ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

The palaces and canals of Venice inspired the design of a true neighborhood residential landmark

Owners Michael and Lynn Israel absolutely love their home. Architect Jefferson Powell designed the incredible Mediterranean Revival residence after a trip to Venice, drawing inspiration from the many Italian palaces. The home was built for Max Knauer, a prominent hardware dealer in 1929. Unique brass hardware fixtures are prominent throughout and speak to the original owner. Other one-of-a-kind features include a fountain in the sunroom and the hand-carved fireplace surround and mantle. Also unusual, there is a full basement and balconies on either end of the home.

The homage to Italy continued as subsequent owners added a pool and spa inspired by the canals of Venice.

Twilight Party

PATRONS ARE INVITED TO JOIN IN AN EXCLUSIVE EVENING HOME TOUR PREVIEW PARTY featuring live music by the Stefan Klein Trio, delish eats by neighborhood favorite Biscottis. The party, taking place Thursday, April 13, celebrates the launch of the annual home showcase by inviting all participating homeowners to be recognized as one of the Tour locations. The Twilight Party is an enchanting evening and a great way to experience the special event in a whole new way. Tickets include access to the year’s Featured Home, libations, hors d’oeuvres and desserts all night. A limited number of tickets to the Twilight Party are available for purchase online @ 904TIX.com.

The original blueprints of the house still exist, and each of the home’s four owners have taken incredible care of the neighborhood landmark.

Mike and Lynn worked with Lori Taylor Halbach to refine the current interior design, creating a setting which accentuates the impressive architectural details. Together, the owners and designer crafted a casually elegant and inviting home for their family and friends to enjoy year-round.

Michael and Lynn are in IT Staffing Sales for the CSI Companies. They live with their son, who enjoys the benefit of the home’s basement apartment. In addition, the pool house has been converted into a mother-inlaw suite, perfect for the family’s needs. The Israel’s are not new to Riverside and love the walkability, neighborhood activity, and vibrancy of Avondale. Their proximity to the Shoppes is perfect for their lifestyle. They say their neighborhood walks reveal new architectural details previously unseen, even after seven years of living in the area.

The head-turning residence is on several different architectural tours, including the Go Tuk’n Architecture and History Tour of Riverside and Avondale. “The house is iconic in the neighborhood, a true one of a kind with the most amazing features. We love the location because we feel like we are in the heart of Avondale and central to everything,” says Michael.

Recent upgrades to the property include a complete bathroom remodel, a basement renovation including adding a full bathroom, a bedroom, double washer and dryers and an office to create a complete apartment with a separate entrance. Outside, more living space was converted to a casita guest house with a bedroom, full bath and living area. “We fully transformed the landscaping and added about 150 landscape lights to highlight the architectural details and recently painted and refreshed the historic windows,” says Michael. “We needed to revamp the house to fit the needs of our family and we accomplished that perfectly. This would not have been successful without Shaycore, who did the construction, Lori Taylor our design maven, and Joi Perkins, our tireless Realtor who made this all happen.” *

This 1922 craftsman bungalow is defined by the four streetfacing French doors that invite the outside into their home and match the four backdoors that do the same. Owners Larry and Nancy Robinson retired to Belvedere Avenue after decades of living on Avondale Avenue. Nancy is an Avondale native and raised her family near her own roots. Being located along a small pocket park only adds to the charm of this bungalow.

Classic features of a Craftsman Bungalow include a low-pitched gable roof, overhanging threefoot eaves with exposed rafters and beams, a covered front porch with haint blue ceiling paint and a porch swing. The flower planters, original doublehung patterned window panes, craftsman-style trim and baseboards, and oak floors with inlaid borders are details that add to its character. Due to the age of the home, plumbing, electrical, floors, ceilings, and bathrooms have all been renovated or restored.

