Remodeling pays off for homeowners, businesses

Springfield's west central area is getting a new image. Positive changes are coming about through people and organizations, and each gain helps the next.

Through strategic planning, the West Central Neighborhood Alliance (WCNA) supported zoning to encourage single-family housing (rather than building new multifamily units or converting single-family structures into more apartments and duplexes) and its work succeeded.

The neighborhood comprises the area bounded by Kansas Expressway, Chestnut Expressway, South Avenue and Catalpa. Mary Bush, Donna Alrutz and Sue Armstrong Bates are three women who deserve our respect and gratitude for their dedicated work.

"We are excited with the arrival of Preservation Springfield, and we hope it will help some of these Victorian queens on the west side return to single-family residences," said Jack Pugh, the new president of WCNA.

Pioneers are successfully remodeling their west central homes, and the momentum builds as others do the same. Sue Armstrong Bates, one of the first I know of, totally reworked two homes on West Madison, just off Campbell, with outstanding results.

Soon after, Mike and Janelle Henson, with extensive remodeling, turned their home (built in 1906) into a haven surrounded by bright flowers. Others on the block have made steady improvements, and the block is becoming an inviting showplace of well-kept homes. Although their initial reasons were to have lovely homes, these homeowners' work will certainly have positive effects on their property values as well.

Mary Bush, after consulting a New York exterior design colorist, is in the process of painting her spectacular Victorian at 933 W. Walnut, and new owner Chris Slatinsky is continuing painting the exterior. It's a delight to the eye.

Don Lewis turned the Turner House at 427 S. Grant around. Built in the 1880s, it is looking gorgeous inside and out. It has four fireplaces, each representing one of the four seasons, and one in the upstairs sitting room. The original iron fence, gates and metal roof are going strong. See his antiques, take a took, and maybe he'll let you take a peek at the original embossed leather trim up the stairs that so impressed me.

On West State, the owner has restored and remodeled his Victorian so that it serves today's needs beautifully. He wisely held to the integrity of the 1906 original best from a historic point of view and from a real-estate perspective, too, to maintain the highest value.

Bill Pierceall is redoing the oldest house in Springfield, the Fullbright house on West Mt. Vernon, built in 1838. He is gutting the kitchen without taking away from the house's historic heritage, and he tells me he is discovering hand-hewn timbers, squared off. He is getting down to the original pine flooring, which was under four layers of later flooring. The home was originally in the middle of the Fullbright farm. It was used as a hospital during the Civil War.

Businesses in the west central area are increasingly attractive and the numbers are growing.

The Old Calaboose has been restored and is a real jewel. I am eager to see inside.

Springfield Brewing Company is obviously a wonderful addition to the west side, making great use of a sturdy old building built in 1910. Since it opened, a patio and a parking lot have been added. Flowers, trees, lampposts, a new sidewalk partly old brick and the mural by Farley Lewis are all part of the ambience.

"Business is good. Most new restaurants have a honeymoon period, but our restaurant has continued to have good sales. West is an in way to go now and I think the Civic Park will help the growth and positive change to keep going," said Kevin Macey, assistant general manager.

Dodson-Williams' new building stands where an eyesore was. That entire corner of Walnut and Market, all quadrants, is now neat, clean and attractive.

"We've doubled our space, which allows us to do more work," said Keith Neal, president of Dodson-Williams Automotive. "Since the Brewing Company has come, the area has really cleaned up. We didn't want to move our business, everyone knows where we are because we've been here since '61. We're pleased."

Homeowners are restoring and updating their properties while keeping the integrity of the old. The payoffs are beautiful homes in increasingly nice neighborhoods with profitable resale value. More attractive businesses are joining the groundbreakers on the west side.

(Lydia Broadstreet is a Realtor with Carol Jones, Realtors, who specializes in historic and Victorian properties.)

[[In-content Ad]]