Wilcox Gardens by Robin Vargo

GRAND RAPIDS MAGAZINE

DESIGN HOME

In the heart of East Grand Rapids, five purposefully planned sites await new homes inspired by a familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy. Their story begins here.

Wilcox Gardens once upon a time

BY LISA M. JENSEN

Introducing Part One of Wilcox Gardens, a Grand Rapids Magazine Design Home presentation.

Hollyhocks and Forget-Me-Nots,

hostas and daylilies: Perennials planted with forethought and care take root in a garden and return year after year — sometimes over decades — to bring it new color, and life. To help a perennial thrive, gardeners often divide its root system. Then the original plant can be replanted, and shared.

A Frederick and Caroline Wilcox’s son Raymond, who became a landscape architect, designed the family estate’s fragrant formal gardens and pathways.

nd the garden — revitalized by new

goers sat back to enjoy a play or orchestra

blooms — grows.

performance.

Though a small city, East Grand

But there was no bustling neighborhood.

Rapids is a progressive, dynamic communi-

Beyond the beaches, there was only forest

ty. Homes here in myriad architectural styles

and farmland. And though trends of the

are well-kept; neighborhood sidewalks bus-

day indicated the burgeoning City of Grand

tle with joggers and dog-walkers. And while

Rapids would branch westward, a young

young professionals and empty-nesters are

attorney from Adrian who began finding his

among them, families drawn to East GR

fortune in real estate and loans predicted his

for its acclaimed school system particularly

best investment was eastward.

revel in its homespun charms,

So in 1888 — while Grand Rapids City

from festive parades and gas-

Hall was being completed — Frederick Wil-

light shops to ice-cream stops

cox purchased a tranquil tract of 30-plus

and strolls around the city’s

acres near Reeds Lake from dairy farmer

crown jewel: Reeds Lake.

John Apsey.

Once upon a time, of course, there was only the

And, together with his beautiful new bride, Caroline, Frederick built a home.

lake. But water doesn’t stay secret for long.

Setting Roots

By the 1870s, Reeds

Inspired by European architecture, the

Lake had become a popular

Wilcox manor at 1940 Lake Drive was

spot for picnics, boating and

crafted. Palladium windows, balustrade

swimming. City dwellers

balconies and a grand interior with maids’

from Grand Rapids flocked

rooms and a ballroom attested to the

to its serene and scenic

young Wilcox couple’s social prominence;

shores, traveling by foot,

they were also generous philanthropists,

stagecoach or horse and

well-liked for their dedication to youth

buggy. By 1879, a lakeside

education and green space preservation.

pavilion even emerged on the west shore, where beach-

But Frederick and Caroline’s greatest joy came from family.

Wilcox family members often gathered in their shared community house (at left) and its courtyard, while living in European-inspired homes (center). Below, Sanford Wilcox with daughters Barbara and Rosemary pose in the family’s formal gardens.

While electric lights and telephones began appearing in homes, the couple became the enamored parents of five children — Raymond, Louise, Sanford, Robert and Marian. As the children grew, so, too, did the family’s community: The Village of East Grand Rapids, incorporated in 1891, appointed Frederick president from 189293. Eventually, to be closer to his office downtown (now McKay Tower), Frederick commissioned a distinctive Dutch Revival home at 15 College, where the family moved. Their Lake Drive estate became a summer retreat. It was here, in 1912, that Frederick’s heart failed at age 55. Left to manage his business affairs and raise their family alone, Caroline gifted the Wilcoxes’ downtown home to the YWCA, and returned to reside with her children at their quiet Lake Drive manor. It was also here that a yearning to keep them close became the seed for something quite special.

Planting A Garden With much forethought, Caroline divided up the family’s East Grand Rapids property, reserving for each adult child a five-acre

an indoor pool, squash court, greenhouse, six carriage stalls and an apartment in which the family’s laundress lived. The Wilcox family hosted countless parties and gatherings in their courtyard throughout the Roaring ’20s and beyond.

Concrete stone pathways ran from the Wilcox homes to this shared recreation center and its courtyard. Here, countless parties and gatherings were hosted during the Roaring ’20s and beyond. Son Raymond, who became a landscape architect, parcel and funds to build a home of their

designed equally shared green space and

own. While architects were dispatched to

fragrant formal gardens through which Car-

Europe to seek out Dutch, Spanish and Ital-

oline’s grandchildren also soon ran.

OCATED WITHIN immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Visbeen Associates, Architects, in conjunction with Jeffery Roberts Homes, has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

ian designs, Caroline also

A beloved civic worker, philanthropist,

commissioned the building

mother and grandmother, Caroline Hill Wil-

of a community house to be

cox died in 1947 at age 81, in her home.

shared by everyone.

Eventually, over time, the other Wilcox fam-

Between 1924 and 1928,

ily members also passed away or moved on;

four new homes – one on

the last to leave in 1990 was Fred Perkins,

Lake Drive, and three on

son of Frederick and Caroline’s youngest

San Lu Rae, a new street

daughter, Marian.

named for three of the Wil-

But the roots of their legacy remain. And

cox siblings — were built

with forethought that paralleled Caroline’s

along with the family’s home

own, the unique land left behind has been,

“base.” This unique structure

again, nurtured into something special.

— reinvented in 2010 as

To learn more about distinctive proper-

the Grand Rapids Symphony

ties now available at Wilcox Gardens, visit

Showhouse — then housed

grmag.com/wilcox.

Look for Part Two of Wilcox Gardens in the July issue of Grand Rapids Magazine.

Wilcox Gardens preserving the past

Staying true to the landâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original intent, a team of new property owners and designers are fashioning a distinctive new community on East Grand Rapidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; last buildable home sites. By Lisa M. Jensen

Introducing Part Two of Wilcox Gardens, a Grand Rapids Magazine Design Home presentation.