Nancy and Larry say what they love most about the neighborhood is that unique and diverse homes come with unique and diverse neighbors, and they love having eclectic and fun people around to keep life interesting. *

St. Paul’s Catholic Church started in 1923 in what is now the school building facing Acosta Street. Celebrating its 100-year anniversary, this is the perfect occasion to open its doors to RAP Home Tour visitors. For years, the property served as a first-floor church, second-floor school, and third-floor convent for nuns. The main church in which parishioners gather today was completed in 1939, and signaled a major turning point for the parish.

The breathtaking stained-glass windows were designed and installed by the family owned Rambusch Company in New York City. Stenciled paintings by Hugo Olms depicting Christian symbols adorn the altar and domed ceiling. Olms was a nationally renowned mural artist, acclaimed for his work at the Basilica-Cathedral in St Augustine. The gold Baldacchino over the altar is another stunning feature of the church interior, particularly when draped in white for Easter services.

The parish has been a part of the Riverside Avondale neighborhood since its earliest days, adapting to the changes in the community such as the growth of commercial development and residential flux over the last century. The ever-changing community is among the reasons the church works diligently to meet new parishioners as soon as they arrive, striving to be a welcoming place for new residents and parents looking for a quality Catholic education.

Recent water damage has led to a major renovation of the earliest building on the campus, revealing some of the original details in the church’s design. Every aspect of this space was meticulously constructed with quality materials and religious symbolism. Being able to tour the site with docents as a part of the RAP Home Tour is a must-see.

“As we look forward to the next 100 years, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and School will continue to provide a quality worship experience, an affordable Catholic education and ministry outreach to persons in need in the neighborhood,” says long-time docent, Ruthie Simmons. *

1625 Edgewood Avenue

Owners Michael and Heather Cosgrove, and daughter Catherine, are Washington, D.C. transplants who have lived in this 1920s brick Tudor for more than ten years. The Tudor-style residence has undergone very few additions or changes to the structure—leaving the original Roaring Twenties floorplan that the family incorporates into their life today.

Daily life in the 1920s was quite different then than it is now, so some give-and-take is necessary for the family. For example, the four equally sized upstairs bedrooms are, by today’s standards, on the small side, Also, the bedroom closets are downright tiny. However, the spacious downstairs living and dining areas make it easy to focus on enjoying time together and entertaining guests in the common areas, something the original owners likely appreciated, as well.

Interesting architectural features of the home include an incredibly steep roof with several peaks, an unfinished 1,100-square-foot attic with hardwood floors and a 16foot ceiling, tinted texture plaster walls, and “positive energy,” something all the homeowners have remarked on during their time living here. There’s also a secret spot in the dwelling where each homeowner has left their initials. One of the most remarkable aspects of the home is the restoration of the historic windows. More than 40 windows were either restored or painstakingly rebuilt by a craftsman to match the original windows.

Michael and Heather love living in Avondale and appreciating the historic legacy of their home. They love sharing its story with others and are eager to open the house up for the 49th annual Home Tour, and maybe inspire some others to undertake a historic renovation of their own. *

Like many residents in Riverside and Avondale, Tom and Stephanie Welchans stumbled upon the community while on a vacation nearby, and immediately started house hunting. Eighteen years later, they are celebrating their home’s Centennial anniversary! Built in 1923 by J. Prom, this Mediterraneanstyle house features barrel tiles on parts of the roof. However, there are seven different types of roofing in all cover the home.

One of the more unusual features is the unaltered simple stucco that is typical of a mission-style home. The screened porch, a wonderful spot for the 6 PM cocktail hour, is dearly loved and often in use by the homeowners.

Over the years, alterations have included the addition of a pool, conversion of the garage apartment to a home office, restoration of the original wood floors, and curved ceilings in the living and dining rooms. The Welchans have taken great care with all their restoration efforts in order to retain the unique architectural details of the home, including sourcing the distinguished roof tiles. They take great pride in living in a neighborhood they admire and appreciate—and work to ensure their home adds to the value and character of the community. *

2739 Post Street

Built in 1923, this Tudor Revival was shown on the 1950 Sanborn maps as a duplex. Recent renovations have brought it back to its original charm. Homeowner Denise Renbarger purchased the property knowing it needed a lot of love. For years, the size of the property left potential homeowners wary of the extensive renovations needed.

