Project Type
Historical Residence Renovation

Description
Period sensitive renovation to one-story Transitional Victorian Colonial bungalow to obtain Historical Landmark Status. Attic remodeled into livable area with dormer balcony.

Stats
Renovated interior and exterior throughout
450 sf attic loft with balcony
Completed 2010
Contractor - George Walker Construction
Landmark Status - Obtained August 2010

This Transitional Victorian Colonial bungalow has survived amid Ventura’s development over the past century. The street façade is virtually untouched since it was built—the bay window, porch and dormers are original. This rare find made it an ideal candidate to be granted Historical Landmark status. This presented the challenge--to retain the classic and understated Victorian elements while creating a comfortable residence that improves upon the shortcomings of a century-old home. The owners requested a full remodel of the house including the kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms, and to convert the existing attic into a usable loft.

Constructed in the first years of the 20th century, this residence was the home of Frank Hobart. Hobart was an historical figure in San Buenaventura as a real estate developer, activist and attorney. In about 1920, it became the home of Leonard Barr, a prominent Venturan and developer, responsible for much of Ventura’s building progress in the first half of the 20th century. The Luckings purchased the home in 2008 and sought Historical Landmark status. The renovation was a labor of love for Bonnie and Bill Lucking. Bonnie was involved throughout the project. She was responsible for selecting the finishes, colors, vintage light fixtures and furnishings. Tragically, Bonnie passed suddenly within a few short weeks of living in her new home with husband Bill. The house was granted Historical Landmark status from the Ventura Historic Preservation Committee and City Council. Citing their renovation commitment, the Luckings were named along with Hobart and Barr as significant owners.

Sunlight streams into the new kitchen, breathing life into the house. Large openings and a vaulted ceiling draw light in from adjacent spaces, creating a feeling of openness in a relatively small footprint. The new staircase draws the eye up toward the attic room. Again, style-consistency was essential in designing the staircase—its expertly crafted Douglas-Fir stair and banister make it a beautiful centerpiece of the home. Though new features were added, many pieces of the house were retained for their beauty and utility—the original doors, hardware and molding were salvaged and reinstalled, continuing the original style on the interior as well as the exterior.

The owners requested a new attic room to take advantage of the volume within the steep pitched roof. A new dormer with French doors opens to the new balcony, which integrates signature elements of the existing roof and front gable and adds period-consistent details from local examples. The attic is comfortable and lively due to new skylights and access to the existing dormer windows which allow light from all sides as well as cross-ventilation. The views of the Ventura pier and the Channel Islands are an added shimmer to this Victorian gem.

Numerous green building features upgrade the home’s energy efficiency: new insulation in the walls, attic and crawlspace; dual-glazed ventilating skylights add ample daylight and cool normally hot attic spaces; windows on multiple sides of each room improve natural ventilation. Additionally, new shearwalls and seismic retrofitting ensure a lasting stability. The remodel celebrates the integrity and tradition of this centenarian home and assures that it will not only survive but endure.