Those who toured this year’s Grand Rapids Symphony Showhouse found their way to the intriguing residence by turning onto Laurel Circle Drive off of Lake Street in East Grand Rapids. This subtle street that wraps into a quiet cul-de-sac first passes an historic, European-inspired home on the right — the former Wilcox family manor, built in 1888.

N N

ext-door is 2010’s Showhouse — which goes by other names as well.

Comprised of reclaimed brick, the spacious community house enclosed a squash

It’s called “home” by the family

court, indoor pool and courtyard that could

of Nyal Deems, who owns it now. But it was

be entered beneath romantic arched entries

first known as the Wilcox family community

framed by decorative stone columns.

house, designed by nationally-renowned,

The community house was also sur-

Grand Rapids architect Kenneth C. Welch

rounded by formal gardens fashioned by

in the mid-1920s, at the request of Caroline

the Wilcoxes’ son, Raymond, who became a

Wilcox.

landscape architect.

Left to raise five children after the sudden

Years after the last Wilcox family mem-

death of her husband, 55-year-old Frederick,

bers died or moved away from the estate,

Caroline reserved land for each on which

a subsequent owner bought the community

they could build their own homes and remain

house, along with nearly eight landlocked

close. She also wanted a shared space she

acres surrounding it. Deep off of Lake Drive in

and her children’s families could gather for

its almost secret wooded setting, the stately

recreation and with friends on the Wilcox

compound gained a magical aura of sorts.

estate.

And its two adjoinging neighbors — fami-

lies who lived in homes built by two of the Wilcox children, on the other side of and across from the Wilcox Manor — named it The Castle.

Preserving A Legacy Before the recent creation of Laurel Circle Drive, the only way back to The Castle and Wilcox Manor was down a long gravel path through the woods off Lake Drive. Curious about what he’d find

line had intended be future home sites for

to maintain the feel of the Wilcox estate

at the end of the mysterious two-track

her other children.

in terms of space and gardens and dis-

in the midst of this well-groomed East

“They began brainstorming,” shared

tinctive homes architecturally unique in

GR neighborhood, builder/designer Jef-

Grand Rapids architect Jim Karczews-

their own right, but compatible with one

fery Roberts ventured onto it one Sunday

ki, whose wife, Katie, had become the

another,” Jim said.

afternoon.

property’s broker through Keller Williams

“I was so intrigued by the architecture

Realty.

While Excel Engineering constructed Laurel Circle Drive, which the City of East

of the community house I needed to learn

As one of the neighbors was a former

GR accepted as a gift and made a public

more about it,” Roberts said. “Really, I just

client of Jim’s, the architect was engaged

street, Jim divided vacant land remain-

fell in love with it.”

to fine-tune their plan: the creation of a

ing on the former Wilcox estate into six

Consequently, Roberts learned that

new street off Lake Drive derived from

new home sites — the last buildable lots

the community house, along with the

giving up some of their own land, and of

remaining in East Grand Rapids.

remaining Wilcox estate property, had

a new community inspired by the Wilcox

been purchased by the neighbors. The

family legacy.

that quality homes of a unique, yet com-

two families had partnered up to preserve the integrity of the distinctive land Caro-

“Wilcox Gardens is a site condominium project,” Jim explained, “which ensures

Creating Wilcox Gardens

patible design are built.”

“Beyond saving The Castle, the new

After touring the vacant community

owners — who formed TDG, LLC — wanted

house with Jim and learning about the new Wilcox Gardens concept, builder/

Laurel Ave.

1. Original Wilcox Manor, circa 1888 2. Community House — Currently the Symphony House, circa 1920 3. Lot Available 4 Lot Available

5. Lot Available

Lak

1.07 acres

6. Lot Available 7. Lot Sold

Existing Residence

0.41 acres

Cir cle

8. Lot Available

rel

designer Jeffery Roberts — based in Chi-

rive

Lau

1.22 acres

cago as well as Grand Rapids — was instantly drawn to the project. “Caroline Wilcox wanted for each of

Existing Residence

her children’s homes to represent their individual styles, but be united through use of quality materials and landscaping,”

Roberts said. “And to begin we have a

0.44 acres

great colonial next to a Tuscan-inspired villa, next to the Showhouse, a brick Revival-inspired structure.”

Homes in East Grand Rapids, he

1.69 acres

added, are renowned for having different

3 0.51 acres

architectural points of view.

0.45 acres

0.66 acres

“The property owners want to ensure this at Wilcox Gardens, too: They want to honor history and create a sense of belonging, of family and community.”

Inspired by the community house’s

that allows their owners to feel a personal

European architecture, Roberts immersed

connection,” said Roberts, who was also

himself in a photographic

ocated within immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Visbeen Associates, Architects, in conjunction with Jeffery Roberts Homes, has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

study of historic Chicago parks

Pleased with this approach, TDG, LLC

buildings built during the same

tapped Roberts to take plans for Wil-

era. To the estate’s new own-

cox Gardens to the next level. To do so,

ers, TDG, LLC, he expressed

Roberts teamed up with award-winning,

his vision of merging these

Grand Rapids-based Wayne Visbeen, des-

architectural details as well

ignated architect for Grand Rapids Maga-

as reclaimed architectural arti-

zine Design Home 2010. Together, this

facts — such as a bronze bal-

innovative design team is journeying to

cony from the Chicago Opera

the past to create the first distinctive new

House — into the new home

home in this exclusive new community —

designs.

and a new legacy.

