Historically and Architecturally Significant Homes in San Antonio.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monte Vista 3-1 Craftsman Bungalow - $175,000

Monte Vista 3-1 Craftsman Bungalow 
A sneak peek before everyone else!
Historically and Architecturally Significant San Antonio Vintage Homes

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Cut-glass Door Knob

Architectural Analysis

By: Architectural Historian Shelley Roff, Ph.D.

This sweet little bungalow on 504, Mulberry, near Trinity University, was once owned by two women, who owned the house for most of its life. Built in 1937, on the tail end of the Depression Era, it lacks some signature details of a true Craftsman bungalow, however the arrangement of its plan, a few interior details, and its roof demonstrate the design of an architect who was very familiar with the Arts and Crafts Style.

A prominent portico extends from the center of the front façade, and pairs of windows are arranged symmetrically to each side. The house's most dramatic characteristic is the shape of the roof, a half-hip, and the miniaturized version echoed in the smaller roof sheltering the entry portico. The half-hip roof is essentially a gabled roof, but the end point of the gable is replaced by a small hip (a fold).

This style of roof came in vogue in the U.S. in the early 20th century, when designers of the Arts and Crafts movement were intrigued with Japanese design. Americans first direct contact with Japanese design came about with the construction of several Japanese pavilions at the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The exquisite craftsmanship and clean-cut forms of these buildings drew tremendous attention, and the practicality of the deeply extended eaves of both gabled and half-hip roofs were quickly understood.

The Japanese roof, like our house on Mulberry, utilized exposed rafters to provide support for the deeply extended eaves. The extended eaves of the half-hip roof offers a greater degree of protection from the sun and inclement weather to the walls, windows and interior space below; greater than the simple gabled end.

The chimney on the west side of the house has a whimsical curve, as seen in other bungalows nearby, and literally punctuates the roofline. The classical columns, and definitely the front door, are later additions, not in keeping with Arts and Crafts decor.

However, the interior arrangement of the living room is almost classic. A central fireplace with a shifting pattern of bricks is flanked on each side by a double-hung window with a bookcase and a window seat below. The square-shaped window to the left is more traditional; indicating that perhaps the window seat and longer window design to the right may be a later renovation.

The kitchen retains its original cabinetry but has been updated with modern appliances. The cabinetry, walls and trim have been painted in beautiful shades of green and white that highlight the outline of the former wall's wainscot. The built-in ironing board niche has now been turned into an enclosed space for shallow shelves.

Other details worthy of note throughout the house are the extensive window and door moldings and the numerous versions of cut-glass door knobs and bronze door knobs and hinges, all original to the construction of the house. The shiny black and gold chandelier in the dining room is probably an addition from the 1970s.

504 East Mulberry History with Images




Real Estate Simulator

Greetings!

504 East MulberryMint green bungalows look better in person. If you are a bungalow-type of fellow (or fella!) then you won't let the funny hue of my photos bother you. This is a handsome house!

Speaking of you- who do you know who would want to hear about a fantastic, updated Craftsman Bungalow across the street from Trinity?

The floors are refinished, the electrical is updated, new bath, updated wiring plus central air. It has the goods. Plus the mature tree canopy over the back deck is gorgeous!

We haven't put 504 E. Mulberry on MLS yet, so there is a nice casual (short) courting opportunity here for your friends and co-workers you share this with. Monte Vista is getting mighty expensive, so this may be the last of the "Gosh I shoulda bought it back thens." Don't let this one slip away without a peek.

We are here for you, your family & anyone else you care about.
Joe Barfield
210-745-0892
Real Estate Consultants Specializing in Homes of Character & History
The Joe Barfield Group of Keller Williams

Monte Vista 3-1 Craftsman Bungalow - $175,000


Living Room
Living Room

A great, recently updated Craftsman Bungalow in Historic Monte Vista. With the Trinity University right across the street!

