Spring East Row Block Party

Saturday April 27th, 2024

300 Block of Overton St (between 3rd St and Waters Alley)

Starting at 5pm till whenever

We'll have some main dishes (Webb's BBQ, or something similar)  

Bring your best sides or desert to share!

Bring your own seating, coolers, drinks (BYOB), and tents if desired

This is intended to be easy going and more like the fall Blocktoberfest on Maple than our summer blowout, but still a good time for the neighborhood!

We'll get the speakers and some music setup.   More information to come!

Come and enjoy the spring weather with your neighbors!

Our next Renovation Happy hour will be held April 11, Thursday evening, 6-8PM at the home of Mark and Isabel Storolis, 323 Overton. The property, which has undergone extensive restoration, is a fine example of quality, innovative workmanship, with many significant features, still a work in progress.

Light refreshments will be served.

The next Renovation Happy Hour will be held on Thursday, January 25 6-8 PM, at 503 Lexington, the property belonging to Jon and Karen Minzner (see description below). We have visited this property in the past, and it is now in its finished state, ready for prime time. It is my understanding that it is a fine example of a loving renovation.

 The Minzners state: 503 Lexington was built in approximately 1889 in the Italianate style. One of the early owners of the house subdivided the lot and built a new home at the back of the property in 1910, where he resided until the 1950s. In November 2018 the former owner passed away and the property sat vacant for 3 years until we purchased the home at auction, thereby reuniting the original lot under the same owner.

 The restoration process was an arduous but rewarding experience. Extensive water damage from a leaking roof was repaired and the roof replaced. Massive debris from years of neglect was removed. Masonry was repointed. Plumbing and electrical systems were replaced and updated to modern standards. The decrepit boiler was replaced with a state of the art HVAC. Insect critters of many species, shapes and sizes were ruthlessly exterminated. 

 The renovated structure retains as much of the original charm as possible. All but one of the 17 windows in the home were original and we removed, re-glazed, and re-roped them. The missing window was recreated in accordance with historic guidelines. Several layers of flooring were removed revealing the original wood floors, which were preserved and refinished. The original woodwork and staircase were largely intact and were restored. Original transoms that had been removed have been restored. The living room fireplace that had been plastered over has been uncovered. Non-historic metal porch components were replaced with period appropriate wood. 

 We believed that the property is now appropriately updated to conform to current lifestyles. A full bath en suite was added to the primary bedroom, a non-historic 1st floor full bath was converted to a powder room and laundry, and the kitchen was fully modernized. Custom cabinets were also added to the dining room.  The final result is a 3 bedroom, 2 and 1/2 bath home that will hopefully last another 130 years.

The next renovation happy Hour will be held at the property of Don and Teri Mettens, located at 422 E 4th St in the East Row. This is a substantial renovation project, in which the house was completely gutted and only the fireplace, finished with Spanish Alhambra-style tiles in the front room remains.

The roof line in the rear of the house was raised, increasing the usable square footage significantly, to 1300 square feet. Attention is being paid to the interior detailing, to make sure the home retains a period specific style.

Typically, in January there is a lack of social activity in the East Row, so this will be a good opportunity to schmooze with your friends and neighbors and catch up on activities in the Hood.

Beverages provided by the East Row Historic Foundation.

Come celebrate the holidays with your neigbors and show your apprecation for the homeowners who opened their homes for the Victorian Home Tour.

Catering and drinks provided. Please bring an appetizer or a dessert to share.

The East Row Winter Block/Street Party will take place Saturday Dec 2,  in Hamlet Alley and Coaches Corner.   6:30 pm - 10:00 pm.  Live music performing on Coaches’ stage, food truck, outdoor tent, fire pits and gas heaters to keep warm.  Coaches will be serving drink specials all night, Santa and his sleigh will be there so bring the kids and grandchildren. this will be a great opportunity for special photo opportunities. Come join your neighbors,  friends & Christmas Tour guests for some holiday cheer and celebrate the beginning of the holiday season.

