44th Annual Event: Home Tour & Street Fair Is Sept. 25
Check Out Six Beautiful Houses, Then Head Over To The Free Street Fair For Food, Music and Fun
Staff Report
Park Hill, with roots dating back to the end of the 19th century, is known for its diverse style of homes — ranging from historic Victorian and the classic Denver Square, to modest mid-century.
The Park Hill Home Tour began in 1978, the brainchild of a local realtor designed to showcase the rich history and diverse architecture of the neighborhood. Over the years, the ticketed event has evolved into an important community fundraiser and tradition.
This year’s home tour is Sunday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. See below for a sneak preview of the six homes on this year’s tour that exemplifies the variety of architecture and the creativity of the homeowners.
Running concurrently the day of the home tour is a street fair, an all-day party on the parkway at Montview and Forest. Attendance is free and open to all, and features local vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, children’s activities, a sustainability zone with demos on everything from beekeeping to composting, and a wine and beer garden.
Check out more on the street fair — including a feature about local teen beekeepers and a handy guide for recycling — at these links:
Tickets for the home tour are available at parkhillhometour.org. After Aug. 16 you can also purchase tickets at Cake Crumbs (2216 Kearney St.), at the Park Hill Branch Library (4705 E. Montview Blvd.), Park Hill Community Bookstore (4620 E. 23rd Ave.), and Spinelli’s Market (4621 E. 23rd Ave.)
Home tour prices are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 65-plus, and $5 for children ages 7-12. There is no cost for children under 5. Proceeds benefit the many programs provided by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., a registered neighborhood organization.
44th Annual Event: Home Tour & Street Fair Is Sept. 25
Highlights Of Six Featured Homes And The Owners Who Lovingly Tend To Them
By Mary Salsich
Park Hill Home Tour Organizer
The 2022 Annual Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair celebrates our neighborhood, our community and all that brings us together. The past two years have been tough; the pandemic meant Home Tour participants had to admire featured homes strictly from the outside and in virtual-only tours. This year we’re back to an in-person affair. The six homes on the tour exemplify a combination of old and new, highlighting the diversity of styles of our Park Hill architecture, the creativity of designers and builders, and the vision of the homeowners. Ticket and other information is at parkhillhometour.org.
Eve & Bobby Wilson
4130 E. 16th Ave.
Eve and Bobby Wilson’s home was built in 1941 as a 900-square-foot bungalow. In 2010, a developer popped the top to add another 1,000 square feet. Bobby bought it in 2011, then met and married Eve. Together they remodeled in 2019 to make it just what they wanted for their family.
Most of the interior walls of the main floor were removed in the first remodel to open up the space. Extra windows added an abundance of light to the home. However, the developer’s finishes needed improvement to meet the couple’s tastes. Interior Designer Diane Gordon went to work creating a warm and welcoming space with imaginative accents. The living room fireplace and mantel are repurposed barnwood with a colorful tile surround.
The kitchen is the focal point with a massive kitchen island. The tile backsplash behind the gas range adds a bit of whimsey. The dining space is tucked into the corner and includes custom-designed banquette seating which can accommodate any large family gathering.
The upstairs addition gives the family two bedrooms and a full bath for the kids, and a large primary bedroom with ensuite bathroom with a glorious steam shower. The re-purposed barnwood again serves as an accent wall in the primary bedroom. An abundance of windows makes the whole upstairs bright and airy.
The basement was dug out to increase the ceiling height to nine feet to accommodate Bobby’s tall frame. It creates a much more welcoming space as an entertainment room, guest bedroom and bath.
The landscaping was added by the Wilsons. The entry walk is decorative stamped concrete, providing the perfect backdrop for the colorful native plants. Stamped concrete carries through to the back patio, which is covered by a pergola and bistro lights. Again, garden beds were planted with low maintenance, yet colorful plants.
Don’t miss all the framed photographs throughout the home. They were taken by Eve’s grandfather, Ted Nierenberg. He and Eve’s grandmother, Martha, were Holocaust survivors. They were also the creators of Dansk dishware in 1954, bringing the simplicity of Scandinavian design to the American market.
