enjoy the tour.

Sincerely,

37

WWeellccoommee

John N. Cryer III, FAIA David BushBoard President Acting Executive Director


Peggy Hull, ASID

2402 QUENBY ST.

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77005

713-529-7681

•

WWW.MYCREATIVETOUCH.COM

•

39

Above: a new pool allows the residents to enjoy complete outdoor living. Below: The facade of the home.

Good Brick Award WinnerJohn 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 onMeadow Lake Lane because of its unique design. While theybought the house aware of its architectural and historical signifi-cance, they initially were completely unaware that it was a JohnStaub-designed home.

At the time of their purchase, the house had minimal updatingfrom its original condition and had experienced significant weath-ering that was addressed as part of the eventual restoration effort.

The restoration really focused on capturing the details ofStaub'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 atten-tion to detail, proportions of the interior spaces, and the relation-ship to its site. The project, directed by Dillon Kyle Architects,strives to preserve the historically significant design while main-taining a functioning and lively home for its occupants.

41

BEFORE: The 1953 back addition.

After: Dillon Kyle Architects replaced the old 1953 addition with a whole new one-story wing.

The restoration took a total of two and a half years fromdesign to move-in. Architect Dillon Kyle further discusses theproject in a Q&A below:

Can you provide some history on the home? Who were theoriginal owners – and what was their position in Houston?In 1947, John F. Staub designed a home for Margaret Wiess andJames A. Elkins, Jr. Located on a corner lot in River Oaks, thehome featured an L-shaped plan and embraced the increasinglycasual, 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 & Elkinsin 1917, and First City National Bank, originally founded asGuaranty Trust Company in 1924. Elkins Jr. rose to be presidentand senior chairman of First City National Bank.

Margaret Elkins, also born and raised in Houston, was thedaughter of Harry Weiss, a founder of Humble Oil.

The Elkins sold the home to Alice Anne “Sanny” and FrankBellows in 1963, when the Elkins moved into their new Staub-designed home located in the Memorial area of Houston.

Frank Bellows spent his career with his father and brothers atthe W.S. Bellows Construction Company. The current ownersbought 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 additionfor servants’ quarters was constructed and connected to the mainhouse by an open-air breezeway.

In the 1960s, the then-owner added an additional bedroomand bathroom on the second floor to accommodate their grow-ing family. The addition required modifications to the existingthird bedroom.

After years of weathering and minimal updating, the home waspurchased by the current residents — Eric Nevil and Jim Reeder,whose modern young family embraced the spirit of Staub’s origi-nal design and his intent to create a comfortable home focusedaround family.

What are some of the changes the current owners made torestore and update the house?Working closely with the original drawings, the team at DillonKyle Architects came up with plans to completely update theMeadow Lake residence.

The 1953 addition was removed and replaced with a new one-story addition that expanded the informal living spaces with abreakfast room, garden room, guest suite, and covered terrace. Anew pool enlivens the yard and underscores the outdoor livingfor its occupants. The 1960s second-story addition was alsoremoved, and the third bedroom was returned to its originalfootprint.

Although the original house did have air-conditioning, theoriginal chilled-water cooling system and boiler-heating systemwere replaced and the building envelope was insulated.

The original casement and jalousie windows had been replacedin the 1970s with aluminum windows.

Exterior fenestration was replaced by the new owners with new

First level Second level


Renovation with an Eye for Preservation

The 1904 Burnett House is on the NationalRegister of Historic Places.

Don Broman

“Don Broman, our general contrac-tor, assisted in the final design of thekitchen, master suite and sleepingporch to ensure the final results werehistorically sensitive to the originalinterior and exterior of the home. Heand his staff have worked together forover 25 years and have mastered theart of Victorian custom millwork andfinishes, so that only a very discerningeye can see the subtle distinctionbetween ‘old’ to ’new.’

—3rd Generation homeowner, Arlen Ferguson

RENOVATIONS

RESTORATIONS

ATTIC CONVERSIONS

KITCHENS/BATHROOMS

LIBRARIES

w w w. D o n B r o m a n . c o m 7 1 3 - 8 6 2 - 2 5 7 0

Norm Hilburn • www.airmartoftx.com

The high performance, flexible mini-ducts of the fit easily behind walls and ceilings, eliminating the need for unsightly andcumbersome metal ducts and allowing you to maintain the architecturalintegrity of your home. is also draft-free and removesmore moisture from the air.Call this certified contractor for more information on the

TACLA015311E

We’re all about good brick.

