Guest Blogger: Trish Tomlinson, Historic Preservation & Design Review Board Member
There are many facets to rehabilitating homes in a Historic District. Preserving original features and materials are always the first priority, when possible.
Each year, the Historic Preservation & Design Review Board (HP&DRB) reviews projects of many different scopes. We select some of the best projects to receive awards, but that doesn’t minimize the importance or appropriateness of any other project.
There are various ways to enhance the architecture, whether it’s through new construction, rehabilitation or natural landscape. The following awards represent all three categories.
New Construction
Congratulations to James and Vicki McElheny for their newly constructed cottage at 728 Oak Ave. New construction is advised to adhere to the existing charm and ambiance that gives Lakeside its allure, and they did just that.
When building their cottage, the McElhenys maintained the front porch aesthetic of Lakeside’s outdoor living and preserved as many trees as possible, while also retaining green space on their lot. Although it’s more common to have front facing garages in this area of Lakeside, they generally reduced the impact of the front façade to the street.
The McElhenys would like to recognize Raymond J. Schaefer Construction for the work on this project. They said, “He was easy to work with and finished the job months ahead of time.”