Although we have obtained virtually all the deeds from the DuPage County Recorder’s Office, we have not yet been able to determine the original owner of our home or the date that our home was constructed. From a 1927 Downers Grove Phone Directory we know that a family lived in our home at that time; but prior to 1927 our neighborhood had an entirely different address numbering system, and we have not been able to confirm the prior address number. From the 1920 census records we know that the property owners had a Benton address, suggesting that our home may have existed at that time, but it is unclear if that is our prior address number or merely that of a different house on the street. Our next step is to check the property tax records at the DuPage County Clerk’s Department of Revenue: If property tax records reveal a year with a significant property tax increase, then it could indicate that the home was constructed the prior year.
Renovation Process
The original house had three bedrooms and one bathroom, so when we purchased the home it was important to us that we be able to add on. At the same time we really liked the way the house looked, so we had to feel comfortable that we could do an addition project without seriously impairing the appearance of the home. Fortunately we were able to develop some simple ideas, prior to purchasing the home, that made us feel confident that the home could meet our needs.
Before moving into the house we did a lot of work to give it a more updated appearance: We pulled up all the carpeting throughout the house; refinished the original hardwood floors; repainted all the interior walls and ceilings; painted all the previously replaced, yet seriously outdated, kitchen cabinets; and replaced all the light fixtures. In 2009 we decided to add on to the home in order to accommodate our growing family: What was originally conceived years before as a bathroom addition eventually grew into a kitchen and bedroom addition and a renovation of the existing kitchen into a new bathroom. Ultimately our home increased from roughly 1,400 square feet to 1,700 square feet; and grew to four bedrooms and two bathrooms, including a master suite on the first floor. We did our best to match the character of the existing home, and were fortunate to find materials that were very close to the original details. Since then we have been slowly restoring the older portions of the home, including servicing and refinishing a number of the existing windows and doors.
Before Renovation Photos:
After Renovation Photos:
Landmark Status
Our home was landmarked in May 2016.
Recommended Resources
- General Contractor, Mike Stevens of Sievers and Stevens
- Here are the links to a couple of the companies that we used when we did our addition (door hinges and hardware):
CharlestonHardwareCo.com and HouseofAntiqueHardware.com
Information
Owners: David and Amy Gassen,
General Contractor: Sievers & Stevens Construction Co., Inc.,
Architects: David and Amy Gassen