Ryan-Smith Home, 1302 Elizabeth Boulevard
One of the largest homes on Elizabeth Boulevard, this 1914 home was built for John C. Ryan, Sr., the developer of Ryan Place. The Italian Renaissance home was sold to Bert K. Smith, co-owner of the Smith Brothers Grain Company, in 1917 and remained in the Smith family until 1965. Jennifer and Sam Demel bought the home in April 2013 and immediately began working on the restoration of the property with Castor Vintage Homes.
The restoration began by stripping away a century of modifications and upgrades done by previous owners. Walls and ceilings were taken back to the original plaster, the entire house was rewired, and plumbing, A/C, and lighting were improved. Every window in the house was taken out, stripped of paint, and rebuilt, with any damaged glass replaced by panes from Old Home Supply nearby. Structural steel and heavy beams were added where necessary to stabilize the home. Wood doors and trim and cast bronze hardware was repaired where possible and replaced in-kind when too damaged to fix. Every inch of plaster in the house was restored with a new 4-layer plaster overcoat including mesh reinforcement in the ceiling plaster, just as the original was done. The Demels’ extensive work to restore this magnificent home has returned it to its rightful place as an anchor for Elizabeth Boulevard, just as it was 100 years ago.
