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<\/p>\nBy Sara B. Hansen, BusinessDen<\/p>\n
Denver architect Andrew Sumners made good on a childhood pledge.<\/p>\n
Nine years ago, he bought a yellow eyesore from 1953 that always stood out on Seventh Avenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a kid, I always dreamed of tearing it down for my grandmother,\u201d Sumners said of 1650 E. Seventh Ave.<\/p>\n
He bought the property for $900,000 and designed and built the 7,400-square-foot Mediterranean-style villa, now listed\u00a0for $5.4 million.<\/p>\n
He grew up and still lives in the historic Denver neighborhood,\u00a0two houses down. And\u00a0his grandmother lived nearby on the 700 block of Humboldt Street.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy intention was to build something appropriate for Seventh Avenue. All the homes here have character. I wanted to stitch the neighborhood fabric back together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sumners, 59, who graduated from East High School and Hobart College, earned a Master of Architecture degree at the University of Maryland. He\u2019s spent most of his career working for himself, developing projects in Mexico and Denver.<\/p>\n
He started by designing and overseeing the construction of a family home in Puerto Vallarta and has since designed and built homes, restaurants and small hotels in Mexico.<\/p>\n
In Colorado, he\u2019s designed home renovation plans for friends and family and designed and developed the Townhouses at Cherry Creek North.<\/p>\n
He said he prefers being his own boss rather than having clients and typically works on one or two projects at a time that take two or more years to complete.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found a niche that works for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The seven-bedroom, seven-bath home reflects his love for handcrafted materials and modernist influences, especially from Frank Lloyd Wright and Mexican architect Luis Barrag\u00e1n.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a custom iron shield front door, 8-foot blond mahogany interior doors, and a custom garage door, all imported from Mexico, along with handmade white oak cabinets.<\/p>\n
The house has a New Hampshire slate roof.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love slate roofs,\u201d Sumners said. \u201cThey\u2019re 100-year roofs and I think they look beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slate roofs also protect against hail and fire, and they match the neighborhood\u2019s character.<\/p>\n
Inside, the home features 10-foot coffered ceilings, white oak floors, and a kitchen with a La Cornue range and light leathered marble countertops.<\/p>\n
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The outdoor areas have two patios, a fireplace and a chef\u2019s outdoor kitchen.<\/p>\n
Building in the East 7th Avenue Historic District meant working closely with the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission, which reviews all changes and new construction to protect the area\u2019s historic character.<\/p>\n
The commission\u2019s strict review meant every exterior detail had to be approved before construction could start. Once approved, no changes to the exterior design were allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you design this way, you design from the outside in,\u201d he said. \u201cUsually, the outside grows as the inside resolves itself, but I had to fit everything within an envelope that wasn\u2019t budging.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sumners credits Denver architect Aaron Hodgin for helping to shape his vision and manage the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spent countless hours walking the neighborhood, studying the houses we loved, and collaborating on ideas that would both respect the historic context and push the design forward,\u201d Sumners said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAaron deserves immense credit for his contributions; when we presented our first design to the landmark commission, I leaned over to him and admitted, \u2018I hate that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
So Sumners changed the mansion\u2019s design to its current layout.<\/p>\n
He made flexibility a top priority in the home\u2019s design. It can suit many types of residents, from couples who want comfort without feeling overwhelmed by space, to multigenerational families with grandchildren, or even a large family with 10 children.<\/p>\n
Sumners remembers when the neighborhood was full of kids. Now, as older residents move out, he\u2019s seeing more young families return.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to see the neighborhood come alive with children again,\u201d he said. \u201cWhoever buys this home, I hope they fill it with life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Listing broker Ann Atkinson with\u00a0LIV Sotheby\u2019s International Realty said the home offers great flexibility and quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt easily entertains 500 in an afternoon, but it\u2019s also beautiful and comfortable with just two people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope whoever buys it enjoys it and makes it their forever home. It\u2019s a masterpiece.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more from our partner, BusinessDen<\/a>.<\/p>\n