Couple will restore historic Janesville home
Photo
Charles Cooner and Rebecca Washecheck of Madison are bundled up from the cold as they sit in what will be their master bedroom in historic Lovejoy Manor. The couple recently purchased the building and are planning on restoring it.
Photo
This room, which the couple refers to as the vandalism room, is planned as a future bathroom.
Photo
A couple from Madison has purchased the historic Lovejoy Manor and they want to restore it.
Photo
A cracked window facing the Rock County Courthouse is taped for safety in the Lovejoy Manor.
JANESVILLE — Rebecca Washecheck stood in her future master bedroom suite, huddled in a down coat and mittens. Her breath frosted around her head.
Downstairs in the kitchen, her dad, Don, started up the space heater.
She laughed.
"We'll just live like real Victorians," she said to a visitor. "We'll go to bed early and wear our night caps."
"It's pretty exciting," said her partner, Charles Cooner.
To the collective relief of Janesville architectural lovers, Charles, 32, and Rebecca, 26, in March will move into the historic Lovejoy house at 220 St. Lawrence Ave.
They have pledged to restore the Victorian beauty to its former splendor. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The couple will start on the outside first, making neighbors especially happy.
They have already agreed to be on September's historic home walk.
Many feared the structure was ruined after Brad Goodrich, a minister, staged his business from there. He removed historic windows and decorative features. He slapped stucco on the exterior until the city ordered him to stop. The wrap-around porch deteriorated.
The home has been vacant since the bank foreclosed on its mortgage in 2009.
Now, holes gape in ceilings, bathroom walls are sprayed with graffiti and plaster is exposed. A toilet hangs from a wall. Windows are taped.
The couple are ecstatic.
They see the exquisite parquet floor, the large windows that flood the rounded rooms with light, the detailed brass hinges and knobs, pocket doors and etched windows.
They marvel at the view of the city from the house atop the hill.
Rebecca has a bachelor's degree in art history and sells vintage clothes and jewelry on the Internet. He is a carpenter, specializing in old homes.
It appears to be a match made in heaven.
Charles likes to go through the house, boring holes in the floor looking for treasure underneath. Rebecca noticed such a gouge that exposed marble hexagon tile in a small upstairs kitchen on a recent tour.
She smiled at Charles fondly.
"I love that you did that," she said.
Rebecca patted a fireplace mantel, pointing to the Transferware Tile.
"For an art historian, that's pretty exciting," she said.
Both stopped to ogle parquet ribbon bordering one floor, pointing to the walnut, oak and maple woods used in the design. This day they discovered cherry provided shading, and they got excited all over again.
They recalled their first tour of the 6,500-square-foot home.
"We were like kids, running around screaming," Rebecca recalled.
Rebecca initially had reservations about buying the home, but she seems calm now.
"Several times, she's thanked me for not letting her get too practical," Charles said.
"As crazy as you'd have to be to do this, you'd have to be crazier not to," she said.
They recently closed the purchase for $150,000 and are working in the home on weekends.
They will settle in after renters move into the couple's 900-square-foot home in Monona.
The Lovejoy house has a small furnace, so they'll tack up plastic in the kitchen area to trap the meager heat. They'll make the kitchen livable for now and sleep on the third floor, which has is electric heat.
"I understand how Victorians lived," Rebecca said. "It makes a lot of sense. Small rooms with lots of fireplaces."
By fall, Charles hopes to have secured a used boiler.
He will spend the summer working on the outside, recreating the windows to resemble the late-1880s double-hung style but with insulated glass. He thinks he can strip off the stucco, replacing everything underneath. He'll also replace the decorative accents, using historical photos as his guide.
Eventual plans inside include a master bedroom suite—the couple already have a 16-foot cast iron tub—and a second-floor laundry room. Rebecca requested a butler's pantry, a wine cellar in the basement and a woodburning oven for pizza and bread and in her dream kitchen.
Charles already has removed the desk built into the foyer when the home was occupied by the YWCA. That exposed unpainted wainscoting of a beautiful burnished wood, so they are considering stripping the white woodwork.
They are not sure what will happen with Grace Hall, a connected structure built in the mid 1900s. They don't own it because it still has liens attached.
At first, the space in the home overwhelmed the pair, and they bought the massive house mostly to save it, Charles said. They have a pair of walkie-talkies just to communicate throughout the home.
Now, they see it could be a family home if they close off sections in the winter. Charles grew to appreciate how the 11-foot ceilings accommodate his 6-foot 5-inch frame.
"We'll fill it with pets and children," Rebecca said with a smile.
They're not even thinking deadlines. Because of the home's size, they figure they can just go to another room or floor if they feel overwhelmed with projects in a different area.
"We'll be working on this house forever," Charles said.
"That's OK," Rebecca said. "We have years."
