< Previous10 | Parade of Homes | 2021 B eyond beaches, bays and birds, Galves- ton’s treasure lies in its abundant historic housing stock, from huge Victorian man- sions to tiny raised cottages and every- thing in between. These homes, built from before 1900 to the 1930s, have weathered hurricanes, economic downturns, decades of owner turnover and even abandonment, and now are desirable commodities in the heated real estate market of the 2020s. Many have maintained original architectural and decorative features like fireplace mantels, transoms, pocket doors, hardwood floors, wavy glass windows and wooden shutters. Others have been altered over time with vinyl siding, metal hurricane blinds, wall-to-wall carpet and other fashions of the day. Most require some degree of restoration to become comfortably livable. Better Homes and Gardens Gary Greene Re- altor David Bowers, who specializes in historic homes, says 90 percent of his buyers take on the task of restoring these classics with an eye to preserving architectural features or replacing Ripping out a historic home’s traditional interior may lower its value Story by Kathryn Eastburn Photos courtesy of TK Images THESE OLD HOUSES2021 | Parade of Homes | 11them with close replication. But buyers sometimes keep the house’s exterior pristine, in accordance with city his- toric preservation guidelines, and take a sledgehammer and chainsaw to the inside, stripping the house of much of its former glory. “I have seen someone completely shell out the inside of a two-story house, opening it up with a kitchen in one corner and a bath- room all the way across in another corner,” Bowers said. “It looks like a ware- house.” Modern, open space interior design concepts and the desire for a “great room” drive many such alterations to a historic home’s interior, and popular home improve- 2021 | Parade of Homes | 13 9 100% financing available 9$0 down payment 9 No Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) 9 Reduced closing costs Our Made For You Mortgage Features Include: Make your move with the Best Mortgage Lender in Galveston County! Voted for eight years by Galveston Daily News’ Readers. A mortgage loan designed for you! 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POOL LOANS 9 Borrow up to 90% of the value of your home 2 9 Fixed rates and terms up to 15 years 9No origination fee Scan QR code to learn more or visit AMOCOfcu.org/real-estate-loans. 800.231.6053 | AMOCOfcu.orgment shows on television have had an influence as well. “There are so many TV programs that show people ‘You can do it too,’” Bowers said. “Well, the real question is ‘Does it need to be done?’” Michael Cordray, a Realtor at local agency Save 1900, and his wife Ashley, co-principal of the popular DIY Net- work home-restoration show “Restoring Galveston,” take a radical approach to rescuing Galveston’s historic housing stock, buying grossly dilapidated homes and restoring them with an eye toward what was there originally, using discard- ed and salvaged building materials when possible to maintain historic integrity. Flippers from out of town with little appreciation for a home’s historic value often are remodeling culprits, Michael Cordray said. “It’s about speed,” he said. “You can remove 100-year-old windows and replace them with vinyl windows in one day, versus what’s not an insane amount of time to restore, reglaze and make old glass windows operational.” The older windows, the Cordrays argue, last longer than vinyls. And they add to the home’s resale value, accord- ing to Bowers. Floors and windows, restored as closely as possible to the originals, are the most important historic features to protect, Bowers and the Cor- drays said. As for the open space concept, the Cordrays share Bowers’ concern over blowing out interior walls to create a great room. “They’re trying to make it feel like a loft,” Ashley Cordray said. “But it should still feel like an old house when you open the door. Frame the opening a little bit larger so you can tell a wall was there and the buyer still gets a more open concept sight line.” Michael Cordray cautions buyers against making trendy decisions that become permanent once executed, like replacing original glass windows with vinyls. Once done, they can’t be brought back because of windstorm insurance regulations, he said. “An historical home is a living piece of architecture,” Bowers said. “It’s like a se- quoia tree; if you cut it down there will never be another in its place. That’s why they deserve to be kept and nurtured for the next caregiver.” ◊ “There are so many TV programs that show people ‘You can do it too. Well, the real question is ‘Does it need to be done?’” DAVID BOWERS HISTORIC HOMES INFORMATION • The Galveston Historical Foundation offers remedies for insulating old windows and walls, and a variety of home preservation resources. To learn more, call 409-765-7834 or visit www. galvestonhistory.org. • The City of Galveston offers financial incentives to encourage rehabilita- tion of historic properties. To learn more, visit https://www.galvestontx. gov/630/Historic-Preservation. 2021 | Parade of Homes | 15Planting native plants benefits the environment and brings a pop of color to your home Story by Barbara Canetti | Photos by Jennifer Reynolds IN BLOOM 18 | Parade of Homes | 2021 D o yourself a favor. Plant natives in your garden — they are easier to care for, take less water, thrive in poor soil and don’t need fertilizer or pesticides. In Gulf Coast heat and periodic cold snaps and freezes, droughts and abundance of rain, these native plants thrive. And once estab- lished, this species of hardy plants enriches the soil with their deep root systems while storing more carbon than other plants and improving air quality. Sue Bain, a Galveston Coun- ty Master Gardener and mem- ber of the Native Plant Society of Texas, said native plants also Black-eyed Susans bloom in a pollinator garden at the Galveston County Master Gardener Discovery Garden in Carbide Park in La Marque.2021 | Parade of Homes | 19 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Sue Bain, a Galveston County Master Gardener and member of the Native Plant Soci- ety of Texas, talks about the native plants that attract pollinating insects at the Master Gardener Discovery Garden in Carbide Park in La Marque; Blue Mistflowers are in bloom at the pollinator garden. The delicate, lace-like flowers attract bees and butterflies; sea oats grow in the garden; water beads on a leaf of a Dutchman’s pipe vine in the garden. The vine is the larval host for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly. Next >