Western Brick Company is proud to honor the recipients

of the Good Brick Award.

We carry a wide selection of brick, pavers, stone, retaining walls, concrete block, landscape

products and masonry accessories perfect for historic restoration or new construction.

Visit our newly remodeled design center to see how we can perfect your project.

7620 Washington Avenue • Houston, TX 77007713.393.3400 • www.western-brick.com

windows; these were coordinated with the brick coursing andmuntin configurations of the original casement and jalousie units.

The roofing material was returned to cedar shake as was origi-nally specified. Similarly, the brick for the new addition was care-fully color matched, and trim details replicated those of the exist-ing house.

Anchoring the south end of the addition, the covered terracereapplies Staub’s detailing from the original roofed loggia outsidethe living room. The canted soffit with banded paneling, verticallouvers, freestanding brick column, and a new garden gate createa 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 previ-ous owners: a major portion of the project scope includedremoval of a previous addition and replacing it with an additionthat was more sympathetic to Staub's original design of thehouse.

The second-floor addition was also removed. Additionally,closets and built-ins that had been added in all bedrooms andhallways were removed, returning each room to its original foot-print.

The original second-floor mechanical room housing thechilled-water air conditioning system was reduced in size by halfbecause of the efficiency of the new system, thus allowing thespace to be divided to accommodate a new laundry room insidethe house. Likewise, the boiler room for the heating system wasconverted into a mud room for new access between the garageand kitchen.

Similarly, the HVAC system was completely replaced with anenergy-efficient system; this had to be accommodated within theclearances 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 toaccommodate the new kitchen design as was the door betweenthe hall and the kitchen. The original kitchen was a large galleydesign with St. Charles metal cabinetry and seamless stainlesssteel counters and backsplash. Although the new owners wantedto try to keep the original cabinetry and counters, their functionhad deteriorated beyond restorability. The original flooring in thekitchen was vinyl tile on top of vinyl sheet. The flooring in thekitchen and throughout the new addition is a peach-colored flag-stone that matches the original flagstone used throughout theexterior hardscapes of the house. The ceiling in the kitchen wasalso raised a foot, made possible as a result of removing thefourth bedroom addition on the second floor.

The living room has a wood ceiling intricately designed byStaub, 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 toanother, and the restoration of the living room ceiling led to therestoration of the wood ceiling over the loggia in order to main-tain the continuity between the two. A previously added book-case was also removed from the living room. The massive floor toceiling sliding doors in the living room were cleaned and restoredto working condition.

The family room had been updated by the prior owners withthe removal of a closet and the original bar. A new bar wasdesigned and the walls were paneled in eucalyptus. Vinyl tile wasreplaced with carpet.

Walls and ceilings throughout the house were plaster, thus act-ing as a deterrent to structural modifications, as well as to modi-fications like new recessed lighting, electrical outlets, and HVACducting and registers. Original semi-flush mount fixtures wereused in each of the bedrooms and in the halls to the guest bed-room and pool loggia.

Original freestanding vanities, tubs, medicine cabinets, andbullet- shaped vanity lights were used in their original location orrelocated to new bathrooms.

What is the square footage?The original one-story addition and the later added second-flooraddition comprised approximately 1,000 square feet. The new one-story addition added approximately 1,000 square feet.Consequently, the overall square footage of the house remainedconstant at approximately 6,000 square feet.

Were there challenges? If so, what were the solutions?Remodels, particularly where historic restoration is involved, oftenreveal problems resulting from foundation changes. A rusted bal-cony, and a need for extra brick to match the original design wereamong the challenges.

43

The front garden gate leads to the backyard.

45Photos by Peter Molick Photography

Why is this house special?Staub's design for this house, as much of his later work, was real-ly centered on family and a casual lifestyle with emphasis on theoutdoors. The current owners worked with the design team topreserve this home and adapt it to address the same priorities fortheir own family. The house is special because it is and always hasbeen filled with love. When the daughter of the second ownercame through the house after the restoration, she walked intowhat had been her bedroom to find the owners’ 17-year-olddaughter studying. With tears in her eyes, she said: “Grace, therehave only been three little girls that ever lived in this room…andtwo 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 newaddition.

What prior preservation experience does DKA have;strengths that helped make this project successful?Dillon Kyle Architects previously won a Good Brick Award in2013 for the 1912 Larchmont Residence, so we were familiarwith the need for attention to detail. As with all of our projects,we prioritize the goals that our clients –the owners – have fortheir homes, and we are practiced at translating their desires intobuilt space.