Jennifer & Steve Cordes
6300 Montview Blvd.
This stately Montview Boulevard Tudor was built in 1934. The home was enlarged in 1980 with an addition above the three-car garage. Jennifer and Steve Cordes bought the house in 2013 because they loved the architecture and spacious grounds. However, the main floor rooms were too small and cramped, so in 2019, they remodeled.
The beautiful turret staircase with the original wrought iron railing in the entry foyer was maintained. The walls enclosing the former butler’s pantry, kitchen, and dining room were removed to create an open, inviting kitchen, living and dining area that includes French doors to the back patio. Creativity was required to incorporate the existing basement stairs into the design. Since the stairs were located in the middle of the new space, they were incorporated into the design. The stair walls were removed and replaced with iron railing to match the existing railing of the main staircase.
Through the kitchen and up a half flight of stairs is a TV/game room built above the garage. The room is massive, with a wall of custom-built cabinets, wet bar, sectional couch and a pool table. It’s definitely the gathering place for the family. Travel up three more stairs to an office defined by iron railings to match those downstairs.
The upper floor includes two bedrooms, a full bath and the primary bedroom and bath. The primary bath was enlarged creatively by opening up into the attic space. All the light fixtures removed from the first floor in the redesign were re-installed on the second floor to maintain their heritage.
The Cordes’ love the home’s outdoor spaces, from the curving front walk to the shady patio on the west side of the home to the backyard. The back patio includes an outdoor dining area under a custom-designed pergola, a flagstone seating area and a wall fountain that creates a sense of calm after a stressful day.
Bob Moses
4807 E. 17th Avenue Pkwy.
Built in 1927, this stately home sits on almost a quarter acre. The architect is unknown, but the Mediterranean Revival is reminiscent of J.J.B. Benedict’s architectural style with its ornate entry, rough textured brick and tile roof.
Moses, only the third owner, purchased the home in 1988 with his wife, Susan Platt Proudfoot, who recently passed and was primarily responsible for the interior design. Together, they maintained the historic architecture of the home while updating it for today’s conveniences. The high ceilings convey the feeling of spaciousness and grandeur.
The grand living room is complete with ornate fireplace and massive south-facing windows. Arched French doors lead to a sunroom. The dining room contains a beautiful glass chandelier from New Orleans. A recent remodel opened up the old kitchen to include a wet bar and eating area with access to the backyard. It is truly a kitchen for a culinary enthusiast.
Across from the kitchen and down a half flight of stairs, you walk into a private office with access to a covered patio. It has its own bath, including a steam shower and sauna. This level also has an entertainment room with another fireplace and sitting area. Another half flight of stairs takes you back to a hallway with a grand staircase to the second floor.
The second floor maintains the grandeur of the 1920s architecture, with high ceilings and large rooms. A seating area on the landing opens to three updated bedrooms. The primary bedroom connects to another through a remodeled half bath. A second bath is undergoing a total renovation to become a five-piece full bath.
The patio is a retreat for outdoor dining and entertaining. The seat walls, fountain and pergola are laid out to focus on the beautiful oak tree to the west. It is truly an oasis in the city.
The owner, a lover of felines, has converted the three-room basement into a combination laundry room, storage area, and two-cat habitat with climbing access from the basement to a 3-foot by 3-foot by 10-foot outdoor catio (cat patio). It’s a must-see.
Daniel Kotzin & Jennifer Sey
1673 Hudson St.
Built by architect Glen W. Huntington in 1907, this gorgeous home has had only five owners in the last 115 years. Dubbed the “Hayden House” for its first inhabitants, 1673 Hudson St. was one of the very first homes built in Park Hill.
The enclosed porch that wraps around the house once served as a “milking room” for the cows, but today it offers a relaxing space for the home’s newest family to sit back and enjoy the view. Daniel Kotzin and Jennifer Sey moved to Denver in 2021 and are quite taken with their new home as well as with the neighborhood, which, they say, has been exceptionally welcoming.
