Location: 1302 Luttrell Street and 1712 Washington Avenue
Developer/Owner: Fourth and Gill Renovations, LLC and Parkridge Renovations, respectively
Architect: Dwight Guinn

These two houses are nominated together because the approach in restoring them has been similar; in each case, a limited partnership was used to finance the restoration effort. This has been a creative means to foster preservation and neighborhood revitalization while using private sector financing that took advantage of the historic preservation income tax credit program. Over 45 neighbors near these historic structures participated in financing their restoration.

The Camp DeRobertis House was almost lost to fire a few years ago. An initial restoration attempt was not completed, so the property stood as an eyesore. A group of neighbors formed a company named Fourth and Gill Renovations, LLC, to restore the structure. When they purchased the property, the house had been abandoned, had holes in the roof and did not have a foundation or porch. It had been condemned and was the subject of a city lien. Recognizing both the historical and architectural significance of the house, the neighbors banded together to save the home. The restoration was completed about two years ago and has been rented as a residential property. Its Four Square architectural features, especially its porch, second story alcove, windows and doors, were painstaking recaptured.

Just a few years ago, this house had been a fire-devastated shell.

The handsome dormer is a classic feature of the Four Square style.

Examples of the restored woodwork...stairs before

...stairs after...

...and the restored front door.

The Queen Anne-style house at 1712 Washington Avenue was restored through a partnership of neighborhood investors. This structure had been a boarding house for many years and had been grossly neglected. In addition to the preservation objective, the partnership has provided affordable housing as three apartments were created. This transformation was well executed as the house maintains its single family appearance without any hint of a multifamily structure hidden in the overall form of the Victorian era house. The restoration details are impressive as can be seen in the work associated with the trim, windows and doors in the following photographs.

The restoration of 1712 Washington Avenue is significant to the Park Ridge Historic District and added three units of affordable housing.

It is hard to discern how the apartments were created. The Queen Anne structure still looks like a large single family house.

The details in craftsmanship are revealed in the porch and dormer. Note the restoration of the windows, siding and bric-a-brac.