RREESSOOUURRCCEESS

ARCHITECTDillon Kyle Architects3219 Milam StreetHouston, TX 77006713-520-8792www.dkarc.com

BUILDERBrent GoodlandGoodland Construction Company1410 Cedar PostHouston, TX 77055713-464-6724

WINDOW VENDORHouston Window Experts448 W 19th StreetHouston, TX. 77008832-900-7881www.houstonwindowexperts.com

CLAD FIXED & CASEMENTWINDOWSAndersen Eagle Mirror Gallery, Inc. (AndersenWindows)Kyle Heliste9600 Grant RoadHouston, TX [email protected]

RAM Industries, Inc.Trina Polaniec8600 Commerce Park DriveHouston, TX 77036281-495-9056 ext [email protected]

SLIDING NORWOOD DOORSFleetwood MastersDoug Deselle713-702-11312001 Karbach StreetHouston, TX 77092-8435

POOL SUPPLIERThe Pool ManTed Ritts19111 Cypress Rosehill RdTomball, TX 77377281-351-2577

INTERIOR DESIGNERKen KehoeKen Kehoe & Company7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 261Houston, TX [email protected]

LANDSCAPERRandy FajkusFajkus & Co.2419 HuldyHouston, TX [email protected]

KITCHEN AND OTHER CABINETRYSiematicMicqui McGowenKitchen & Bath Concepts7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 148Houston, TX [email protected]

BRICK INSTALLATIONVictor Flores, Masonry ContractorAbram Flores2513 Pecan Chase DriveRichmond, TX 77406281-657-5476

BRICK SUPPLIERSouth Texas Brick and Stone(bought by Detering Co.)6800 Helman St.Houston, TX 77022www.detering.com

WOOD FLOORINGParquet Flooring:Weikel WoodworkSteve Weikel11310 Charles RdJersey Village, TX 77041713-983-8989

FLOOR INSTALLATIONFine Flooring by CameronRene Padilla21811 China Green DrCypress, TX 77433281-256-7727

VENEER MILLWORKCarlton Cook CompanyCarlton Cook11320 Charles RdHouston, TX 77041713-849-4400

Insight StructuresBrad Dougherty5311 Inker Street, Suite BHouston, TX 77007713-523-0775brad@insightstructures.comwww.insightstructures.com

ENGINEERSikes Engineering (civil)Lonnie Sikes11415 BedfordHouston, TX 77031281-561-8118Lonnie.Sikes@SikesEngineering.comwww.sikesengineering.com

HOME ENTERTAINMENTOverstreet Audio & VideoGreg Overstreet2914 Burning Tree LaneMissouri City, TX [email protected]

Houston Window Experts supplied the newly installed windows.

47

1. 1203 Edwards Street(1899), First Ward, 2016Good Brick Award

The house at 1203 Edwards Street inthe First Ward was originally locatedabout 12 blocks away at 1702 ShearnStreet, where it was built in 1899.

A sympathetic townhouse developerdonated the historic house to the cur-rent owners on the condition that it bemoved. The move took place in May2014, and the owners embarked onwhat they call a “respectful restoration.”

The house was covered in vinyl sid-ing, which was removed to reveal theoriginal cypress underneath. The frontporch, which had been enclosed withplywood and screening, was restored toits historic appearance.

Original double-hung windows wererepaired and rehung; modern doorswere replaced with period appropriatedoors. The original three-inch pinefloors were repaired, sanded, and

stained. In the kitchen, historic built-inswere retained and refinished. Thekitchen, bathroom, and laundry areawere upgraded along with the electricaland plumbing systems.

A deteriorated rear addition wasreplaced. The new sunroom in the addi-tion has an impressive view of down-town Houston.

According to the owners, the housewas in relatively good condition when

they got it and was just a little old andtired.

The owners say they “peeled off thedusty layers to reveal the charm, soul andhistory hidden beneath.”

The house received a 2016 GoodBrick Award.

1203 Edwards Street will be furnished byCreative Touch Interiors during theGood Brick Tour.

2. 716 Sabine Street(1872), Old Sixth WardHistoric District, 2016Good Brick Award

The house was originally constructedin 1872 by carpenter and contractorGottlieb Eisele as his residence. The dis-tinctive vergeboard on the eaves andpediment give the home its CarpenterGothic appearance, a rare style inHouston.