“Incorporating

Jeffery Roberts Homes

Inc

formally trained in the arts.

salvaged

Architectural designs will be featured

finds like this is a significant

in the August issue of Grand Rapids Maga-

way to reuse pieces from

zine. To learn more about Wilcox Gardens,

the past and give these new

visit grmag.com/wilcox.com.

homes character — a story —

Look for Part Three of Wilcox Gardens in the August issue of Grand Rapids Magazine.

A collaborative understanding of what makes a home timeless is bringing new life to an East Grand Rapids legacy.

WilcoxGardens Inspiring new beginnings

By Lisa M. Jensen

Introducing Part Three of Wilcox Gardens, a Grand Rapids Magazine Design Home presentation.

Designing a new home on a blank slate

opens endless doors of possibility. But when that canvas is set in a frame to ensure quality and neighborhood cohesion, distinction is born from architectural inspiration and architectural ingenuity.

Taking cues from a gardener’s shed and other 1920s’ architectural structures in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, this home design concept is infused with timeless character.

t Wilcox Gardens — an exclusive site

erts accepted the role of overseeing home

condominium community that offers

design for new residences here.

five new home sites, the last remain-

“It was important to TDG that we have

ing in East Grand Rapids — builder/designer

an overall concept for this community,” he

Jeffery Roberts has both.

said. “In this part of East Grand Rapids,

Architectural inspiration first came from

every surrounding residence was designed

the former Wilcox family community house.

for its owners by an architect — it wasn’t

More prevalently recognized as 2010’s Sym-

just built. But while each expresses that

phony Showhouse, this unique brick resi-

individuality, their quality of craftsmanship

dence with its inner courtyard was built in

and natural materials ties them all together.”

1920. Having expressed his knowledge of

To begin creating concept designs for

and appreciation for its architecture to the

available home sites at Wilcox Gardens,

owners of Wilcox Gardens (TDG, LLC), Rob-

East Grand Rapids-based Roberts followed

a research trail to public parks surrounding his studio in downtown Chicago. “Many of these park district structures were built during the ’20s, the same era as the Wilcox community house,” he explained. “They capture the period character we are after.” In places like Lincoln Park, the Windy City’s largest at just over 1,200 acres, Roberts photographed and documented styles of architecture and materials used. “A gardener’s shed here — a combination of stone and brick, with curved, bracketed archways and a quaint, cottage exterior — literally was the springboard for our Lincoln

home site purchased to develop GRM’s next

Park home concept at Wilcox Gardens,” he

Design Home. “Wayne and his associates (including

noted.

David Lorenz and Paul Fikse) are able to turn

Architectural Ingenuity

my research, inspirations and concepts into

To turn his inspirations, historical exper-

a buildable set of plans,” Roberts said. “He’s

tise and attention to detail into several

exceptional at not only being able to see

design concepts for the new community,

three-dimensionally in his mind and trans-

Jeffery Roberts Homes worked in conjunc-

late that onto paper, but at remaining practi-

tion with veteran Grand Rapids Magazine

cal financially as to how those concepts can

(GRM) Design Home architect Wayne Vis-

be translated into reality.

been and award-winning Visbeen Associates, Inc. Though not an exclusive architect for Wilcox Gardens, Visbeen will also be collaborating with Roberts and buyers of the first

“And he doesn’t compromise on design quality to achieve that.” Drawing from French, English and Spanish period architecture that influenced earlier Wilcox family homes as well as 1920s’ Chicago

Featuring natural materials including stone, brick, slate and stucco, exteriors of homes to be built at Wilcox Gardens will blend into a cohesive community but express distinct individuality. Jeffery Roberts Homes and Visbeen Associates, Inc. collaborated to create several home design plans that serve as springboards for new properties at Wilcox Gardens.

parks-inspired

structures,

these starting point home plans are united by exteriors crafted from natural materials including stone, brick, slate and stucco and use of reclaimed architectural elements to add distinction. “Each of these homes also, in

ocated within immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

Jeffery Roberts Homes

some way, incorporates a

munity, as well as offer clean elegance.

large, usable front porch to

“Wilcox Gardens today will be devel-

promote community,” Roberts

oped the way Caroline Wilcox originally

said. “They might be screened

envisioned, which was for her children

or open air, but they all come

to express their individuality in homes

off key living areas in the

of their own on the family estate, but to

homes so that when you’re out

maintain togetherness,” Roberts said.

in them, you can interact with neighbors passing by.”

To learn more about home design concepts Jeffery Roberts Homes has devel-

And while landscaping will

oped in conjunction with Visbeen Asso-

be individually tailored to suit

ciates, Inc., and available properties at

each home’s character and

Wilcox Gardens, visit grmag.com/wilcox.

property, mailboxes and driveInc

way markers will be united to underscore that sense of com-

Look for Part Four of Wilcox Gardens in the September issue of Grand Rapids Magazine.

WilcoxGardens Crafting the next chapter

By Lisa M. Jensen

Introducing Part Four of Wilcox Gardens, a Grand Rapids Magazine Design Home presentation.

WilcoxGardens

Crafting the next chapter

One of five premiere urban properties available in East Grand Rapids, Lot 4 at Wilcox Gardens has been chosen as the canvas for “Grant Park,” Grand Rapids Magazine Design Home 2011. By Lisa M. Jensen

Caroline Wilcox divided up the family’s East Grand Rapids estate, reserving for each of her five adult children a parcel and funds to build a home of their own. Between 1924 and 1928, four new homes — one on Lake Drive, and three on San Lu Rae — were built along with a community house. The remaining properties await new owners.

or buyers seeking the authenticity of

rich architectural character,” observed Wayne

a century-old home that’s Green-built

Visbeen, AIA, IIDA, designated GRM Design

from the ground up, stocked with state-

Home architect. “But the older mechanical

of-the-art technologies, products and materi-

systems and other issues that come with it

als, and crafted by an innovative design team

make potential buyers nervous.

to suit a modern family’s active lifestyle, it’s also an unparalleled investment opportunity.

