Unextreme makeover of ‘this old house’ of Bob Vila approved by board

Other approval is house by famed architect of Mar-a-Lago

Two important Gilchrist house renovations, including a house formerly owned by Bob Vila and another house designed by the architect of Mar-a-Lago, were unanimously approved by the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board Wednesday. 

A full board attended the meeting, including Becky Paterson, Barbara Wickwire, Peggy Stanley, Paul Eddy, Jerry Edgerton, Dennis Maloomian and Chairman Bill Caldwell III.

The first house on the agenda was 341 Gilchrist Ave. The house was built by Marion Alger, a Detroit philanthropist and outdoorswoman, and is best known as the home of the late Arthur and Nina Houghton. At the meeting, Planner Peter Blackwell discussed some of the changes in the design, including the preservation of the chimneys, and new windows, doors and access. One large addition was a handicapped ramp.

“If necessary, in the future it could be removed without damaging the house,” Blackwell said. The design by 1690 Design Group, would preserve original hipped roofs, preserve the original house envelope and add new cedar board and batten siding, as well as a repair the cedar shake roof.

“All of the windows are being replaced like for like,” Blackwell said. “Sometimes a change helps maintain preservation.”

One of the speakers in favor of the project was James Johnson, grandson of the house’s architect, Marion Sims Wyeth. Wyeth is one of the most noted society architects of the 20th century. His best-known house is Mar-a-Lago, which he began work for in Palm Beach, and designed hundreds of houses in his career. Beyond Mar-a-Lago, his notable works include the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, the Florida Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee and Shangri La, Doris Duke’s house in Honolulu, Hawaii. The buildings designed by by his firm, Wyeth and King.

Johnson, who had a local construction and crane business, had a long association with the house and the subsequent families that lived there. He brought a numbered piece of cypress from one of the shutters on the house to the meeting, to show the quality of the construction. His wife, Eva, worked for the Houghtons for 18 years. Each shutter had been numbered.

Johnson recalled asking Bayard Sharp about the history of the house, and the era of Marion Jarvis Alger. Sharp said he did not know Russell Alger; he was in his 20s at the time and did not pay close attention. 

“Mrs. Alger was a friend of his father,” Johnson said. “They would go fishing in the Pass.” He recalled hearing that instead of disembarking on the bayou side, the boat would drop her off in the Gulf. “Mrs. Alger would dive over the side of the boat and swim to the house,” Johnson said.

“I am absolutely delighted to think that restoration was going to be made of the building,” Johnson said. “Frame buildings that get inundated are hard to fix. I am thrilled that the building is going to be repaired. And may the Algers rest in peace.”

The second item on the agenda was a house at 351 Gilchrist Ave., called the Wheaton Residence. It is more recently known as the home of Bob Vila, the host of the television program This Old House. It was built in 1925; the TV host purchased it in 1991 from the Lerchen family.

The house is a Spanish-style house. In addition to updating windows and damage from hurricanes, the project would remove a carport and replace it with a garage, alter the main courtyard entrance and add an exercise room. Other modern additions would be removed to take it back in time.

“The elevator tower was added more recently,” Blackwell said. “It’s not an original structure for the building. They will turn an elevator tower into an outdoor staircase.” 

Speaking on behalf of the project was David Peterson, of M.A. Peterson.

“The whole intent was to keep the historic building intact,” Peterson said. “We tried to bring that back to its original look of the home and add to it and preserve all the historic nature of the house. In the discussion of the house, the board remarked on its ownership by Vila. It had been Becky Paterson that actually sold the house to him.

The renovation received unanimous approval.

“It is de-modernizing this house,” said Eddy, in support. “It is bringing it back to what is historically significant.”