The Van Sweringen Company, developers of Shaker Heights, commissioned several demonstration homes. These are not demonstration homes as we think of of them now, but rather suggestions of the sort of houses that buyers of lots might build and might expect their neighbors to build. The build and design quality of these houses is impressive, to say the least.
Five of these houses sit next to each other, on my block. All were designed by architect Bloodgood Tuttle and built in 1924. Most have impressive gardens and a great street presence, the result of double lots.
The five models are shown here, from west to east. To the east of this group is a sixth house, not a model, of similar proportions, also on a double lot.
My favorite is probably the fourth one, with the blue-green windows. I'm not sure whether that color is original to the house, but it was one of the suggested color schemes provided by the Van Sweringen Company at the time that the house was built.
5 comments:
It must be incredible just to take your son for a walk down a street like that! As I look down Division St at nondescript white bungalow after nondescript white bungalow, I'm more than a little jealous.
It's great. There are a few boring, nondescript 1950s and 1960s houses on this side the street, and plenty more on the other. It's weird - the most and least impressive houses in this neighborhood are on the same street.
The adjacent streets are, in some ways, more fun. There are more people out walking their dogs and kids, and the houses are more likely to have been remuddled. It's great to explain to my son the various architectural merits of each and the ugly things previous owners have done to them. Unlike everyone else, he actually listens.
Of course, you're always welcome to come visit and house drool. It's a regular sport around here.
Just across a listing for the Bloodgood Tuttle at 3137 Van Aken Blvd (white stucco, 2nd to last of the photos. Price $130K...thats 5 beds, 4.5 baths, 3,000 sf, AS IS with housing dept violations...but that is $43/ sq.ft.
Such an opportunity.
Yes, I saw that, when I was out trying to walk my youngest to sleep the other night. If only I had the spare cash!
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