Five Homes, Two Churches – 38th Annual Park Hill Home Tour

By Lana Cordes, Home Tour Organizer

The 38th Annual Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair is Sunday Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tour five homes and two churches in Denver’s most architecturally diverse neighborhood.

Included this year is the Park Hill United Methodist Church, and Temple Micah, pictured at left. And, enjoy the free Street Fair happening all day in the parkway at Montview Avenue and Forest Street.

You can purchase tickets for the Home Tour online at www.parkhillhometour.org or at several neighborhood establishments.

Tickets range from $15-$20 and increase by $5 on the day of the event, so be sure to buy in advance. The Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair directly benefits Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. a nonprofit registered neighborhood agency that promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources and advocacy, and helps preserve the quality of life of the neighborhood.

Check out pages 10 and 11 for more on the Street Fair, and pages 12 and 13 for previews of the homes and churches on this year’s Home Tour.

Descriptions by Emily Boyle and Liz Rutledge; Photos by Sara Elise Photography; Artist renderings by Marc Applebaum

4321 E. 18th Ave

This 2014 Tudor was originally a small alley house on the back of the lot. Originally zoned for horses and carriages, the lot is narrow. To ensure yard space for the Hoody family’s four children, the garage was designed to be an oversized tandem.

As you enter, high ceilings and large windows beckon you into the natural flow to the living room in the rear of the home. The fireplace is made of stone from a quarry in Montana. The flow continues into the gourmet kitchen, with bright white cabinets. A favorite feature of the kitchen is a drawer refrigerator.

The master suite is at the front of the house upstairs, with three other bedrooms. It provides a view of the tree-lined street, and includes a spa-like bathroom. Twin boys share a bedroom and the girls have a Jill-and-Jill bathroom between their bedrooms. High ceilings help the rooms feel especially spacious.

Following the flow back downstairs, the finished basement is an entertainment area for children to play in a room with bold stripes of smooth orange and denim blue. In fall and winter, family and friends can retreat to a bar/kitchenette and a cozy sofa for watching movies with a built-in fireplace on the wall. Also in the basement is a bedroom and bath for guests.

4646 E Montview Blvd

The curbside view of this charming brick Tudor reveals very little of the spacious living space beyond the front door. Originally built in 1929, a whole-home expansion in 2006 and kitchen redesign in 2013 have brought this humble abode into high style.

Now featuring four bedrooms, three-and- a-half bathrooms and more than 3,400 square feet of living space, the home is a blend of old style and modern practicality. Highlights include original dark walnut floors and trim, era-appropriate light fixtures brought from homeowners Rob McGough’s and Dr. Mana Amir’s previous residence in Cherry Creek, and wall niches in which the couple has displayed some of their art collection.

Meanwhile, an expansive open-concept kitchen with high-end appliances combined turn-of- the-century charm with modern-day comfort and style. With double thick, Super White countertops, glass-front cabinetry, and an island large enough to accommodate food prep and seating, the kitchen is a gathering place for the family and friends. The adjoining family room includes custom-made bookshelves, an entertainment center and deep-cushioned sofas.

Beyond the family room is an outdoor living space with flagstone patio, fire pit, and fountain, with stunning landscaping.

1920 Forest Parkway

This five bedroom, 5000-square foot house was originally built in 1923. The architect was Glen Huntington of Denver. Four families have lived in this house, including the current owners, Ann and Kevin Reidy and their four children.

The original owner died shortly after the home was built. The second owners and their children lived in the home for 53 years, along with their dogs, ducks, goats, chickens, and rabbit in the backyard. The third owners and their children enjoyed the home for 17 years before selling to the Reidys in 2004.

Upon purchasing the home, the Reidys added the back patio, a sunroom, and remodeled the kitchen. The master bedroom is an addition that enclosed an original screened-in sleeping porch. In 2015, they did a complete basement remodel and this year, they remodeled the master bedroom to include a sitting room. There is a unique, forward-facing driveway on Forest Parkway. The brick pergola was built in the backyard in 1926 and the grapevines planted around the pergola remain today. The Reidy’s make grape jam from the 90-year old vine every Christmas.

