Real Estate Blog - Kay Agney

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to 17700 E. Jefferson

Last week we introduced you to 16761 E. Jefferson, the magnificent mansion designed by Louis Kamper. This week we would like to focus on another of Grosse Pointes’ lost mansions – “By-Way”, formally located at 17770 E. Jefferson, and the home of Frederick Moulton Alger. 

We have already delved into the history of several lost estates on Lakeshore. These grand mansions, owned by prominent members of the community (Scott Whitcomb, Henry D. Sheldon, William P. Stevens, and J. Brooks Nichols), have been lost over time having been demolished and the properties subdivided for new homes.

“By-Way” was designed by William B. Stratton & Frank C. Baldwin, and completed in 1908. William Buck Stratton, born in Ithaca, New York in 1865, was an innovative…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to 16761 E. Jefferson

Having featured the superb work of Clarence E. Day last week, we now turn our attention to a rather prominent home of Jefferson – welcome to “Lawn Leighton” also known as 16761 E.Jefferson.

This magnificent mansion was designed by one of Detroit’s finest architects, Louis Kamper, and was built between 1916-17. Christian Henry Haberkorn, Jr., a prominent banker in Detroit, commissioned it. Mr. Haberkorn was the son of C. H. Haberkorn, Sr., and Fances H. Ruehle, whose family had been prominent in Detroit for four generations. Born in Detroit, 1889, he graduated from Harvard in 1912 with a degree in Economics. Shortly after leaving Harvard Mr. Haberkorn began his career with C. H. Haberkorn & Co., manufacturers of furniture, where he held the title of…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Work of Clarence E. Day

Last week we presented the former home of William Ledyard Mitchell Jr. – 61 Kenwood Road - designed by the firm of Weston and Ellington. 

One of the designers, Harold Ellington, later in his career (1932), formed a partnership with noted architect Alvin Harley to form Harley and Ellington. In 1943 the firm welcomed the talented designer Clarence E. Day as a partner. Clarence Day was a particularly active and successful designer in his own right, and so this week we would like to focus on his work, and several of the homes he created in Grosse Pointe.

Clarence Day was born in Detroit in 1886. In 1905, having graduated, he worked as an apprentice with several architectural firms in the city, which he would continue to do until 1914. In 1915 he…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – 61 Kenwood Road

Last week we introduced you to William Ledyard Mitchell, and his striking residence located at 180 Ridge Road, Grosse Pointe Farms.

This week we stay with the Mitchell family and explore the residence of one of William Ledyard Mitchell’s sons, William Ledyard Mitchell Jr. (born in 1912), and his former home at 61 Kenwood Road.

The Dutch style 5,351 sq ft colonial home was completed in 1929, having been designed by the firm of Weston and Ellington. It is constructed of whitewashed brick and white clapboard.

The first floor features a large screened porch (15’ x 27’), library (10’ x 14’) living room (16’ x 24’) and a dining room (15’ x 20’). The living room contains a large natural fireplace while French doors open on to a 15’ x 27’…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Residence of William Ledyard Mitchell

Last week we journeyed back to the late nineteenth century and explored the Queen Anne style home of prominent Detroiter Henry Brockholst Ledyard.

This week we would like to introduce you to another prominent Detroiter with Ledyard in his name – Mr. William Ledyard Mitchell, and his home at 180 Ridge, Grosse Pointe Farms.

William Ledyard Mitchell, born in Cincinnati, 1881, was a key player in the auto industry during the 1920’s and 1930’s - as secretary and vice president in charge of manufacturing for Chrysler after it was formed to succeed the old Maxwell Motor Corporation (in 1925). Source: The New York Times. In 1926 he became general manager, and in 1929 he was named board chairman of the export division. Three years later, in 1932, William…

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HMA has an open house this weekend – Saturday, August 4, 2018 12-3 p.m.

Michelle Agosta will be holding open 22625 ALGER, ST. CLAIR SHORES 

IMPECCABLE UPDATED 3 BEDROOM RANCH FEATURES EAT-IN KTICHEN, DINING ROOM, SPACIOUS LIVING ROOM, FULL BATH, HARDWOOD FLOORS, NEW WINDOWS, RECREATION ROOM AND EXTRA BEDROOM.OFFCIE IN BASMENT AND MORE! PRIVATE YARD! THIS 1,1065 SQ. FT. HOME IS LISTED FOR $149,000.

We look forward to seeing you!

For a full list of this weekend's Open House's visit: http://ow.ly/IbJi30lgbZh

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Residence of Henry Brockholst Ledyard

Over the past couple of weeks we have presented two architects who were big names in the city, during the 1920’s, but were somewhat lesser known in Grosse Pointe – William Kapp and Rupert Koch. 

This week we journey back to the late nineteenth century and explore the Queen Anne style home of prominent Detroiter Henry Brockholst Ledyard.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century Grosse Pointe was a vastly different scene to the community we live in today. Land was at a premium and the area was becoming a ‘hotspot’ for wealthy Detroit businessman to build large summer cottages for their families. Many of the new constructions were typical of the Gothic Revival and Queen Anne architectural styles of that period. Given this was where families would…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Rupert W. Koch

Last week we introduced you to the extraordinary work of William E. Kapp. He was a somewhat lesser known architect in Grosse Pointe, but was a ‘big name’ in the city. Under the employment of Smith, Hinchman and Grylls he created several iconic buildings including Meadow Brook Hall, The Detroit Historical Museum, and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

This week we continue our story by profiling another ‘big-name’ architect - but a lesser-known designer who came to Grosse Pointe – Rupert W. Koch.

Mr. Koch was a graduate of the University of Michigan and spent most of his career in Ann Arbor. He was one of the cities leading architects. One of his grand designs was the Ann Arbor mansion created for Leander J. Hoover, 1918. Set in an extensive 24 acre…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – William Edward Kapp

Having spent the last couple of weeks on Merriweather (Part 1 and Part 2), we now turn our attention to a lesser-known architect in Grosse Pointe – William E. Kapp.

Mr. Kapp is one of those architects who was a ‘big name’ in the city, but only came to the Grosse Pointe to work on a handful of projects. This was also the case with a number of other premier designers including: Albert H. Spahr, John C. Stahl and Bloodgood Tuttle (to name but a few).

Kapp was born in Toledo, 1891. Having completed his architectural degree at the University of Pennsylvania he returned to Toledo to set up his own private practice. In 1918 he moved to Detroit. It is believed he worked for Albert Kahn, and then, in 1920, went to work for the prestigious firm of Smith,…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to Merriweather – Part 2

Last week we introduced you to the street of Merriweather (Part 1), and its historical homes constructed between 1928 and 1931. We continue our journey this week with a review of some of the homes built between 1932 and 1939.

From researching the homes (we featured last week) it appears the residences on Merriweather cross a spectrum of architectural styles. The majority is in the colonial approach, however there are some wonderful examples of French inspired architecture, which was popular in Grosse Pointe during the late 1920’s through to the 1940’s.

1933
The extremely talented D. Allen Wright designed 170 Merriweather. Wright designed at least 15 houses (that we know of) in Grosse Pointe. Many of these residences (during the late 1920’s and…

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