The property contains three stories spread over 4,000 square feet with one unit on the first floor and a second unit on the second and third floors combined. Restoration of the Post Street property included new footings and framing to repair the sagging floors, total replacement of the exterior siding and a new roof. The historic windows in both wood and steel were refurbished, and new wood moldings to mimic the style and character of the original hardwood floors were repaired and refinished.

Much of the work to improve the home was done by Denise herself, an accomplished designer. Architect Jeff Lane of Lane Architecture provided the necessary expertise to ensure the renovation was sound and lasting.

“I immediately fell in love with this home and just knew I had to restore it back to its glory days,” says Denise. Check out this renovation story yourself, walkable to the Park & King merchant district. *

This 1941 brick vernacular home features a gable roof and striking front porch with herringbone brickwork. The home was originally built for Dennis Bethel, a local plumber, and his wife Dora, who lived here for many years. New owners Tommy and Season Upson relocated to Jacksonville from Nashville and love their new neighborhood. Tom’s work with the Wounded Warrior Project made Jacksonville an ideal place to grow roots, and Avondale the perfect neighborhood.

The house was designed by Bernard W. Close, a prominent Jacksonville architect. Primarily known for his residential properties, Close’s designs display a keen eye for detail and an exquisite sense of proportion. The three brick homes located at the intersection of Pine Grove Avenue and Boone Park Avenue are said to have been built by the same builder, but it’s unknown if they were all designed by Close. Notable examples of his works in the Riverside Avondale Historic District include the residence at 1854 and 1886 Montgomery Place, as well as the Willow Branch Library and the San Marco Branch Library.

A primary bedroom addition was added in 2006, and meticulous work was done to maintain the herringbone bricks. Today, the lush landscaping evokes a “secret garden” feeling, which home tour visitors are invited to explore. *

1359 Belvedere Avenue

In 2018, owner Stephen Stanton attended an Avondale Thanksgiving dinner with friends and decided the neighborhood would be his next place to call home. He loves the history, charm, and community spirit of living here, as well as impacting a small piece of his own history while living in a charming, century-old bungalow.

Many of the originaldetails of the house have been lost over its long history, but a series of flips brought it back to life after being in desperate need of repair in the 1990s. Recent improvements include a major landscaping project where the entire property was taken down to bare earth and irrigation and professional outdoor lighting were added. Subsequently, all fencing, railing, and column bases were rebuilt from scratch in a historically appropriate manner by local craftsmen familiar with homes in the historic district.

Exterior work on the house itself involved repairing each of the eight doors and 18 windows including the mortise locks and hardware to their original 1920s splendor. During renovations, an original brick patio was uncovered underneath a modern deck. The patio was then painstakingly disassembled, each brick was cleaned, and the patio was repurposed as the yard border and front walkway.

Five living room doors open to the front porch, welcoming the neighborhood. This striking design element for a small bungalow effectively doubles the available space and helps with heating and cooling during the Florida seasons. It also brings in sunlight, breezes, and aromas from blooming jasmine, gardenia and citrus. *

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There is no doubt that owners Ronald Episcopo, Glenn Jones, and “Diva Dog”

Emma Jones Episcopo are artists and entertainers when you approach their oneand-a-half story home on Osceola Street. From an overnight stay at the Riverdale Inn eight years ago, Ron decided to make Riverside his Forever Home. For Glenn, however, it took walking inside the home, built in 1911, and saying out loud, “Oh… My… Gosh!” before he was hooked. They put in a same-day offer after touring more than 35 homes in 2016.

The “wow” in the home starts with the wraparound porch that has been a stage for fundraisers, parties, and weddings. The exterior is made of concrete blocks molded to look like rough stone as if carved from granite, sometimes called Rusticated Stone. These hollow-core concrete blocks were introduced to Jacksonville by Robert T. McCarrel, in 1904, who decided to establish a factory here following the Great Fire of 1901. This home is one of the last remaining built entirely with ashlar-simulated concrete blocks that have not been painted over.