“This is the dilemma we’re solving at Wilcox Gardens. And because this home will be

“People love the idea of moving to East

the neighborhood’s first, everybody involved

Grand Rapids and into an old home with

in maintaining the integrity of Wilcox Gardens’ past — from designer/builder Jeffery Roberts and myself to the property sellers and real estate firm — is contributing toward its price.” Because “Grant Park” will simultaneously serve as Grand Rapids Magazine’s next Design Home, Visbeen added, its buyers will save significantly on products and materials as well, beyond typical financial advantages gained from purchasing a Parade or spec home.

The quality level of everything in this residence — from custom-built cabinetry, millwork, built-ins and art niches to use of repurposed and natural materials — will be a tribute to the traditional design-build process.

“There’s no question that the first people to build at Wilcox Gardens will be the ones who realize the greatest appreciation in their investment,” noted Katie Karczewski, a Realtor for Keller Williams overseeing sales for each of the five halfto ¾-acre lots. “This is a premiere setting within East Grand Rapids, a very walk-

richly-detailed kitchen with breakfast

working with the client to fulfill their own

able neighborhood with Reeds Lake, great

nook; stately dining room that opens to a

dream, as well.”

schools and great energy.

porch; master suite with sleep-

“Here, you aren’t just buying a house. You’re buying a lifestyle.”

ing porch or outdoor veranda; and garage attached toward the rear.

About “Grant Park”

“Our buyer will be someone

While state-of-the-art mechanical sys-

who has a true appreciation for

tems, technologies and other amenities

purity of architecture and atten-

including appliances will ensure Design

tion to detail, as well as cutting-

Home 2011’s efficiency, the inventive use

edge technology,” Roberts said.

of reclaimed materials and the home’s

“The quality level of everything

eclectic European, 1920s’ Chicago park-

in this residence — from cus-

inspired architecture will lend a sense of

tom-built cabinetry, millwork,

timelessness.

built-ins and art niches to use

“Jeffery had a very detailed vision of

of repurposed and natural mate-

what this home needed to fit the character

rials — will be a tribute to the

of East Grand Rapids and to set the tone

traditional design-build process.

for Wilcox Gardens,” Visbeen said.

We will be bringing a home

Historically accurate attributes include a welcoming front porch with timber beams that opens to a foyer with fire-

from this certain era beyond what has been done before. “But

beyond “we

that,”

have

place and very unusual stair hall; exterior

emphasized,

balconies; an oval-shaped living room;

exceptional team that will be

ocated within immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

Jeffery Roberts Homes

Inc

WilcoxGardens Beyond a builder

Having five Grand Rapids Magazine Design Homes to his credit, internationallyrenowned architect Wayne Visbeen and his award-winning work are familiar to many readers. Now, based in both Grand Rapids and Chicago, builder/designer Jeffery Roberts and Visbeen are combining their prolific skills sets for the first time. Their dynamic partnership, in collaboration with homeowners, promises an entirely new Design Home experience in 2011. BY LISA M. JENSEN

uthentic Old World character, cuttingedge amenities: Grant Park — the inviting residence proposed to become

GRM’s 2011 Design Home — will showcase how both can be crafted efficiently into a Green-built, high-end new construction. Now, designer/builder Jeffery Roberts and architect Wayne Visbeen are ready to add ideas and details that will make Grant Park truly distinctive. These they await from yet-tobe buyers of the prime lot reserved for Design Home in East GR’s historic Wilcox Gardens. “We both bring to this project an historical, architectural and international perspective,” Roberts said of Visbeen and himself. “But formal education in art and design expands my perspective beyond that of just builder.”

THIS EXHILARATING DESIGN HOME CAN BE YOURS. CONTACT KATIE KARCZEWSKI OR JEFFERY ROBERTS.

A Unique Approach Classically trained in the fine arts to

Jeffery really understood what this house was telling us it wanted to be,” Dennis said.

enhance architecture and interior design

While Roberts efficiently managed

degrees, Roberts operates his own firm —

everything from new electrical wiring, heat-

Jeffery Roberts Homes and Jeffery Roberts

ing and roofing to reclaiming attic space

Interior Design — in downtown Chicago and

and building a new kitchen in a different

East Grand Rapids, where he also resides.

part of the house, Kathy noted he thought

He revels in this historic, family-orient-

of small details like adding corner blocks

ed community that merges global aware-

to baseboards for an aged look

ness with small-town values. “This is why

and hunted for unique touches

Caroline Wilcox sent architects overseas to

like reclaimed brackets to add

research European designs for her children’s

interest.

homes,” he noted. “Family and architectural integrity are her legacy.”

“That helped us maintain our budget,” she said, “but beyond

Though Roberts’ international portfolio

that, I doubt other builders

includes modern projects in Malibu and New

would have had the time or

York as well, he’s renowned for reinventing

interest in all of this.”

products and materials from the past into

Pairing this artistic approach

artful, functional features and creating a

to building with Visbeen’s archi-

timeless sense of “home.”

tectural expertise brings the

Here, past clients including Dennis and Kathy Jones refrain, Roberts excels.

full circle, Roberts said. “Attention to every detail,” he assured,

Europe, the couple had searched almost two

“will be to the highest level of

years before uncovering “home” in East GR:

quality. And the result will be

A spacious, French Country farmhouse built

one-of-a-kind.”