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Walkable Neighborhood

Walkscore Tile Monte Vista is a charming historic district located 1.5 miles north of downtown San Antonio. Trinity University is right across the street. The Brackenridge Park is within a mile. University of the Incarnate Word and UTSA are also located in close proximity. Landa Library, Central Market, SA Zoo and Sunken Gardens are all located within 2 miles.

The neighborhood has great restaurants including Demo's Greek Food, La Fonda on Main, Panchitos, Pig Stands, WD Deli and Chris Madrid's, known for their famous burgers. It is located in the San Antonio ISD with some great schools including the new Monte Vista Montessori School and Keystone School. San Antonio Museum of Art and Witte Museum are located close by.


Some Wonderful Memories


Wood Deck
Back Deck with Aroboreal Canopy

Justin shares his favorite memories of 504, E. Mulberry Avenue.

  • My wife and I fell in love with Alamo Cafe about a decade ago. It wasn't nearly as busy or large as the one on 281/Bitters. However, every time we return we go over there to have the beef fajitas for two. If you don't mind sitting at the bar you can get great service and fajitas in under 10 minutes.
  • Other than 'Mo Cafe, we really enjoy Bombay's Bicycle Club. The burgers and food are good, but we generally go for the social aspect. Drinks are reasonably priced and there is a ton of Trinity memorabilia hanging on the walls.
  • The best part about living on the street is the closeness to everything. For a student, professor or administrator, you are literally a block away from south campus. It is extremely easy access from the highway and simple to tell friends how to get to your place. However, if you are not involved with Trinity it is still only several miles to downtown, a couple of miles from the park and very close to anything you want or need to do (airport, shopping center, major interstates, etc)
  • I have memories of walking across the street to see some of the best soccer in the nation. The field has gone through some transformations since I was in college but now Trinity hosts NCAA events. It is very rare that you can just walk to an event like this for free and watch some amazing athletes.
  • Other than Trinity, there are several large universities in the area, UTSA, Incarnate Word, etc. On the other side of 281 is an awesome Brackenridge Park. As a student we would go over to the Sunken Gardens to enjoy concerts and other events. In addition, the golf course is going through a major renovation and would be ready shortly.
  • We love sitting out on the back porch and relaxing. You can do everything from read the paper to cook on the grill. It is generally very quiet in the backyard and there is plenty of room for children, animals or even a garden.
  • You are so close to downtown that trips to the Riverwalk are a must. We tried to go about once a month to see a movie, go to the comedy club, just walk around downtown and along the river. It has grown tremendously over the past 15 years that it is really enjoyable to see San Antonio growing as a city.
  • Heading over to the driving range or playing golf at Brackenridge Park. Although currently under renovation, it was always relatively inexpensive and a fun course to play. The changes look awesome.
  • If you like nightlife, St. Mary's street has gone through some significant changes. As a student, we used to go to Tycoon Flats. However, it has now gone by the wayside and other bars and restaurants have grown, including Joey's.
  • You don't have to be a student or even an alumni to enjoy the walking/jogging tracks at Trinity University. They have tracks on both upper and lower campus. Unlike running on concrete, they are much better on your knees and thus more enjoyable to run/walk on.
  • Although you are near the heart of a major city, you don't feel it. Since Monte Vista was recognized as a historical district, little has changed in the way of the "quaintness". There are sidewalks so you can walk around the neighborhood and see other homes built in the 20s and 30s. Overall the neighbors are friendly but unobtrusive.
  • Heading down to the Central Market to hear Lucky McLain (neighbor in Blue house) play in a band at lunchtime. It was Hawaiian themed. Had a couple of beers and hung outside listening to the cool sounds of surfing music
  • My mother and I personally fixed up the house together. She came down for a week and we worked on the house solidly. Obviously, we brought in professionals for certain things (floors, electrical, bathroom), but as an interior decorator and a handy-woman for 30 years, we had a great time working together.

Please don't hesitate to respond to this email or call me or my team if you or someone you know might be interested in this home.

