Sometime in the 1880’s John Walz, a successful Ann Arbor builder, constructed a new home for his family. In 1975, Carol Hollenshead and Bruce Wilson purchased the home from his granddaughter, Florence Hiscock. Now, after more than 120 years, you have the opportunity to become the third owner of this Victorian jewel and enjoy a unique combination of size, style, condition, and convenience. The architectural character and details of the house have been carefully preserved. The light oak woodwork of the parlor and living room have never been painted. The original stained glass windows are intact. The lincrusta walton still adorns the entry way and main staircase. Still the house has been improved over the years. After all, when built it lacked central heat, electricity, and indoor plumbing. The second generation added expansive fieldstone porches. A cook’s kitchen featuring handcrafted cherry cabinets and granite countertops. The remodeled bathroom combines modern convenience with traditional styling. The formal part of the house is made up of a living room, parlor, and entry way. These all have original light oak woodwork that has never been painted. The ceilings in the front two thirds of the house are a luxurious 9 ½ feet. There are pocket doors that allow the living room to be closed off from the parlor. The entry way goes around the parlor to connect directly to the living room. This design conforms to the Victorian desire to keep the parlor sealed off, except for special guests. The entry way has original lincrusta walton wall covering as well as new oak picture rail. The downstairs has hardwood flooring throughout, including the kitchen and bathroom. The bedroom/study off the living room was originally the master bedroom for the house. As the house was originally heated with a combination of the fireplace and stoves, being in a room close to the chimney was important. The antique glass fronted oak bookcase in this room is included with the house. There is a half bath off of this room. The dining room features deep built-in cupboards and striking woodwork - stained yellow pine that has never been painted, except for the door into the kitchen. That door along with all the woodwork in the kitchen has been stripped of paint and refinished. The windows have custom made wooden storms and screens for warmth, air, and beauty. The kitchen was completely rebuilt in 2007 by Old West Side craftsman Rob Heroux. The cupboards are hand made specifically to make maximum use of the space available. The counter tops are beautiful granite. The design provides a single cook with a highly efficient galley kitchen, while at the same time welcoming additional cooks to work around the peninsula. Much of the storage is in high-tech drawers. Slam them shut, they slow down and finish on their own. They make full use of the height and width of each drawer. The cupboards run all the way to the ceiling, providing extra space for those low-use items that would otherwise have to be shipped to the basement. An air conditioner is top mounted in the window to control the heat of the kitchen during the summer, while still allowing the window to be opened for fresh air. There is a pantry off the kitchen providing very visible space for food storage. Narrow shelves make it much easier to find what you’re looking for. The shelves are also set up to hold the Ann Arbor recycling bins. The main stairway and upstairs hallway have newly installed carpet (September 2009) to go with the oak banister. The remainder of the upstairs has natural wide-plank flooring oThe small bedroom/study at the top of the stairs has custom made shelving that stays with the house. f a style typical of older construction. The master bedroom features a bay window for pleasant breezes and natural light. One of the dormered rooms has been converted into a walk-in closet that has also served as a dressing room and would also make a good craft room. This extra closet space compensates for the admittedly stingy closets of the Victorian era. With south windows, the second bedroom also gets plenty of light. A stairway in the closet of this bedroom leads to a large floored stand-up attic which provides ample storage. The attic includes a closet made out of cedar particle board that has managed to completely keep the moths out of wool clothing. Immediately off the closet room is a stacked washer and dryer. No trips to the basement or even the first floor are necessary for laundry. This is The other dormered bedroom at the back of the house has skylights to brighten the room which open for extra air. Set off a little from the rest of the upstairs the room offers a little extra privacy. The back stairway leads from this room down to the dining room . Very cool for teenagers! The bathroom has been remodeled to combine modern convenience with traditional styling. Special yellow pine was purchased from Colorado to match the original bathroom woodwork, which was stripped and restored to its original finish. There is both an ample shower and a separate long and deep spa tub with jets that aim right at your aching back.The yard has been professionally designed and maintained. A picket fence provides a sense of privacy and ownership without cutting connection to the neighborhood. In the summer the trees provide expansive shade that makes air conditioning unnecessary, even pointless, except for a week or two each summer. Window air conditioners are included for the bedrooms for those few nights that are just too hot to sleep. The brick patio in the back is covered by a grape arbor with 30 year-old concord grapes. A simple but functional detached garage can be used for a single car or for more storage. The porches on the front and side provide space to spread out and enjoy the neighborhood. A rare opportunity to own a notable Old West Side home admired for its historic, aesthetic and architectural value!
- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
