Is the “old soul” in you fascinated by history, storytelling, and lasting legacies? Then you’ll understand that the renovation of century-old, two-story 4519 Gaston Avenue isn’t really about salvaging a dilapidated structure. It’s about two lives of significance and objects of permanence, and how one can’t exist without the other. It’s the reason home renovation appeals to the passionate “old souls” in many of us.
After being uninhabited for over 30 years, the eight-room frame house was purchased by newlyweds Kyle Collins and Dr. Patricia Simon in November, 2008. Bella Vista Company began renovations in January. Kyle is a Market Development Manager for Kimberly-Clark and Patty is an orthodontist. They shared their story…
Tell me about your experience with historic home renovation.
While we were dating, we decided it would be fun to save an old house. We found a gem on Reiger Avenue! It was seriously dilapidated and uninhabited. It had been illegally made into an 8-plex sometime in the 80’s. The dentist in me wants to restore everything; the antique dealer in Kyle wants to buy anything old. So, we turned it into a luxury 4-plex, and we are very proud of how it turned out. We were the general contractors on the project, but we realized that neither of us had the time to do that job again! This time we found a company who understood what we wanted to achieve.
What led to your decision to buy 4519 Gaston Ave.?
Tracy, our previous restoration contractor on the Reiger property, suggested we visit a house she had been using for supply storage. It was 4519 Gaston. When we walked in, all we could see was the staircase. The rooms were cut-up with walls everywhere and there were holes in the floors. But we could tell by the staircase that this house was once beautiful. Kyle joked with Tracy after that about buying the house. One day she called us and said she wanted us to buy the house. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford what she was asking. But for a year we’d drive up the driveway and stare, wondering what it might have looked like when it was built. Eventually we forgot about it. A year later, we were married and looking for a house. We looked for something that needed work so we could determine its final style. Kyle spent many nights searching the MLS listings. One day he called me at work, and said that I should drive by a house on Gaston that he found on the listings. When he told me the address, I realized it was “the” house! We bought it right away!
How did you go about choosing a renovation firm to handle this project?
Once we had the final plans approved by the Landmark Commission, we chose four contractors to bid on the project. It was a bit unscientific. We listened to neighbors’ and our architect/designer’s recommendations, and put that into the mix. We also used “The Advocate” as a resource and picked a few from ads after checking out projects on their websites. We looked for contractors that understood the neighborhood and our mission.
How did you ultimately decide on BellaVista Company?
When you start doing a project like this, it becomes very emotional. You pour your heart and soul into it, and you have this vision of what you want to create. Getting it right is important. So the four contractors who bid on the project were chosen very much by gut feelings. Ultimately, the decision boiled down to 3 questions we asked ourselves:
- Who was willing to take our values and vision into consideration without imposing a “cookie-cutter” build mentality?
- Who was willing to preserve the history of the house, and understood our mission of saving one more house in the neighborhood?
- Who would we trust to communicate with us throughout the process?
The choice was BellaVista. They’ve been great and have exceeded our expectations!
Historical Highlights of 4519 Gaston Avenue
1906: Home was built for James T. Elliott, owner of Elliott Wholesale Lumber. He lived there with his daughter and her husband. Elliott died in 1919 and his funeral was held in the home’s parlor.
1925: Sold to Marie E. Kiersky who used it as a boarding house, renting out furnished rooms including the previous servants quarters.
1951-1961: Records are vague, but show a Wilma Colmer listed as an apartment manager. In 1942, a permit was issued by the City of Dallas for apartments.
1971: George Preston purchased the property, at which time Monty’s Used Car Lot was being operated at the address.
1978–: No evidence of inhabitance.
If you’ve ever dreamed of satisfying your “old soul” by undertaking a historic home renovation, give us a call. We’ll answer all your questions and help you understand everything involved in the process.
PDF of original article, Part I Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate, May 2010
PDF of original article, Part II Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate, June 2010
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