BELLEVUE, PA — It’s not uncommon for large homes to be converted into apartments. It’s far less common for someone to buy an apartment building and transform it into an elegant single family residence.
Bellevue residents Todd and Kelley Warner embraced that challenge.
“Converting it back to a single family home was not difficult, just removing a wall and doorway, and a small kitchen upstairs,” Kelley Warner told Patch.
“The biggest challenge was switching electricity and water from two meters to one. Not sexy, but a bit more difficult than anticipated. An old plumbing connection in the basement led to replacing the old supply line, which turned out to be lead. It was necessary, but a bit pricey.”
The Warner home will be on display during Bellevue’s 7th Live*Worship*Shop house tour on Oct. 15. The tour highlights interesting properties and will include houses, churches, and businesses.
This year’s tour includes nine homes, a tour of the century-old Bellevue Elementary School; a trip to one of Bellevue’s community gardens; and a stop at The John Hermann Museum, which will have an exhibit showing off the works of artists with Bellevue ties.
Tickets for the self-guided tour are $45 and VIP packages that include a $25 gift certificate at one of four Bellevue restaurants are $100. Tickets are available online or at registration (Bellevue United Presbyterian Church 457 Lincoln Avenue), on tour day. The event is being sponsored by the Bona Fide Bellevue community development corporation.
For the Warners, the tour represents and opportunity to display the results of their labor that turned an apartment building into a stylish and comfortable residence.
“Our favorite parts of the house are the entryway and living room, with all of the beveled glass windows, and the backyard, which was nothing but mud and a sloping parking pad made of ugly bricks when we moved in,” Kelley Warner said.
“Now we have a nice patio, lots of shrubs and perennials for pollinators and birds, and fountains to help block street noise. Solar lighting added this year makes the garden magical at night, especially during firefly season.”
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