Pets welcome!

Renovation Happy Hour!

Our next renovation happy hour will be held at the home of Bob and Trisha Meek at 812 Overton on the 26th 0f October from 6-8 PM. Please enter through the gate and proceed to the back of the house. Libations and snacks provided.

You will be able to view this wondrous renovation of this space by our very own John Phelps, Renovator Extra Ordinaire!

Halloween costumes encouraged!

Blocktoberfest is happening again and not to be missed!

Come, join your neighbors and celebrate fall in the lighted 800th block of Maple. We’ll have chalk, bubbles, cornhole and a fire pit or two.

Grilled wursts, buns and condiments provided. Bring your own chair, a dessert or side to share and beverage of your choice.

Visit the Facebook Blocktoberfest page for up to date info.

The East Row Historic Foundation and the West Side Coalition have joined forces for our first ever combined Renovation Happy Hour on Friday August 25th 6-8pm. It will take place at 326 Elm Street, Newport KY which is owned by our East Row neighbours Charla and Mike Haley.

Here are the details from Brant Owens who is organizing this event for the West Side:

Join us as we show off a newly renovated building in Newport’s dynamic Westside neighborhood!

Logistical support, light snacks and beverages will be provided in conjunction with, and via a generous donation from Newport’s East Row Historical Foundation! Much appreciation goes to Commissioner Julie Smith-Morrow, Dr. John Morrow, and Ian Budd for lending their expertise and approaching the ERHF Board for funding support, and to the Board itself for their willingness to provide this funding and spreading cross-neighborhood goodwill!

Property is located at 326 Elm St and was purchased by the current owners, Charla and Mike Haley, in Jan 2022.

This house is separated into a duplex consisting of a 2-BR unit on the first floor and a 1-BR unit on the second floor.  This house showed definite neglect by previous owners and was in desperate need of TLC.

The original portion of the house was built in 1875.  It is unknown when the rear addition was added.

The 2-BR unit on the first floor (Unit 1) was renovated during 2022 with completion in Feb 2023.  This unit is currently rented to tenants who were displaced by Victora Square. 

The apartment available for review is #2, the 1-BR unit on the second floor.  This unit is currently undergoing renovations and is about 85% complete.  Expected completion date is mid-September.  Of particular note is that renovation costs were able to be kept to a minimum by salvaging and reusing as many original materials as possible. Many other materials, like tile and cabinets, were obtained from other local homeowners, who had spare or unneeded items left over from their renovations.

The entry door for Unit 2 is found midway down the left side of the house.

NOTE: Unit #1 will NOT be open to the public during this event.

I hope you can all make the journey over to the West side and join us for this event. 

It's a great opportunity to support our neighbours over there and  learn more about another part of our city that you might not have had much of a chance to explore.

Letting you know that the Renovation Happy hour has been rescheduled for Monday July 17th from 6 to 8pm.   We are hoping you will all be able to join us on this new date.

We will be looking at the “Before” of a recently started renovation project at 603 Monroe Street.

The 600 block of Monroe is where the annual East Row Block Party is held and is regarded by many as one of the more desirable blocks to live in the East Row.

603 Monroe is a brick Italianate with potential to be a great renovation in a style very typical of many of the other houses on the block.

The renovation will be very extensive given the initial condition of the house. Additional plans are to expand the back of the house to create a Primary Bedroom on the 2nd floor replacing the existing slanted roof.  A deck will be added over the expansion at the third floor level.  The two car garage at the rear will also be renovated.

Our host for the event is Ramzi Nuseibeh.

Renovation Happy Hours are designed to showcase appropriate renovations of properties in the East Row. They are an opportunity to learn about the structure of our historic homes, to develop renovation ideas for our own homes, and to learn techniques for implementing those historic renovations. You will usually get to meet and chat with people who are very knowledgeable of renovations in our historic district.

