House 11 - 799 Lake Avenue

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Homeowner: Tracy and Jerry Finley

Tracy, Jerry, Chloe, and Julian moved into their home in October 2000 from their previous residence on Washita Avenue. 799 Lake Avenue was built in 1910; by 1984 it had become a boarding house. The previous owner purchased the five-bedroom house at a foreclosure sale and maintained it as rental property.

The original structure was a bungalow of roughly 1,200 square feet. Over the years, three separate additions had brought the house to its current size of 1,995 square feet. Current renovation work has included the replacement of most of the substructure, all doors and windows, all bathrooms, and the kitchen. Interior walls were moved or eliminated to create a more functional flow through the house. On the exterior, the front gable was extended to cover the porch, and future plans call for further renovation to recapture the original character of the house's street facade. With the exception of the gable extension, a new roof, and the tile work, the homeowners completed the renovation in their spare time. Tracy and Jerry worked on the house for a year before moving in.

Father John Roddy, rector of St. Hilda's, has been with the Anglican Catholic Church since early on, but this is his first pastorate. Since the congregation is small, he is able to continue his secular work with the Georgia Department of Education.

Time has not been kind to the church building, and current plans call for some serious reconstruction of the roof support system and exterior walls. Though it is no longer visible, there is a full-immersion baptismal pool located beneath the altar, a remnant of the building's service to the Primitive Baptists.

All of the woodwork, including the window and door casing, the heart pine flooring and baseboards, and the picture molding, has been handcrafted to replicate the original architectural details. The mantels have been painfully stripped of eight layers of paint and varnish and refinished. Some of the modern features of the house are the custom built master bath including a whirlpool tub, dual head shower, period reproduction fixtures, and innovative tile work.

Tracy and Jerry's goal throughout the renovation was to add modern functionality to their home while maintaining the illusion that every bit of the home's charm and character is original.

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