Tyler Balentine, a realtor with Pyramid Brokerage, has spent a good deal of his realty career, looking to find a buyer for 385 Franklin, at the corner of Edward.
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It was once a quaint Italianate villa, a private residence, but somewhere in time, someone thought to throw a big brick box up against it and call it commercial. There's only one thing to think when stopped at the corner, waiting for the light and looking at the obtrusive addition: Can that be taken off?
It wouldn't be easy. The circa 1900 house would need someone with tremendous vision and wherewithal to restore its original beauty. The inside, though it shows traces of past glory would need to be nearly gutted, as walls have been thrown up here and there to segment offices, cheap florescent lights have been put in, and hallways have been blocked.
Still, there's a gorgeous staircase, beautifully arched floor-to-ceiling windows, and small marble-mantled gas fireplaces in nearly every room.
According to Balentine, the house is eligible for state and federal historic preservation and rehabilitation tax credits, and you can own all 6,400 square feet for $259,000, or you can lease for a low $8 per square foot. The current owner has recovered the roof periodically to keep the weather out and keep it sound, but the house clearly needs an angel.
Who knows, at some point in the not too distant future, you may be sitting at a red light in front of this fully restored building thinking: I wish I'd had that foresight.
Get Connected: Tyler Balentine
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That storefront is not that bad. Open up the windows to the size they were meant to be and get rid of the hideous color scheme. Put on a decent color. This could be a delightful urban corner. Spend the time and money on the main house. Preservation is not all about purifying the city.