As always, the East Row will provide refreshments.  You are welcome to bring additional food and beverages if you would like to contribute

Spring has sprung, more or less, so it's time to start thinking about clearing out the clutter (and bringing home new goodies) at our much-anticipated East Row Yard Sale. 

As always, our sale occurs on the second Saturday of July which this year is ...

 July 8 

9 am - 3 pm

As you do your spring cleaning, you may want to set aside a pile of items for the sale. Literally everything is in demand these days, from clothing to toys to household goods, holiday decor, tools, hobby materials, gardening supplies, pet items, and more. In addition to material items -- bake sales, arts & crafts and lemonade stands are always a hit.

It couldn't be easier for you. The East Row Historic Foundation does all the legwork including coordination, advertising and signage -- plus pays all fees for participating East Row residents.  All you have to do is take your items outside and meet the buyers. Watch for the official map and signage, coming soon. 

To register as a participant in the sale, just send your name and address to Paula Brandon, pabrand1@yahoo.com.

 If you are among the dozens of families that have already signed up, keep me updated with details and photos of what you want me to promote on the map and in our publicity. 

Thanks, 

Paula

Additional info from Tiffany Budd re the donation dumpster

I want to follow up on just a couple additional items about the donation dumpster:

• Please do NOT donate furniture. The dumpster is barely large enough to handle all the items that get donated already. Furniture will not fit in the dumpster. There are many other avenues for donating furniture.

• You can donate broken electronics and appliances. These items will be properly recycled by Junk King. Again, no large items please, only smaller electronics and appliances. If you have a large broken appliance, put it in your alley and the scrappers will gladly take it off your hands (generally).

• Please try to stack things in an orderly manner in the dumpster as much as possible. This allows us to fit in more items.

As Paula mentioned, the donation dumpster has been overflowing each year since we started this initiative, so THANK YOU for your participation with this! Also, you do not have to be listed in the yard sale in order to take items for donation to the dumpster. It is open for anyone to donate.

The additional benefit of this donation dumpster is that Junk King donates the items to multiple charities and tries to recycle anything that is unusable. They have won numerous awards for being good stewards of the community and they have been great to work with for the yard sale and other projects. They also accept and haul many other types of materials so I would suggest checking them out for future project needs.

Please join us for our next New Neighbor Welcome Party,  Thursday, June 29, 6:30 p.m. St. John’s UCC,  located at Fifth & Park. Representatives will be on hand to share opportunities to get involved in our vibrant community. Learn about our many clubs and activities as there is something for everyone! Whether you are new to the East Row or have been a resident and simply wish to learn more, please join us for a social and informative neighborly gathering! Adult refreshments provided by the ERHF. Please bring an appetizer to share. We encourage residents to invite new neighbors living in the East Row! Please help us to get the word out! Thank you!

Elaine Pearl on behalf of our New Neighbor Welcoming Committee. Questions, please text or call 513-315-7228. 

Complimentary canvas bags are being delivered Sun/Mon., June 18/19.Please text 513-315-7228 if you are a new resident and did not receive one. They will be available at the party as well! 🏡

This Italianate style home was built in ca. 1889. One of the early owners subdivided the lot and built a new home at the back of the property in 1910, where he resided until the 1950s. Subsequently, the house was purchased by a new owner, who occupied the property until his death in November 2018. It was vacant for 3 years until purchased by Karen and Jon Minzner with the goal of saving and restoring a crumbling historic structure in the unique neighborhood that we love.  

The restoration process has been arduous and challenging; extensive water damage was repaired and the roof replaced. Massive debris from years of neglect was removed. Masonry was repointed. Plumbing and electrical systems were completely replaced and modernized including contemporary HVAC. Insects of indeterminate and questionable parentage met their maker.  