One thing that particularly impressed the new homeowners about the extensive renovations done to the house in 2020 — just prior to their purchase — was how the remodel brought the house firmly into the present while maintaining so much of the home’s historic charm. The graceful double staircase that greets one upon entering the front door, for example, is original, as are the large front windows halfway up the staircase that open onto another porch (which is not currently in use). Radiators and antique light switches also hearken back to the home’s earlier days.
The 8,500-square-foot home provides ample space. There are six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, three living areas, a large dining room, a guest suite, a home gym, a sauna and a steam shower. The game room and designated art room in the basement, and the shiny brass fire pole down to the kitchen from one of the upstairs bedrooms, are highlights for the two young children who live here. In the kitchen, a giant black and white backsplash immediately catches the eye, while glass doors beckon to the large stone deck and shaded backyard beyond.
The family loves the home and its surroundings and plan to stay in the neighborhood a long, long time.
Andrea & Phillip Gordon
2630 Ash St.
Formerly a 1923 Bungalow, this home was transformed into a contemporary masterpiece in 2016. Popping the top doubled the size and multiple indoor and outdoor living spaces were created. The Gordons bought the home when the renovation was complete and have since added landscaping, built-in cabinets and solar panels.
The abundance of large windows and open living, dining and kitchen spaces drew the Gordons to the home. The original, coal-burning fireplace and exposed brick walls honor the home’s special roots. The new design combines vintage charm with an urban feel using steel beams and metal window trim.
The dining room features a creative custom-built banquette. It leads to the living room enhanced with a contemporary linear fireplace. The scene-stealer is the interior glass overhead garage door for great indoor/outdoor entertaining opportunities. The kitchen’s sleek European cabinets, lustrous quartz countertops and large center island accentuates the contemporary feel, and makes a fantastic gathering place.
A second floor was added and continued the industrial theme with floating butcher-block stairs and steel railing. Upstairs, the primary bedroom offers a spacious light-filled room that walks out to a private balcony. Wood floors replaced the original carpet in all three bedrooms and custom concrete sinks enhance the ensuite bathrooms.
While the home is ideal for entertaining or just hanging out, Andrea loves her basement studio. There she creates her original paintings and whimsical ceramic artworks in an ideal workspace.
The owners especially enjoy their many outdoor spaces. In addition to the balcony on the second floor, the front porch wraps around with outdoor seating and a view of the floating staircase inside. On the south side of the home, raised garden beds provide vegetables in summer and the covered patio with firepit is enjoyed year-round. The interior garage door opens to yet another patio. Don’t miss the benches there, made of wood pallets built on industrial wheels. Andrea and Phillip’s creativity shines through once again.
Joanne & Jerry Bronstein
2539 Dahlia St.
The Bronsteins purchased this beautiful 1911 Arts & Crafts home in 2011 before they moved to Denver from Pennsylvania to be near family. They completed a renovation in 2021. Jerry is an architect and Joanne is an interior designer. They had a vision for the home to incorporate their favorite pieces of art and furniture, while maintaining the original style with complimentary finishes and details.
True to the Arts & Crafts style, the home featured exceptional beamed ceilings, exquisite woodwork and a leaded glass built-in breakfront. The living room opens to a second seating area (which was originally the dining room) and welcomes guests with whimsical and creative furniture, art and accessories. Walls were removed in the den to create an open and inviting new kitchen and dining room designed for entertaining.
An addition at the back of the home increased the square footage by adding a guest room with built-ins and full bathroom. All new door frames and baseboards were designed to match the original ones in the home.
On the stair landing to the basement, don’t miss the custom-designed door by artist Tom Wheeler, with a titanium and natural stone insert. The formerly unfinished basement is now a bonus room and bedroom with exposed brick walls.
The second floor offers the biggest surprise. Originally it included only a small bedroom. The Bronsteins enlarged and updated it as the primary bedroom and added a sumptuous bath and spacious walk-in closet. But that’s not all. Pass through the closet and you enter a “hidden” workout room, complete with all the equipment you need to stay healthy.
Outside, the exterior was painted a warm white field color with crisp grey trim. To the front porch, the Bronsteins added a new wood ceiling and fans for summer comfort while enjoying their beautifully landscaped front yard, metal artwork, and the neighbors strolling by. It’s their favorite place to hang out.