“As a designer as well as builder, only

OCATED WITHIN immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

design process for Grant Park

Having lived for more than a decade in

in 1950 that had stood vacant for five years.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

Treasured Destination Nostalgic allure

A quaint city rooted to a rich and colorful history on the east side of downtown Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids is an active community where pride prevails, from home ownership and academia to myriad fields of sport. BY LISA M. JENSEN

atie Karczewski, a local real estate real-

“They were well-prepared for the continu-

tor and partner of Keller Williams Real-

ation of their academic careers,” Karczewski

ty, has owned and lived in East Grand

shared. “For this reason and so many others,

Rapids for more than 30 years. Here, she and

it’s such a pleasure for me to share my passion

her husband, Jim, raised three sons who rev-

about this community with those searching for

eled in the value of this city’s excellent school

their own sense of place and home. ‘Selling’

system and renowned athletic opportunities.

East Grand Rapids just comes naturally!”

THIS EXHILARATING DESIGN HOME IN EAST GRAND RAPIDS CAN BE YOURS. CONTACT KATIE KARCZEWSKI OR JEFFERY ROBERTS.

Beyond being an idyllic setting to raise

by mature hardwoods and trails, East

children, Karczewski added, East GR offers

Grand Rapids can possibly

a friendly, urban atmosphere of well-kept

be summed up best in two

homes, unparalleled city services and great

words: “Most livable,” Karcze-

energy.

wski believes.

On any given Friday night from late

East Grand Rapids is home

August through November, that energy can

to Wilcox Gardens, a site-con-

be found enlivening Memorial Field during

dominium development of new

football games, a social event rarely missed

single-family homes, the first

by area residents.

of which will be Grand Rap-

“Then you have the crown jewel of the

ids Magazine’s latest Design

city, Reeds Lake,” Karczewski said. “This

Home built. Katie’s husband,

is a treasured destination with nostalgic

Jim was instrumental in the

allure, still rich with memories from the

development of Wilcox Gar-

bygone days of Ramona Park, but abounds

dens, one of the last areas to

now year-round with community activities,

build new construction. Please

from sailing regattas in summer to cozy ice

inquire with Katie Karczewski

huts and fishing during winter months.”

at (616) 575-0119 or visit www.

Capped by an inviting Gaslight Vil-

grmag.com to learn more about

lage and amenities ranging from boutique

Design Home and the entire

shops and restaurants to a boat launch,

team.

library and plenty of green space fringed

OCATED WITHIN immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

Wilcox Gardens How the gardens grow

In planting rich traditions of family, community, nature and architecture, Caroline Wilcox founded a legacy during the 1920s — and inspired East GR’s most compelling real estate opportunity today. BY LISA M. JENSEN

pring emerges fragrant and green

Here, hidden off of Lake Drive, the last

in East Grand Rapids, enlivening the

five single-family home sites in East GR

senses and the unique sense of com-

are heirloom properties artfully crafted from

munity that’s nurtured here by residents. Newcomers enticed to call this vibrant, land-locked city “home” are invited to discover historic Wilcox Gardens.

a prominent family’s turn-of-the-century estate. Planned thoughtfully for privacy and to preserve the land’s natural character, these serene urban lots neighbor 2010’s Grand Rapids Symphony Showhouse and include plans for “Grant Park,” Grand Rapids Magazine’s intriguing next Design Home. “This is a premiere setting within East Grand Rapids,” said Katie Karczewski, a Realtor for Keller Williams overseeing sales for each of the half- to three-quarter-acre parcels. “There’s no question that the first people to build at Wilcox Gardens will be the ones who realize the greatest appreciation for their investment.”

THIS EXHILARATING DESIGN HOME IN EAST GRAND RAPIDS CAN BE YOURS. CONTACT KATIE KARCZEWSKI OR JEFFERY ROBERTS.

While Design Home will be Green-built and stocked with state-of-the-art technolo-

legacy remained. Today at Wilcox

gies, products and materials, it will also be

Gardens,

the first custom home here to uphold the

custom homes for this

century-old integrity of four existing homes

intimate new neigh-

built by the Wilcox family.

borhood are rooted to a

proposed

rich heritage of family,

Preserving A Heritage

community and nature.

The first manor, built in 1888 as a

Shared gardens and green space will be

country retreat for Frederick and Caroline

enhanced by natural exterior materials and

Wilcox, became Caroline’s year-round home

authentic vintage details.

with the couple’s five children in 1912 after 55-year-old Frederick’s heart failed.

“Beyond being good for the environment,” Roberts noted, “incorpo-

A yearning to keep her family close

rating reclaimed artifacts like a

prompted Caroline later to divide the wood-

bronze balcony railing from the

ed Wilcox estate into parcels for each grown

old Chicago Opera House cre-

child. She also commissioned a community

ates a sense of history in a new

house with indoor pool and courtyard for

home.”

entertaining their families and friends. Son

Wayne Visbeen, AIA, IIDA,

Raymond, who became a landscape archi-

designated architect for Design

tect, surrounded it with fragrant formal

Home 2011, agrees.

gardens and shared green space.

“People love the idea of mov-

Between 1924 and 1928, three new

ing to East Grand Rapids into an

homes expressing Wilcox siblings’ varying

old home with rich architectural

architectural preferences were built as well.

character,” he said, “but the older

“Though Caroline dispatched architects to

mechanical systems that come

Europe to ensure each home’s uniqueness,

with it make them nervous. This

she united them through use of quality

is the dilemma we’re solving at

materials and landscaping,” noted builder/

Wilcox Gardens.”

designer Jeffery Roberts. Over time, as the Roaring ’20s faded, so too did celebrations in the courtyard and laughter from the pool-house. But Caroline’s

To learn more about Wilcox Gardens, visit grmag.com/ wilcox.