Feb 4, 2013 at 3:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
woodchuck. I wonder if this is a misprint? Did they mean 6 ft. I have never heard of such a thing. Good luck getting that in the house. I have a larger older Kohler Anniv edition so a bit wider than the really old ones and longer and you can lean on the back part easier than the really old ones. It is about 450 lbs with out the hardware.
Feb 4, 2013 at 2:59 p.m.
Suggest removal
Good to hear. They have a lot of work ahead of them. I looked at this when it was for sale. The previous jerk pretty much wreaked it. Need a lot of funds to get this back in shape. The guy put in windows that don't even open. Mold was growing a thick layer in the basement. They need to put the meters back in so they can get power and heat. Hope all goes well with that building that is attached but doesn't belong to them/the main building. Roof all caved in on that too. Just sad what this guy did to this gem. HE said he was "fixing it up" I beleived him for a bit until I got a good look inside.
Feb 4, 2013 at 11:53 a.m.
Suggest removal
By the way painting over beautiful woodwork while not desirable in no way makes the wood "impossible to restore" The wood is still there and the paint can be removed in a number of ways in fact wood with a coat of varnish on it and then painted over is one of the easier combinations to remove and restore.
Feb 4, 2013 at 11:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
I am so happy to see someone stepping up to the plate and taking on this project. Working on a similar project of much smaller scale and complexity I understand the exhilaration of the tasks at hand.
Brad Goodrich was in the process of destroying the property when the City stopped him, Thank goodness someone stepped in and called a halt to the cheap and shoddy "flipper" style of "remodeling" that was being done by Goodrich. This type of project takes lots of research and treasure hunting to recreate things in the style and materials required to make it right.
Good luck to both of you in your adventure. It will be worth it!
Feb 4, 2013 at 8:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
A 16 foot cast iron tub? The whole neighborhood will be able to bathe together!
Feb 3, 2013 at 8:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
some of you are delusional. There was graffiti all over the 3rd floor and the YWCA carpeted over with glue and cheap carpeting all the inlays. They cemented up the fireplaces. So how again did they perserve it? The destroyed it and Brad found it and built that room from scratch the one in the picture that will be their master bedroom. Those pillars and carpeting, were all installed by Brad. Oh and the YWCA painted over all the solid cherry doors, trim and cabinets, nearly making it impossible to restore.
Feb 3, 2013 at 3:34 p.m.
Suggest removal
Like. Totally Like. I have fond memories of going to jam sessions at this house, circa 1970-75. (Today kids might call it a "rave"). But mostly it was just such a cool house to look at. Good luck Rebecca and Charles!
Feb 3, 2013 at 3:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Oreally, a 501(c)3 would make sense only if they anticipated raising enough money through donations and had a public purpose to which to dedicate the non-profit. They would, however, qualify for state historic preservation tax credits.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/hp/archi...
Feb 3, 2013 at 3:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
As a restorer of a home in the historic district, I would encourage this couple to find a grant writer, who could volunteer writing for grants and also include contacting "This Old House". Have the grant writer involved in the application to TOH. Good writing could result in a positive monetary reward, which would be good for the couple, the neighborhood, and our community as a whole.
Feb 3, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
"I cant wait to see its former glory on top of the courthouse hill." Hmm. How much can you throw in?
Feb 3, 2013 at 12:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
The couple would be well advised to get with the Community Foundation and create a 501(c)3 to pay for the renovations.
Feb 3, 2013 at 11 a.m.
Suggest removal
Wow! Good for you Charles & Rebecca. I spent practically my entire life in Janesville, and as a teenager was VERY active in the YWCA's Y-Teen program. I learned leadership skills, made a lot of friends there, and spent countless hours working on projects and events. In the 60's we had an annual Christmas Formal where all three classes worked together on the event. When I had my only child, a daughter in 1975, I took her to all the children's events at the YWCA..... Christmas cookie baking, Easter brunch, and read-a-longs to name a few. This home was beautiful inside and out and the staff always kept its grandeur of days gone by. I can't believe the photos of the destruction caused by the previous owners. Thank you for taking on this project. I am retired in Florida & wasn't aware of the total destruction caused by them. I'm glad that you can see the possibilities and have the energy & time to take on this project. I wish you continued success and best wishes.....Sandy B.
Feb 3, 2013 at 9:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
That's Awesome!! Finally someone who is willing to recreate the beauty the Lovejoy Mansion once was. I have always loved that house, and it has been such a shame to watch it fall apart. I cant wait to see it in it's former glory on top of the courthouse hill. :-) Thank you Charles and Rebecca for saving one of Janesville's most beautiful historical homes. Personally I find it more impressive than the Tallman house.
Feb 3, 2013 at 5:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
Wow...and thank you!
Feb 2, 2013 at 5:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
Good Luck you two, enjoy your adventure. Uh...watch out for ghosts !
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.