One of the most gratifying projects for a builder to be honored with is a Historic Restoration. These projects must have the most detail-oriented, precise and respectful craftspeople on their team to properly execute and maintain their historical integrity. Florida has a rich architectural history filled with many beautiful Historical Landmark properties. These structures are granted legal protection from change or demolition and are required to be kept as similar to their original state as possible, making them both exciting and challenging.
We are honored to announce that we have started construction on a Landmark Historic Restoration project, named Southwood. Southwood is located on Palm Beach Island and was originally designed in 1934 by Wyeth and King Architects for Mr. and Mrs. Vietor, a surgeon and a Jell-O company heiress. In 1990, their house was declared a Landmark by the town of Palm Beach.
Now, this lushly landscaped, colonial beauty is being brought back to its previous glory. The New Orleans inspired estate is 18,554 square feet and has 16 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, koi ponds, tennis courts, fruit trees and more.
Interesting facts:
– The house was designed to accommodate the Vietor’s existing furniture
– The pool was originally a saltwater recirculation pool from the intercoastal waterway
– The garage had an onsite fuel tank and pump
We were delighted to find original photographs in a vintage book from 1938, highlighting the estate. This one-of-a-kind book gave us a true understanding of how special this property is. The photographs bring out a sense of the grandeur and charm that Wyeth and King, Architects and Ruby Ross Wood, Decorator embedded into each room.
Our team is so excited to work on this gem with Kristin Kellogg of Smith|Kellogg Architects and see its beauty restored. Over the last 40 years, we have restored many historic properties and devote ourselves to the culture and antiquity that these properties bring to our community. South Florida has countless historical structures, and we will be highlighting a few of them on our social media pages this Summer to celebrate South Florida’s rich historic legacy. Please join us and take a trip down memory lane, because recalling our past can shape our future.