Sincerely,

Joe Barfield

The Joe Barfield Group of Keller Williams Realty
homes@joebarfield.com
210-745-0892

www.SanAntonioVintageHomes.com
www.JoesListings.Blogspot.com- Architectural History Blog
www.SAMusicAndArt.com
- Art, Music & Architecture Newsletter



The architectural write-up is provided by Dr. Roff. Any reference to families is strictly academic. The Joe Barfield Group embraces all Equal Opportunity Housing Laws.
© Copyright 2008 All rights Reserved, Joe Barfield.
Joe Barfield 227 Rose Ln San Antonio TX 78212

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Terrell Hills 4-3 Traditional Home in AHISD - Pre-MLS


Terrell Hills 4-3 Minimal Traditional  A sneak peek before everyone else!
Historically and Architecturally Significant San Antonio Vintage Homes

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Doily-cut Screen Door

Architectural Analysis

By: Architectural Historian Shelley Roff, Ph.D.

The house at 331 Rittiman Road is a post-war Minimal Traditional style home. The exterior of the house is clad in a pale buttermilk siding with a white stone base surrounding it; probably a later addition. The carport may also have been added later in the 1960s; my supporting evidence being the ironwork supports with a curving-vine design and the horizontal slat screen that gives the area greater privacy.

What I find intriguing is the vintage 1950s doily-cut screen door at the entry. The triple-arch motif softens the corners and a series of slim spindles were used to create a divider between the upper and lower screens. Families from Central and Eastern Europe arrived and set to building houses in their country's tradition, often with elaborate spindlework and carved, cut-out frames, a kind of craftsmanship that we know associate with the Queen Anne or Folk Victorian style.

The doily-cut detail is repeated in the kitchen. The opening between the kitchen and screened-in porch in the back is framed by a curve-counter-curve that lends a romantic, if now down right homey, look to the kitchen.

Other quaint details in the kitchen are the fold-down kitchen table, which reveals hidden shelves, the broad hexagonal yellow tile on the countertops, and the black dashed accent tile that creates a continuous border around the kitchen. Some of the original bead board siding still remains on the walls. The pretty flowered vinyl tile on the floor is in excellent shape.

When you walk through the living and dining areas you will notice that even in a Minimal Traditional style house there is quite a bit of molding around the windows, doorways, walls and baseboards.

The molding on the walls is set decoratively about 6 inches down from the ceiling; it appears to be a proportion also seen in the placement of the dashed tile in the kitchen; which is repeated again in 1950s powder-pink and crimson in the master bathroom. The bathroom in the hallway is done in a sage green with hexagonal tiles that match the design of those seen on the kitchen countertops.

The two bedrooms before the master bedroom are distinctly paired as a girl's and boy's room. The more masculine room is covered head-to-toe with a medium-stained pine wood and has built-in shelves and closets.

The more feminine room has similar closet doors but painted white to match the white wood molding and contrast the soft blue walls. The bedroom/study addition (perhaps the former garage) just off the kitchen, has built-in cabinets and a unique, masculine 1970s "swinging bachelor pad" looking bathroom. The screen-in porch as a real iron wood-burning stove.

331 Rittiman History with Images

Greetings!

331 Rittiman"Are you sure- that's all?" That's what I asked Wes when he told me he wanted to sell his 2,194 SqFt, 4-3 home in Alamo Heights ISD for less than $200,000.

Your friends may ask you the same question when you forward this substantial property to them. Especially since it sits in a 1/3 acre yard at the top of the hill!
(View the Value Snapshot)

I am certain they will appreciate your sharing this with them since we won't be putting it on MLS for a couple of days... Who doesn't like knowing about opportunities before anyone else?
We are looking for a few good folks looking for a new home. If you know any, please send them our way!
Sound intriguing? Join us for a preview open house this Sunday from 2-3pm. We will also have 139 Blakeley open right around the corner. Can't wait until then? Call us! 745-0892.
Joe Barfield
210-745-0892
Terrell Hills 4-3 Minimal Traditional - $199,985


Living Room
Living Room

A great Minimal Traditional style home in Terrell Hills. This spacious home located on top of the hill, has excellent Alamo Heights Schools in the vicinity.