The restoration of the house, includ-ing the recreation of the vergeboardornamentation, was based on a historicphoto of the home that documented itsoriginal appearance.

The house originally stood at 34South Street on the far eastern edge ofthe Sixth Ward. When Houston PoliceHeadquarters was built in 1952, all ofthe surrounding streets and historichouses, except for the Eisele house, wereremoved or demolished and the areaaround the Eisele house became a park-

ing lot. The Eisele house was originallyused as a meeting place for the HPDExplorers, a program for teenagers whoare interested in careers in law enforce-ment, and later for storage.

The current owner purchased thehouse at auction and moved the buildingto its current location in the Old SixthWard Historic District where it wasrestored.

PH

OT

O B

YK

EN

NE

TH

RA

ME

YP

HO

TO

BY

KY

LE

HU

MP

HR

IES


www.westheimerplumbing.comWestheimer Plumbing & Hardware is the premier place to find the best in decorative plumbing and hardware

products from across the nation and around the world.We are passionate about making your project exceptional!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

www.westheimerplumbing.com

FAUCETS I WHIRLPOOLS I HARDWARE I SINKS I TOILETS I TUBS

Westheimer Plumbing & Hardware Showroom

3600 Kirby DriveHouston, TX 77098713-942-9519

WP&H OUTLET CENTER& Warehouse

3590 East T.C. Jester Houston, TX 77018713-956-0090

$25 OFF

(713) 932-UNIT unitshouston.com

1st Month Rental Feewhen you mention this ad

Expires 12/31/16

The Best Containers & Service in the Mobile Storage IndustryMoving, Storage, Home Staging, Document Archiving & More

MOLD, MILDEW, UV & WATER RESISTANT

REMODELING?YOU’RE GONNA NEED STORAGE!

409 St. Francis, Gonzales, Texas 78629 • 830-672-2428www.discoverys.net • [email protected] • Open Tues. - Sat., 9-5

An Eclectic Inventory of Architectural Elements

Custom Tables l Large Inventory of Antique DoorsAntique Door Hardware l Flooring l Barn Wood l Beaded Wood

Quality Stained Glass l Clawfoot Tubs l Sinks l Lighting

Proud to Support Preservation in Houston and Across Texas

49

3. 3229 Groveland Lane(1936), River Oaks, 2012Good Brick Award

Birdsall P. Briscoe was known fordesigning gracious homes — such as thisone in River Oaks.

The house was completed in 1936 buthad been altered several times as itchanged owners.

When the current owner began theproject, the guiding principal was, “Whatwould Mr. Briscoe have done?”

In the 1950s, the palm court had beenenclosed with metal sliding doors andplate glass windows.

The renovation recreated the originalmulti-pane windows.

Craftsmen also repaired the originalarched dormers and reinstalled the dis-tinctive depression glass.

Historic design elements were restoredor recreated throughout the house.

The ornate hardware was replatedand historic lighting fixtures and chan-deliers were restored.

On the exterior, no detail was toosmall. Copper guttering was repairedor replicated and millwork was

restored or reproduced when theporches were repaired.

Finally, the brickwork was cleaned,leaving a house that would make Mr.Briscoe proud.

5. 4111 DrummondStreet (1953), Ayrshire,2016 Good Brick Award

The house was designed by Lars Bang,one of the first graduates of theUniversity of Houston’s College ofArchitecture. Although Bang’s innovativedesign received much attention in thelocal and national media after the housewas completed in 1953, the property waslargely forgotten through the years andsuffered from many insensitive modifica-tions.

The project was planned using a com-plete set of construction documents thatthe current owners had received fromLars Bang more than 20 years ago,around the time they first acquired thehouse.

During the restoration, all non-origi-nal exterior and interior surfaces wereremoved. The original paneling and mill-work were stripped of paint and restoredwith tinted stain finishes that re-estab-lished the original calming palette of

warm natural materials. A new plywoodceiling was also installed to match theoriginal finish.

The house features period-correct fix-tures, accessories and hardware, some ofit salvaged from neighboring homes that

were being demolished.The house is furnished with vintage

pieces appropriate to the era of thehome’s construction. The owners collect-ed the furniture for their house overmany years.

PH

OT

O B

YJI

M P

AR

SO

NS

PH

OT

O B

YB

EN

JAM

IN H

ILL

PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

Y

2016goodbricktour

Documents