OCATED WITHIN immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

REDESIGNING HOME 2011

Reclaiming the past PART ONE

Based in Europe, Steve and Karen Patterson* placed the extensive six-month renovation of a 1950s’ house on Reeds Lake into the indelible care of a skilled East Grand Rapids team — and came home to a French-inspired haven. This month through September, Grand Rapids Magazine shares highlights of this historic makeover. BY LISA M. JENSEN

epicting many architectural styles built at the turn of the century, no two homes are alike in East Grand

they admired in the French countryside. The Realtor came to recognize that what they wanted wasn’t on the market — yet.

Rapids. But veteran East GR Keller Williams

Hidden in rolling, wooded acreage along

Realtor Katie Karczewski (Katie K) says their

the shores of Reeds Lake, a European-styled

owners share a common trait.

farmhouse had stood vacant for seven

“Generally, residents here are highly

years, closed up by the grown children of

educated people who have a deep appre-

a GR engineer who had built it in 1950.

ciation for history,” she noted. “They tend to

view themselves as stewards of the homes

derblock home’s original wall coverings,

they buy.”

sinks, tiles, light fixtures, flooring and all

European residents for 12 years, Steve and Karen Patterson* searched patiently with Katie nearly two years, predominantly

other features had remained untouched for 60 years. That was about to change.

from overseas, to find what they were seeking in East GR: a home replicating those

Moving Forward Open to selling after Katie approached them, the brother and sister who grew up in the house expected it to be torn down. But beyond the home’s idyllic waterfront setting, the Pattersons loved its not-too-big, not-too-small size and simple lay-out. “Structurally, the bones and lines of this home provided an authentic framework and blank canvas for the French farmhouse Steve and Karen envisioned,” said builder/ designer Jeffery Roberts, who resides and works in East GR and Chicago. With a goal of moving in by September 1, 2009 — in time for their son to start school — the Pattersons knew a complete interior renovation including all-new electrical, HVAC and other technical systems was needed. Already, they had selected local architect Jim Karczewski, engaged by his passion for historical East GR properties

Wilcox Gardens A place whose time has come, again

“R

and extensive experience remodeling period homes. Referred by Jim, Roberts — who had studied in Europe and specialized in period work — also earned the Pattersons’ confidence. “As a designer as well as builder, only Jeffery really understood what this house was telling us it could be,” Steve noted, adding he interviewed several contractors. “Because we were still living in

and Jeffery fit that bill, too.”

Europe, we also needed to rely on someone

Opportunity suited Roberts’ philosophy

who could handle for us all the details,

of recycling, reusing and reclaiming exist-

responsibilities and issues in budget as

ing space and architectural elements to a T.

they arose during the remodeling process,

“Although this home wasn’t built new from the ground up, it is a total home renovation,” he said. “It also illustrates perfectly how the past can be infused into

Located within immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

modern living environments.” Read more of the Pattersons’ journey to home in the May issue of Grand Rapids Magazine. *Homeowners’ names have been changed to protect their privacy

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

REDESIGNING HOME 2011

The exterior PART TWO

From the outside in, Steve and Karen Patterson* wanted their new home on Reeds Lake to feel like those French farmhouses they and their son often passed in the European countryside. The basic structure of the 1950s’ cinderblock house they had bought in East Grand Rapids lent itself to exterior updates that could make the transformation possible — and so did the home’s hilly, wooded lakeside surroundings. BY LISA M. JENSEN

“O

ur charge was to be as green,

and-batten shutters for every

authentic and timeless as pos-

window. These were sand-

sible,” said builder/designer

blasted for an aged look.

Jeffery Roberts, who oversaw the exten-

“Today most shutters are

sive renovation project. “We painstakingly

purely decorative and don’t

removed, restored and reinstalled all of

match the windows’ width,”

the home’s own copper eaves troughs

said Terry Pfeiffer, a sales

and downspouts — they had an incredible

consultant for Standale. “But

patina, and were a great original element

these were done to scale, and

we felt was important to keep.”

shutter dogs (hardware used

But Roberts replaced the old shingles

to hold them open) were even

with a new cultured slate/cement roofing

added for authenticity’s sake.”

product that added a 6.0 R-Value. Several

Chocolate-brown, French

other new features key to capturing the rich

casement-style windows from

character desired were achieved through

Jeld-Wen trimmed in a char-

Standale Lumber in Grand Rapids.

coal hue add another splash

Equipped with a full-service mill shop,

of Old World flair against the

Standale’s craftsmen worked from Roberts’

home’s exterior, which was

drawings to make French-inspired, board-

revived with creamy, puttycolored paint. “These windows are quite European and old-fashioned — you have to unlatch them, push them open and tighten

carriage-style doors from Clopay’s Coach-

a knob,” Pfeiffer noted. “Each was custom-

man Collection were installed by the Over-

built to spec to fit the home’s cinderblock

head Door Company and Calumet Building

openings.”

Group, Ltd. in Grand Rapids. “These doors

Outdoor Spaces Standale Lumber also provided durable, maintenance-free PVC (plastic) trim, decorative detailing and beadboard ceiling from AZEK for the Pattersons’ screened porch. A beadboard ceiling crowns the three-stall garage’s interior, as well, which Roberts outfitted with an entire new floor, drainage system, and woodwork-trimmed walls. Outside, insulated steel and composite

Wilcox Gardens A place whose time has come, again

“R

views over the updated bluestone patio’s lowered original stone wall lead through a pergola to a French garden with raised stone planting beds, potting shed and a fountain the couple reclaimed. Neatly layered in varying heights, manicured boxwood, lavender and yellow roses define the have an R-Value of 9.0, which helps keep

formal entertaining patio, which features a

this heated garage warm,” noted Over-

two-ton table cut from Blue River stone. Red

head’s Keith Keen.

buds, dogwoods, perennials, low shrubs

Decorative wrought iron accents and the appearance of swing-out design add to

and other native plantings also augment the home’s relaxed, pastoral character.

the doors’ nostalgic appeal, while nearby,

“Working with Jeffery, Steve and Karen

Roberts’ team crafted from reclaimed barn

was just an incredible team opportunity,”

wood a recycling/trash shed. “It looks like

Brian said. “Collaboration is what made this

an antique chicken coop,” Roberts said.

project so special, and successful.”