On the inside, features include original chandeliers, a “hidden” second floor that most people don’t notice because of the large, sweeping roofline, 1920s open kitchen shelving, and three working fireplaces (originally coal and converted to gas). There’s also an unusual central double foyer with columns, and a huge walk-in closet for the primary suite.

Owners Glenn and Ron warn people that extensive renovation work can be very taxing, so try to have fun with it. Ron spent weeks scraping 100-years of paint off every window in the home, including removing old nails and screws. Once completed, the house painters repainted several of the windows before the error was caught and corrected. In addition, while having the foundation repaired, the crew secretly made tapping sounds underneath the home that led the owners to believe the house was haunted before realizing the trick. *

The incredible rehabilitation of a retail space built in 1949 is currently Plush N’ Prana on Park. With a vision to create an experience of discovery, style, beauty, elegance and love—and to share this experience with others—business owner Claudia Prana worked to honor the heritage of the original construction through rehabilitation. Renovations were completed by Jennifer Pietschker, who retained the character of the space through the addition of minimal walls, creating a free-flowing atmosphere where customers have access to products without barriers. The result is a sense of spaciousness in only 775 square feet. The original wooden beam and stone floor was reclaimed by careful cleaning and currently shows a rainbow of colors and stones in various shapes and sizes.

Prior to the establishment of Plush N’ Prana, the small space had been roofless, windowless, and empty for decades. The color, aroma, and authentic pride that now fills the space is warm and welcoming. Images of the “before” condition, as well as in-progress photos, can be seen during the tour. *

3903 Oak Street

In the heart of Avondale, this 1922 type II bungalow is characterized by a front facing gable roof and secondary gable roof defining the facade. This corner lot is a stand-out property due to the extensive custom woodwork, four-car garage and lush landscaping. The custom-made front door provides just a hint of the attention to detail seen inside, which is a dream artist’s workspace. Incredible stained glass, mirage wallpaper, tile wood carvings, built in bookshelves that serve as room divid- ers, the property has layers of visual texture and interest throughout, and something that will have guests stimulated at practically every turn. The Japanese scento styled bathroom matches the design elements present in most spaces, and the enclosed pool is a final salute to its many Asian influences. It’s here during the Tour that the Jacksonville Art Guild will showcase works by local artists—including some who will be at the house creating during the Tour. *

1255 Lydia Court

This New Construction single-family residence is fashioned as a modern farmhouse, offering symmetry on the exterior commonly referred to as “four gables”. The design contains elements that can be found on nearby historic homes, including the property at 2793 Lydia Street, which is the oldest home in the neighborhood built in 1857. Owners Dale and Robin Johnston have lived in Riverside since 2017. They knew they wanted to remain in the historic district while gaining some “must haves” in their new home. They were able to add hundreds of details to suit their needs including 12-foot collapsible great room doors, state of the art data cabling, sound system, custom-made steel and glass pantry door, 10-foot ceilings, custom tile in all bathrooms including an amazing feature tile wall in the master bathroom, and a studio apartment above the garage. Further, the family added a large outdoor paver pergola from Impact Enclosures, front and backyard landscaping from Cady Landscaping, and custom built-in office furniture by Doug Morgan.

The Johnston’s lovingly chose every finish in the home from floors to doors to tile, appliances, and light fixtures. Their favorite part about living in Riverside is walking to great restaurants, unwinding at Black Cat Yoga, and visiting nearby parks with their dogs. They are thrilled to be a part of the 49th annual Home Tour and hope visitors enjoy meeting neighbors from the new Lydia Court community! *

by The Pineapple

Community Amenities

• Intimate gated luxury home neighborhood

• Homes built exclusively by The Pineapple Corporation

• Easy access to Nocatee’s amenities and beaches

Special Features

• Fully customizable floor plans

• European-inspired architectural style

• Sophisticated finishes and features