It finally happened!!! On Thursday, November 1st at 2:00 pm eastern time we finally closed on the purchase of the American Red Cross office building, our future home in Ithaca, NY. It was a six (6) month process entailing negotiations, securing bids from contractors, drawing architectural plans and working with the bank, lawyers and realtors. Old documents date the building back to 1842 and call it "an opulent Greek Revival style with flush board siding on the front and with a few additions". The home has an incredible spirit and it is located right downtown Ithaca.
In 1916 the building was passed on by Jane L. Hardy to the American Red Cross and ever since until Nov. 1st it operated as such. As the building fell into disrepair the local chapter chose to relocate to newer facilities and sell. Coincidentally for us we had been looking for a new home for the past six months, we needed a place with great potential to party and grow old, and with some architectural character and integrity. This is important to us because we are both Urban Designers and Landscape Architects. One day, as we drove passed the Red Cross building feeling defeated after having lost another "over asking price" bid in the Fall Creek neighborhood I told Zac that if the Red Cross ever came on the market it was ours. The day after a for sale sign appeared on the tree lawn and by the end of the week we had submitted a formal offer on the house. Thanks to the immense support of our families, the help of our realtor Jill Burlington from Warren Realty, our lawyer Joe Allen and our banker Tammy Barker with Elmira Savings Bank this dream became a reality.
Below some images of what we fell in love with:
In 1916 the building was passed on by Jane L. Hardy to the American Red Cross and ever since until Nov. 1st it operated as such. As the building fell into disrepair the local chapter chose to relocate to newer facilities and sell. Coincidentally for us we had been looking for a new home for the past six months, we needed a place with great potential to party and grow old, and with some architectural character and integrity. This is important to us because we are both Urban Designers and Landscape Architects. One day, as we drove passed the Red Cross building feeling defeated after having lost another "over asking price" bid in the Fall Creek neighborhood I told Zac that if the Red Cross ever came on the market it was ours. The day after a for sale sign appeared on the tree lawn and by the end of the week we had submitted a formal offer on the house. Thanks to the immense support of our families, the help of our realtor Jill Burlington from Warren Realty, our lawyer Joe Allen and our banker Tammy Barker with Elmira Savings Bank this dream became a reality.
Below some images of what we fell in love with:
A little history:
The Red Cross building also known as the Hardy House is said to date back to possibly 1832. Its "unusually opulent interior" is said by Richard Piper to date back to 1835. The earliest deed of reference indicates that a building has been in this location since 1844. The home belonged to Charles E. Hardy and Louisa Walker who moved to Ithaca in 1830. They had three daughters: Mrs. J.B. {Mary} Williams, Jane and Louise. It was Jane and Mary who sew the civil war flag that was donated together with the home to the American Red Cross back in 1916. Jane Hardy was an integral member of the Freedman society helping freed slaves re-establish in this region
The Red Cross building also known as the Hardy House is said to date back to possibly 1832. Its "unusually opulent interior" is said by Richard Piper to date back to 1835. The earliest deed of reference indicates that a building has been in this location since 1844. The home belonged to Charles E. Hardy and Louisa Walker who moved to Ithaca in 1830. They had three daughters: Mrs. J.B. {Mary} Williams, Jane and Louise. It was Jane and Mary who sew the civil war flag that was donated together with the home to the American Red Cross back in 1916. Jane Hardy was an integral member of the Freedman society helping freed slaves re-establish in this region
The transformation process:
The before requires a lot of imagination. The home is sound and the details hidden behind the moving boxes and the years of neglect are exquisite. The following images take you around the home, including the basement where many AA meetings took place over the course of the years. It was a place for healing then and so it should remain.
The first demolition acts took place in the basement which is to become a garden level apartment that will help supplement the mortgage payment. In the upstairs wall paper was removed everywhere, the wall in the great room (not original) was demolished and so was the ceiling in what is to become a bedroom.
The before requires a lot of imagination. The home is sound and the details hidden behind the moving boxes and the years of neglect are exquisite. The following images take you around the home, including the basement where many AA meetings took place over the course of the years. It was a place for healing then and so it should remain.
The first demolition acts took place in the basement which is to become a garden level apartment that will help supplement the mortgage payment. In the upstairs wall paper was removed everywhere, the wall in the great room (not original) was demolished and so was the ceiling in what is to become a bedroom.