The Perrenoud- 836 17th Ave.

Uptown and Swallow Hill Historic District!

Hello Bloggers. Today's spotlight is on The Perrenoud, located at 836 E 17th Ave. Built 1901, it screams Neo-Classical Victorian apartment house- something you could find in New York or Boston. I fell in love with this building about 3 years ago, with a client. Units seem to be valued anywhere from $350,000 to $500,000.

These units are all very spacious units, ranging from 1-2 bedrooms up to 3-4 bedrooms- about 1200-2000 square feet. This building was built in 1901, supposedly by 3 sisters, from Switzerland. History is a little spotty on this landmark, but it is a beautiful building. The architecture is amazing, beyond anything else.

Enter the building, and notice the restored angel stained glass atrium skylight, four stories above the circular lobby. In bewilderment, you actually feel like you are in a museum. The handrails and tap of the floor is not unlike walking through a church.

This is a church of urban existence, enduring over 100 years of history. The vintage penny tile design, embedded in the floor is a welcoming of new and old, to all who enter this building. It states 1900's Queen Anne elegance.

As you walk through the lobby, you find that there are two ways to get to your second, third or fourth floor apartment. You can haul your goods up the several flights of stairs, or you can take the functional birdcage elevator, of 1901 vintage. It is fully functional and fully operational. What a work of art, seen in the lower right corner of this photo.------------------------------------------>

The Swallow Hill Historic District has been in existence since 1988. Quite a few of the buildings in this district are designed by Frank Edbrooke, a very well known Western Architect, with two of his major works being the Brown Palace Hotel, and The Oxford Hotel. His residence is one block away from the Perrenoud. I am a huge fan of the Swallow Hill Historic District!

Where does this fit into real estate? Apart from beauty and an appreciation of fine architecture and art, these types of buildings serve valuable purpose in urban planning. They create character, a 'buzz'; They attract people of similar interests into one area. These areas cause us to think about our mixes of old and new.

Buildings like the Perrenoud are well built and have kept their character over a long period of time. This brings us to sustainability: while these buildings may be expensive to maintain, and aren't 'green' certified buildings, they are absolutely functional and stand a test of time. Far beyond that, there is some nostalgia and elegance to these areas- Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill, Uptown, Swallow Hill, City Park.

Our connection to history must coincide with our functional needs to live, grow, and progress. But that connection to this history must keep a certain tradition, or at least the memory, thereof.

I believe that people move to areas like this for a variety of reasons- proximity to an urban center, ease of transit, and a diversity of people. There are economic opportunities to be had, and urban centers have traditionally been the starting hubs of small business and entrepreneurship. The connection of buildings like the Perrenoud and its surrounding area is necessary for our new-urbanization.

Thanks for reading!

Ed
Showcase Properties
303-875-4450