2574 Glencoe Street

Originally built in 1944, this Tudor has been home to Jaime Arruda and Kevin Scott for 12 years. Two years ago, they remodeled the two-bedroom/one-bath into a five-bedroom/four-bath home to accommodate a growing family. The front maintained the Tudor style, but high ceilings and skylights upstairs create much more light than typically found in this style of home. As you enter, you will see the foyer, which was where the garage was located. Note the pass-through fireplace.

As you continue in and around into the living room, a large picture window and cozy sofa welcome you. The window to the left of the picture window is where the entrance was originally located. For the chimney and the patio outside the dining room, brick from a similar era home was used to match the original brick of the house.

The gourmet kitchen entry was originally the entry to the basement. Cutouts in the walls in various locations, like the living room and powder room, maintain the original styling of the home, allowing for art display. Arruda’s favorite room is the master bath retreat and she loves the wallpaper in the bedroom, which has a unique wavy oyster sheen.

The basement, which was originally finished but smaller, was dug out to create a guestroom/gym/office, where Kevin works from home.

2600 Leyden Street

Anyone who has strolled, biked or motored down 26th Avenue in Park Hill likely has paused to marvel at the sprawling campus that is home to Park Hill Congregational United Church of Christ. Design elements include a dramatic sloping roof, immense exterior beams, vibrant stained glass windows, and a monumental flagstone sign.

The church has invested $820,000 in building improvements over the past three years. Then improvements have allowed the church to upgrade the structural integrity of the building, increase energy efficiency, replace carpeting and flooring, and enhance curb appeal by re-landscaping with water-wise plants and flagstone.

Thanks in part to a $100,000 grant awarded by Energy Outreach Colorado, the church has improved its energy efficiency. The installation of two new boilers, mini-split heating systems in the church offices, new light fixtures and LED bulbs, as well as numerous other efficiency upgrades are just a few of the steps the church has taken. The addition of solar panels also allowed the church to fulfill its green initiative.

While most of the improvements were of a practical nature, equally important was creating “radical hospitality in a beautiful and inviting setting.” While you’re there, don’t miss the divine display of light and color created by the stained-glass windows in the sanctuary.

5209 E Montview Blvd

Park Hill Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1911 in a tent tabernacle at 23rd and Dexter. After a 20-lot site on Montview Boulevard at Fairfax was purchased for $15,000 in 1921, William N. Bowman and Company designed and completed construction on the church just in time for 1924 Christmas services. Now Park Hill United Methodist, this Spanish Mission Revival-style church is as beautiful as it was more than 100 years ago. Architectural features include a four-story, central domed bell tower and two-story wings with curvilinear parapets. The church is also valued for its long history of upholding the values of fairness, inclusion, diversity, and the rights of all to participate in spiritual community.

In 2014, the church further diversified by welcoming Temple Micah synagogue members and guests to worship Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in the Babbs chapel. Named in memory of Pastor Carlton J. Babbs following his death in 1978, the chapel was refurbished in 2013 to accommodate Temple Micah worshipers and administrators. Updates included new offices, interior and exterior signage, and the creation and installation of elements aimed at creating a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere.

1925 Forest Parkway

This Arts and Crafts style home welcomes visitors through a south side entrance through a garden that used to be the driveway. The entry leads to a grand living room that retains the original architectural and design details, including leaded glass fronted book cases and the original fireplace. The owners of 32 years, Sandra and Kurt Stenmark, renovated the enclosed porch off the living room and turned it into a bright library/sitting room.

In the formal dining room is a period walnut trestle table and Stickley chairs. Kurt Stenmark, the renovation designer, added a back section to both levels of the house, consistent with the original architecture. In the family room addition, bookshelves and built-ins with leaded glass doors match those in the living room.

The sleek and modern kitchen was remodeled to reflect the period features in the home. The kitchen flows back into the formal dining room through a swinging door.

Originally, the second floor had three bedrooms and one bath. The Stenmarks added a luxurious one to make the master bedroom a suite. Through what is now an office are two bedrooms that were part of the addition. Back downstairs and continuing to the finished basement, past the original 1/2 bath, is a recreational/entertainment room that is cool in summer and cozy in winter.