2018 Preservation Award Winner: 35 Chestnut Street

Photo by Ty Hapworth

We'd like you meet our 2018 Preservation Award Winners, so we'll be highlighting one every day for the next eight days. Special thanks to Ty Hapworth (@hellosalem on Instagram) for lending his talents and photographing this year's winners!

The rowhouse during restoration.

35 Chestnut Street 

When Dan Randall and Phil Gillespie realized that 35 Chestnut Street, a grand rowhouse recently vacated and next to their own home, could potentially be stripped of its historic interior details, they redefined good neighbors by purchasing the rowhouse and undertaking a complete restoration of the Federal-style residence, in partnership with their architect, Helen Sides and carpenter, Jef Grinarml. Dan and Phil received Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits for the project, which is an innovative solution for a smaller scale residential rehabilitation and requires careful protection of historic materials. The project included restoration of the building’s 6 over 6 wood window sashes, repointing of the brick and brownstone exterior, and preservation of the interior woodwork. In addition, the owners restored the property’s original carriage house, including removal of wood shingle siding to reveal and preserve the building’s original wood clapboards and trim. The restoration of the carriage house included preservation of interior woodwork and an entry that was installed when the carriage house was converted to residential use around 1912. These architectural elements were moved from a house that once stood at 21 Federal Street. A new historically appropriate porch was also added to the south (Warren Street) elevation of the carriage house and a new fence was installed along Warren Street. The entire project is beautifully completed but the selection committee was particularly charmed by the care given to this small accessory dwelling. ​

The Carriage House before.