2130 Simpson Owners: Tom and Dr. Valerie Peckosh
This cape cod house that grew was built in 1951 by Thomas and Elizabeth Schmid in a spectacular setting, surrounded by sheltering trees. Dr. Roger Murry purchased the home from the Schmids in 1981 and built an addition on each side of the original structure and when he put the house up for sale he remodeled the kitchen. The additions doubled the size of the house to nearly 8,000 square feet.
As you enter the main level foyer there is a living room, sun room to the right. You also find one of the houses classic Mid Century tiled baths, dining room, study with fireplace that has been restored and the kitchen. Also on this level is a workout facility overlooking a racquetball court with attached garages.
Purchased in 2005 by the Peckosh family. The lower level showcases some more of the improvements that the family has made. A Theater room, stained concrete floors & lighted glass block bar make a cozy retreat.
Upstairs are five bedrooms and two baths. Rooms in the children's wing were decorated by local muralist Adam Eikamp. The "Mid-Century Modern" family home has zoned heating, three fireplaces & wood burning stove.
690 Sunset Ridge Owners: Tony and Anna Their
Built in 1938, this two story Colonial was purchased by the Thiers in 2008. To the left in a half bath, laundry with chute, and a butler’s pantry leading into a new kitchen, which stretches across the back of the house. Looking out the kitchen, dining, and living room windows you see a panoramic view of the woods and terraces behind the home. There was an ice rink down below for winter fun, and part of the lower terrace was electrified. To the right of the entryway is the living room with a Carrara marble fireplace. In the first floor entry and the upper hall are two chandeliers original to the home. Both were crafted in Spain with the crystals adorning them from Germany. Upstairs are three bedrooms and two baths, which retain all original floor, wall tile, and built-ins. All doors, with their interesting glass doorknobs, are original to the home as well as the wedding cake chandelier in the master suite.
140 Fremont
This gracious brick home was built in 1926 by the Olga Loetscher Family in the Spanish-influenced Mission style. The Loetscher family sold the home to the Archdiocese of Dubuque in May 1939, who used it as Archbishop Francis Beckman¹s residence. During Archbishop Beckman¹s tenure, the essentially square home was enlarged to the south, almost doubling the square footage to include a private chapel, additional bedrooms and a two-car garage. On the exterior, a formal rose garden was part of the 4-acre backyard and a working fountain graced the area near the pines.
The archdiocese sold the home in 1945 to H.W. (Harry) and Flora Wahlert. Due to Mrs. Wahlert¹s poor health, an elevator was added to the foyer of the home. Mr. Wahlert¹s will donated the home back to the Archdiocese, who utilized the home as a priests¹ residence until 1981. The Archdiocese then again sold the building, this time to the Dr. Gerry Meester Family. Dr. Meester and family transformed the home back into a child-friendly family home. A small office adjacent to the kitchen was opened up and converted into a small dining room. Another small adjacent room was incorporated to enlarge the kitchen. The Meesters also transformed a small enclosed porch off of the Master Bathroom into a whirlpool bath area. The outdoor space below it on the first floor became an enclosed screen porch. Further porches were added and a door was created from the Living Room to the outside.
Outside, much landscaping was done to create a more park-like atmosphere: a great variety of unusual trees, shrubs and roses were planted. The Wahlert¹s had a gazebo dismantled and moved from an estate in the south, and rebuilt in the back garden. The house was sold in 2002, to Peter and Ginger Sakas. The house was resold in 2007 to the current owners, who have done some updating in the short time they have owned the home.
368 S Grandview Ave Owners: Marvin and Jean Heiderscheit
This all brick home was built in 1856, when Grandview was considered to be the western edge of Dubuque. It is said to the the oldest home on South Grandview, and sits at a slight slant to the road, which was not completed at the time. The Heiderscheits purchased it from the VanderBerg family in 1994 and have spent 15 years refurbishing it.
This house was almost completely gutted to address the problems of cracked plaster, layers of wallpaper, and many years of wear. most of the moldings were reused or duplicated by Twin Oaks Lumber of Hazel Green. A slate roof and copper soffits and gutters were added. The home was repainted a dark gray in 2008. Notice the lines of the brick, the last reminder of the farmhouse porch was removed in the early sixties.
Inside the entry, the area of the hall closet was once a walk-through to the back part of the house. Upstairs are five comfortable bedrooms, one of which was once a porch. Back downstairs, to the left of the entry is a conformable sitting room with an unusual bookcase over the large fireplace with mantle and surrounding shelving to be completed within the year. Next you enter a hall leading to a small bath, kitchen and formal dining room. The family room, added in 2000, was once a screened porch used for social gatherings by previous owners. Futures plans include refinishing the library/fireplace area and a kitchen remodel.
96 N Grandview Ave Owner: Joe Behan
Ester and Lyle Schroeder owned this home for forty-seven years. It was built in 1911 and could be considered a Craftsman with some Queen Anne details. The generous porch look out onto Grandview Avenue.
Extensive renovation was done to the interior of the house. Although some of the interior built-in benches were removed by the previous owners, the one in the entryway with storage space provided under the seat , remains. Mr. Behan restored the worn wood floors himself, and about fifty percent are need wood. Chipped and broken woodwork were also replaced. The woodwork is painted, and had been so since shortly after the house was built.
The dining room is separated from the living room by sliding pocket doors, which still retain their original stain - different on each side. In this room, seven layers of wallpaper were carefully removed to reveal scenery painted on the original canvas wall covering. One section is incomplete, due to a previous scraping, but the charming panorama of river, canoeists, bluffs and campfire scene remains. Joe assumes that, at one time, the coffered ceiling and wainscot also held scene. The dining room side of the sliding doors and built-in breakfront were once stains and unusual green. There are also a bath and family room on this floor, along with a kitchen, which is his next project. Upstairs are four bedrooms and a bath.