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Neighborhood

Walkscore Tile It's a quick hop to downtown, Trinity University, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Central Market, Whole Foods, McNay Art Museum, Witte Museum and the Quarry Mall are all located in close proximity.

Tong's Thai, Bun n Barrel and Silo are all located within half a mile. It is an easy walk to the many shops at Sunset Ridge and Terrell Plaza. A part of the prestigious Alamo Heights ISD, it is a great neighborhood for education.

Don't forget the Magic Lantern Castle Museum...


Preview Open House - Sunday 2-3pm - Stop by!


Dining Room
Dining Room with Floor-to-Ceiling Windows

Come check out 331 Rittiman this Sunday from 2-3pm. We will also have 139 Blakeley open at the same time right around the corner. These are the two best values for a home of significant size and large yard in the Alamo Heights School District.

Please don't hesitate to respond to this email or call me or my team if you or someone you know might be interested in this home.

Sincerely,

Joe Barfield

The Joe Barfield Group of Keller Williams Realty
homes@joebarfield.com
210-745-0892

www.SanAntonioVintageHomes.com
www.JoesListings.Blogspot.com- Architectural History Blog
www.SAMusicAndArt.com
- Art, Music & Architecture Newsletter



The architectural write-up is provided by Dr. Roff. Any reference to families is strictly academic. The Joe Barfield Group embraces all Equal Opportunity Housing Laws.
© Copyright 2008 All rights Reserved, Joe Barfield.

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Joe Barfield | 227 Rose Ln | San Antonio | TX | 78212

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Craftsman Bungalow in Historic Tobin Hill

Historic Tobin Hill 4-2 Craftsman Bungalow 
A sneak peek before everyone else!
Historically and Architecturally Significant San Antonio Vintage Homes
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Battered Piers resting on Brick Podiums

Architectural Analysis

By: Architectural Historian Shelley Roff, Ph.D.

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.. and hoping you might give them a little treat, if you buy this classic Craftsman Bungalow on 614, East Park Street in Tobin Hill.

If you see a posse of chickens running loose in this neighborhood, just remember, the neighbors consider them to be adopted pets. Friendly, local charm characterizes both this neighborhood and our historic bungalow.

The house's most eye-catching features are the gabled roofs that emerge from the roofline and fold downward, like a folded sheet in origami, and the five battered wood piers that line the porch and porte cochère. The battered piers, which rest on brick podiums, uphold the long horizontal beams of the roof. These beams, spanning over twenty feet per member, are one of the remarkable characteristics of a house built in 1922.

Most houses in San Antonio were built with dense hardwoods and balloon frame construction, up until the Depression. Old growth trees provided solid, insect-resistant beams and columns for the construction of our historic neighborhoods; a kind of wood that cannot be purchased today.

Around the side of the house you can see the original stepped-brick fireplace, which has been recently renovated inside. A detached "auto barn" (garage) and servant's quarters are in the back, a modernizing feature for the time. There is also a limestone well in the backyard that may pre-date the construction of this house.

Stepping inside the house, one is greeted by many scenes of "local character". The original molded baseboards, doors and window frames, and ceiling molding give the house that historic bungalow look. The house has many built-ins, which add to the house's character: Bookshelves are tucked into the niche of the wall that separates the living room from the study and are added to several bedrooms.

Matching built-in bookshelves are built on either side of the entry from a side porch in to the study, which is surmounted by a low broad arch, which portrays a beautiful painting of a peacock done by local artist Roch Babin.

Continuing with the theme of "local character", a later resident was reputedly the family who owned the La Prensa newspaper. I am assuming that they were responsible for the renovation of the house's central ballroom in stucco with niches for sculpture or candles and for the two Mexican tile artworks embedded in the walls.

