Urban Forest Mod

Urban Forest Mod

Amongst our clients, we see the recurrent trend of looking for a house to renovate or build new in the neighborhood they already live in. They love their neighborhoods, and they want to stay. Properties with the right potential seem to reveal themselves. The discovery of the perfect place could be on a daily walk, drive to work, or in this case, a private sale opportunity from a relocating friend. Our clients loved that this property backed up to an urban forest, had an east-facing flat front yard for a food-producing landscape, and a pool for intown grandkids.

Jones Pierce was engaged to reimagine the 60’s mid-century ranch, complemental to the lifestyle of the era it was built, into a space that would reflect how our modern, open-minded, stylish downsizers wanted to live. The 1962 house is in the National Register Historic District, one of the most restrictive character areas in the City, on an isolated mid-century infill street subjected to historic commission approval.

The subjective drama began when the client’s desire to evolve a home that appeared to provide the perfect framework for their vision of modern living, clashed with the Historic Preservation Commission’s desire to preserve consistent characteristics of architecture and site development within the district.