Throughout the property, Brent and

This series about the Patterson home

Brian Diemer from Everett’s Landscape in

renovation project continues through Sep-

Grand Rapids worked with Roberts and the

tember. Read about reclaimed treasures and

Pattersons to create their French country-

other interior design elements in the June

inspired terrain.

issue of Grand Rapids Magazine.

While a naturally-laid outcropping of Blue River ledgerock cascades from the home’s steep perch down to the shore,

*Homeowners’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

EDESIGNING HOME” is being presented as a special prelude to Design Home 2012, the ﬁrst custom residence to be built at Wilcox Gardens in East Grand Rapids. In sharing Steve and Karen Patterson’s renovation journey — which culminates in a photographic tour of their French farmhouse on Reeds Lake in the October issue — Grand Rapids Magazine introduces readers to the expert team that is also crafting distinctive, European country-style homes in Wilcox Gardens, as well as the ingenuity and attention to historic detail that will set Design Home 2012 apart. Located within immediate proximity to schools, shopping and recreation, Wilcox Gardens will offer the rare opportunity to build within the land-locked community of East Grand Rapids. This site-condominium development will be a combination of existing and new single-family homes. Jeffery Roberts Homes, in conjunction with Visbeen Associates, Inc., has developed several design concepts for these exceptional historic home sites. Don’t miss this opportunity to build in one of America’s most livable communities. To inquire about available lots in Wilcox Gardens please contact Katie Karczewski at (616) 575-0119.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

REDESIGNING HOME 2011

Interior elements PART THREE

Between fixtures and products both new and reclaimed, gathered European treasures and innovative techniques, Steve and Karen Patterson’s* extensive Reeds Lake renovation feels like the timeless French country farmhouse it was intended to be. BY LISA M. JENSEN

fter spending 12 years in Europe

custom-made, Woodland Harvest Shutters

along with their now school-age

by Lafayette Venetian Blinds.

son, Steve and Karen Patterson

“Shutters on windows are extremely

accumulated more than their share of cul-

French,” Roberts noted. “The Shade Shop

ture. During the duration of their residency,

was really great about pre-installing them

the couple had collected a prized diversity

in all the bathrooms and private areas of

of French and Belgian antique furniture, art

the home so we could be sure they fit, then

and décor — and a strong desire for their

taking them off so our painters could finish

“new” home back in Michigan to suit these

them to match the woodwork in these vary-

keepsakes’ Old World flair.

ing spaces.”

“We’d also been busy acquiring antique

Roberts worked, too, with Trish Keyzer

architectural elements like the French lime-

from Infusions By Etna on 36th Street in

stone fireplaces and much of the lighting,”

Grand Rapids to select fixtures and faucets

Steve shared. “But if it was a challenge to

that would further enhance the Patterson

create the impression of a French farmhouse

home’s rich, French vintage charm. Products

on the exterior, it was even more so to give

from both Jado and Jaclo lines were ulti-

a 1950s’ American interior that European

mately chosen.

feeling.” East

tile floor and designing heavy, Grand

Rapids-based

builder/

knotty alder wood French

designer and “reclaim” specialist Jeffery

doors which Zeeland Archi-

Roberts couldn’t have been more enticed by

tectural

such a mission if it had been gift-wrapped

hold French iron grills the Pattersons

— which is exactly why the Pattersons

brought back.

chose him to oversee the authentic refurbishing of their Reeds Lake dream home. “In our ‘wish file,’ we had some photos of an old Belgian house that combined old-

custom-built

“We finished these front doors off with

“Jeffery provided a clear idea of what

the home’s original hardware,” Roberts

the homeowners wanted to accomplish as

noted, “as one of many ways to honor the

far as style,” Keyzer said. “He was also able

home’s integrity.”

to reuse existing elements and blend them

wood, wide-plank flooring with slate floors,” Steve said.

with new products to create exactly the look

Sharing The Vision

they wanted.”

Roberts found reclaimed oak timbers,

While the Pattersons communicated

“We found a kitchen faucet from an Ital-

had them sawed into wide-plank floor-

product dimensions and installation ideas

ian maker in Belgium, and Jeffery fit it in,”

ing and added for interest in some por-

primarily from overseas, Roberts paired

Steve illustrated.

tions Montauk slate insets. Other of the

European artifacts he uncrated with new

While brand-new exterior light fixtures

builder/designer’s visionary interior addi-

products that lent always-been-there

chosen from Kichler, Minka, Troy and Hud-

tions included a tin ceiling in the mudroom,

appeal. From The Shade Shop on Leon-

son Valley purchased through Grand Rapids

repurposing several original sinks, a triple

ard Street in Grand Rapids, Barry McKey

Lighting punctuate the home’s Old World

application of dark wax to “age” a new hex-

assisted in the selection and installation of

character outdoors, specialists at Bridge

Wilcox Gardens A place whose time has come, again

“R

Street Electric in Grand Rapids meticulously

heirlooms to their original patinas, replace

refurbished and restored antique light fix-

missing parts with authentic pieces, and

tures the Pattersons and Roberts had collected. “All chandeliers, sconces and lamps imported from Europe needed to be

ultimately, use and enjoy. “My role as an interior designer was to interpret the information and pictures Steve and Karen gave me, and then

rewired (or in some cases,

push the vision beyond what

completely electrified),” Steve

they saw in their mind’s eye,”

shared. “We also needed to

Roberts said. “The vendors we

obtain new shades that would

worked with were all right in

complement some fixtures.”