614 East Park History with Images

Greetings!

614 East Park Wow. Talk about an impressive front porch!

I am committed to sending you my listings before they go to MLS so you and those you care about have first dibs on these homes.

I would much rather work with someone who "gets" these vintage homes and neighborhoods than with someone who calls from an ad.

That's where you come in... You like neat old homes, so I am counting on you to forward this on to others who are into front porches, hardwood floors and centrally-located neighborhoods.

So... who comes to mind for this rambling, happy Craftsman Bungalow? Give us a call!

Joe Barfield
210-745-0892
The Joe Barfield Group of Keller Williams
Historic Tobin Hill 4-2 Craftsman Bungalow - $210,000


Living Room
Living Room

An impressive Arts & Crafts Bungalow on large lot in Historic Tobin Hill.

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Walkable Neighborhood (77 out 100 is great for S.A.!)

Walkscore TileTobin Hill is a charming historic district located just east of Monte Vista. It is a quick hop downtown, US 281 and other historic neighborhoods. A very walkable neighborhood, Tobin Hill / Monte Vista has great restaurants, bars, libraries (.4 miles) and parks including the Brackenridge Park within a mile.

It's a quick dash to San Antonio College, Trinity University and University of the Incarnate Word. Main Library, Central Market, Whole Foods and the Quarry Mall are all located in close proximity. La Fonda, Justin's Ice Cream and Caparelli's are all less than .2 miles. El Milagrito and Demo's Greek Food are also nearby. The Keystone School & St. Anthony's are within a mile.


Don't forget the best sandwiches in San Antonio, plus Jack Phung makes some mighty fine Pho at Saigon Express!


Some Wonderful Memories


Dining Room
Dining Room

The current owner, Diane Hegland, shares her favorite memories of 614 East Park Street.

  • I love living on Park Ave. when I first moved here, I would come home from work, sit on a rocking chair on the front porch and think "I love my house". I did this daily for a long long time.
  • It was such a pleasure driving to & from work, only 5 minutes away! This is such an eclectic neighborhood, the architecture, the people, the restaurants, it's absolutely wonderful!
  • The Riverwalk is being extended & the Pearl Brewery is almost complete, both within walking distance.
  • Since my house is centrally located, it has become a meeting place among my friends. Every year during Fiesta, we meet at the house and then walk to our seats near Maverick Park for the Night Parade. We also meet at the house when we have tickets to the Majestic or Cameo Theaters. Anytime there is a group of us getting together, this is the place to meet!
  • It's a great house for entertaining, plenty of room, both indoors & out.
  • My grandkids love coming to grandma's house. They like visiting Brackenridge Park, and we bought memberships to the Zoo, and the Witte Museum. The house is so large, there is lots of room to run & play. Every Christmas the grandkids & I would put up four trees! One Christmas Santa brought the kids Plasma Cars, they drove from the library through the living room, hallway, kitchen, dining room and back again. In the summer we would have picnics in the backyard, where there is room for pinatas, barbecues & games. The grandkids also loved going swimming at nearby San Pedro Springs.
  • I love the fact that I can get anywhere fast. All of the major freeways are just minutes away. So whether you are heading to Sea World, Fiesta Texas, Brooks City Base, the Forum or the Quarry, it's just a short drive away.

Please don't hesitate to respond to this email or call me or my team if you or someone you know might be interested in this home.

Sincerely,

Joe Barfield

The Joe Barfield Group of Keller Williams Realty
homes@joebarfield.com
210-745-0892

www.SanAntonioVintageHomes.com
www.JoesListings.Blogspot.com- Architectural History Blog
www.SAMusicAndArt.com
- Art, Music & Architecture Newsletter



The architectural write-up is provided by Dr. Roff. Any reference to families is strictly academic. The Joe Barfield Group embraces all Equal Opportunity Housing Laws.
© Copyright 2008 All rights Reserved, Joe Barfield.
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