The new owners of 402 Day Avenue report that when they are outside, people driving by will often stop, roll down their windows and shout “We love your house!” The new owners love it too! The home’s architecture harks back to earlier Queen Anne Victorian styles, even though it was built in 1907.

The owners related how it seems they were meant to end up with this home. “We lived happily in Raleigh Court for 20 years and had wonderful neighbors. It was one of those neighbors who mentioned the Miller’s Hill project to us. She works for Breakell, Inc., the contractor involved in the project. I immediately thought, ‘What a wonderful project for the city to do!’ We were not in the market for a new home but soon after, out of curiosity, I drove down Day Avenue. When I saw 402 Day I said to myself – ‘I wonder if that home is part of the project?’ I fell in love with it immediately and knew it could be beautiful once again. That same day I happened to run into the project’s architect, Don Harwood, whom I knew. I asked him more about the project and particularly 402. He said quite a few people had expressed interest in 402. I walked through the house several days later, and my husband and I reserved it shortly thereafter. It’s a good thing we did! Someone else tried to reserve it within hours!

Having an old home that they did not have to renovate themselves appealed to the owners. “We love old homes, but it took us 20 years to get our home in Raleigh Court the way we wanted it. We know the time, money, effort – and often, mess- involved in renovating older homes. At this point in our lives we were not interested in renovating another old home unless it could all be done before hand. And that is exactly what is involved with the Miller’s Hill project! With all of the other perks involved – like the low interest loans available, the tax abatements, the energy efficiency they have built into these homes as they have been renovated, the thoroughness with which they are doing the renovations, and the fact we would be within walking distance of my husband’s office and downtown - how could we say no?!”

402 Day was the first Miller’s Hill home on which a “reservation” was placed. That enabled the new owners to lay claim to the home, while allowing time for initial demolition work to be done, plans to be drawn up, and a price to be attached to the house. It also enabled them to have a say in how the renovation was done. For example, they chose tile countertops for their kitchen: “I love granite countertops (which many of the Miller’s Hill homes have) but, with the kitchen cabinets I chose, I felt they would look too sleek and modern. Also, they are very expensive. I chose tile countertops to contribute to the period feel of the kitchen, and to give us more dollars to put towards other upgrades in the house.”