sync. It’s this team effort that

Since 1929, Bridge Street Electric’s restorative arm has only grown stronger,

resulted in a home that’s so personal and unique, on so many different levels.”

noted owner Deb Dagley, as more customers like the Pattersons are wishing to return recycled lights and family

*Homeowners’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES

INC

REDESIGNING HOME 2011

PART FOUR

Finishing touches While restructuring the Pattersons’ 1950s’ cinderblock home along Reeds Lake into the French farmhouse they envisioned was grand in scope, finding and factoring in the final interior details — some no bigger than a cabinet pull — elevated the finished project to a new level altogether. BY LISA M. JENSEN

uring the 12 years Steve and Karen

thought could find a place in the project.

himself, Roberts repurposed these vanity

Patterson resided in Europe, they

These included lots of old porcelain knobs

shelves, tissue holders and hooks in the

became inveterate visitors of the

and bathroom pieces.”

couple’s master bathroom.

Puces — flea markets.

The couple enjoyed sharing their trea-

“We blended such reclaimed antiques in

“These have a wonderful array of quite

sures with East GR builder/designer Jeffery

the home with new hardware from a nos-

nice old ‘junk’ and antiques,” Steve said.

Roberts, whom they hired to oversee their

talgic series at Modern Hardware in Grand

“When we knew we were going to reno-

intensive Reeds Lake home renovation.

Rapids,” he noted. “In the kitchen, a variety

vate the house here in East Grand Rapids,

Distinctively gifted when it comes to

of latches, knobs, long rod bars and exposed

we started collecting bits and pieces we

placing as well as uncovering such finds

hinges create a look that feels ‘collected’

REDESIGNING HOME 2011 essential to achieving the “authentic” aged appeal of furnishings made-to-order by Roberts’ team, and the home’s desired overall ambience. LTD Group owners Larry and Tim Doezema painstakingly applied timeless European hues including “muddy” taupes, greens, grays, creams and some blues in layers, then strategically hand-rubbed and distressed these. “Some rubs may go through to the third color, some down to the bare wood, so you see a natural progression of where human use over years would be. Larry has an eye for this,” Tim noted. “That’s one of over years, though all pieces were chosen

the reasons we love working for Jeffery —

in the same Old World finish.”

he attracts very unique clients, and allows

Prevalent throughout Europe, the natural beauty of quarried stone inspired Karen

you to use skills you’ve been working on for years.”

and Steve’s choice for their kitchen island

The Doezema brothers also custom-

and bar surfaces. Although the Belgian

finished knotty alder doors and moldings

Bluestone they loved overseas couldn’t be

that Roberts selected from Philip Elenbaas

replicated back in the U.S., they discovered

Millwork, Inc. in Grand Rapids. “Elenbaas

the honed, “worn” charms of soapstone at

has a great library of molding profiles,” Rob-

Top of the World Granite in Grand Rapids.

erts said. “While they may not be custom,

The company persistently searched until

combining them in various ways creates a

the perfect cuts were found in Illinois, then

look that is.”

custom-cut honed marble for the handcrafted master bath vanity. “It looks,” Roberts said of the results, “like a vintage piece of furniture.”

French Connections

Although much collaboration and skill throughout the Pattersons’ completed home infuses every space in some way with eyecatching character channeled from another era, modern-day amenities including stateof-the-art appliances from Gerrit’s in Wyo-

Combining the right paint hues, stains,

ming co-exist seamlessly. “To create an Old

waxes, oils and specialty finishes was

World kitchen,” Roberts illustrated, “we’ve concealed them behind wood.” What visitors notice instead are elements like the hand-painted backsplash. Found and selected by Roberts to echo tiles the couple saw in Brussels, each was installed in turn according to the designer’s

Redesigning Home is being presented as a special prelude to Design Home 2012, a Jeffery Roberts/Wayne Visbeen collaboration. Supportive artisans, craftsman, vendors and suppliers that make Redesigning Home possible are: Jeffery Roberts www.jefferyroberts.com, (616) 454-9490 Katie Karczewski www.katie-k.com, (616) 575-0119 Standale Lumber www.standalelumber.com, (616) 453-8207 Gerrit’s Appliance www.gerritsappliances.com (616) 532-3626 EPS Security www.epssecurity.com, (616) 459-0281 Infusion by Etna infusionshowrooms.com, (616) 245-0808 The Shade Shop www.theshadeshop.hdwfg.com (616) 459-4693 Top of the World Granite www.topoftheworldgranite.com (616) 791-7444 Everett’s Landscape www.everettslandscape.com (616) 698-8064 Overhead Door Company of Grand Rapids www.overheaddoorgr.com, (616) 261-0300 Grand Rapids Lighting Center www.grandrapidslighting.com (616) 949-4931 Elenbaas Millwork www.elenbaasmillwork.com (616) 791-1616 LTD Group (Painting & Specialty Finishes) (616) 299-6563 Bridge Street Electric www.bridgestreetlighting.com (616) 458-4209 Modern Hardware www.modernhardware.com (616) 241-2655 Please look for continuing stories on Redesigning Home in Grand Rapids Magazine. The home will be open for a showcase tour in mid-September with ticket proceeds to beneﬁt the Grand Rapids Chapter of the American Red Cross. More details are soon to come.

plan. “We couldn’t be happier with the finished result,” Steve said. JEFFERY ROBERTS HOMES *Homeowners’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

INC