While stabilizing and updating the mechanicals, the Minzners retained and restored as much of the original character as possible. They learned how to remove, re-glaze, and re-rope windows and applied their new found skills to all but one of the 17 original windows in the home. One missing window was recreated using historic techniques. Several layers of flooring were removed revealing the original wood floors, which will be preserved and refinished. The original woodwork and staircase were largely intact and will be refinished. Original transoms that had been removed have been restored. The living room fireplace that had been plastered over has been uncovered and now sees the light of the 21st century. Non-historic metal porch components were replaced with period appropriate wood. 

Some updates appropriate for contemporary life styles have been added. A full bath en suite was added to the master bedroom, a modern first floor, a full bath was converted to a powder room and laundry, and the kitchen will undergo a full modernization. The final result will be a 3 bedroom, 2 and 1/2 bath residence that will welcome families for at least another 130 years.  

Annual East Row Block Party

600 Block of Monroe ( street closes at 3pm for set up)

The East Row Block Party picnic table is BACK in its best biggest way!

Our friends and neighbors Joe Webb and Jeff Richardson, the master collaborators of smoke and heat, will be serving their top-notch BBQ.  Let’s compliment their contribution!! All salads, sides, and desserts are encouraged and appreciated. Please bring your most delicious dishes to share.  We are looking forward to a culinary feast! 

Bring your own seating, coolers, tents if desired
Music line up of neighborhood bands: Opening with: Smokin’ Zeus, followed by Annette Shepherd Trio, New Usuals, Dummy Ups, St. Evelyn, closing with One Rock Taylor

Circus entertainment and bounce house for the kids.

Our next Renovation Happy Hour will be held from 7 to 9 PM, Wednesday, June 7th, at the home of Derrick Strunk and Anthony Swanholm, who have kindly provided the following description:

 

The Timmerman House at 719 Monroe St. was built circa 1890 and is currently owned by Drs. Derrick Strunk and Anthony Swanholm.  It is a grand example of a Newport Italianate townhouse with a three-bay front, stone sills, and lintels with rope and medallion designs, bracketed cornice with frieze windows and a paired front entry. 

 

Since purchasing the home in 2018, Derrick and Anthony have embarked on a meticulous renovation, focusing initially on the outside of the property.   An 18-month construction process replacing the old one-car garage with a two-story carriage house and backyard garden is almost complete and will be featured during this Renovation Happy Hour.  The masonry and steel structure features an upper roof-top garden deck accessed by a spiral staircase and engineered to withstand 25,000 pounds.  The lower level opens from the alley to fit two cars with a separate storage area built off the main garage area.  Trifold doors open from the garage to a private English courtyard with a gravity-fed fountain and enclosed by brick walls.  All the decorative ironwork in this project was designed and built with the help of an East Row neighbor.  With attention to every detail, utilities were placed underground during construction to eliminate unsightly overhead wires.

 

The interior of the home will not be opened, but the owners promise to have a future interior Renovation Happy Hour once that work is completed. 

 

 

Join the East Row Garden Club Saturday and Sunday,  June 3 & 4, 2023 (11am - 4pm)— for the 25th Newport Garden Walk sponsored by the East Row Garden Club in the East Row Historic District, the second largest local historic district in Kentucky.

Be sure to save time for a visit the vendor market - centralized on the lawn of St. John’s United Church at Park Avenue and Nelson Place.

For more information and to purchase tickets click here.

Join the East Row Garden Club Saturday and Sunday,  June 3 & 4, 2023 (11am - 4pm)— for the 25th Newport Garden Walk sponsored by the East Row Garden Club in the East Row Historic District, the second largest local historic district in Kentucky.

Be sure to save time for a visit the vendor market - centralized on the lawn of St. John’s United Church at Park Avenue and Nelson Place.

For more information and to purchase tickets click here.

After a cancellation due to technical glitches, we are scheduling a revisit to the renovated apartment building of Mark Cooper and Jesus Calvo, known as Casa Calvo West. Much has taken place since our last visit, so we’re offering you a chance to see what the (almost) finished project looks like.

 Also, the owner of the original Casa Calvo in Spain, Ana Calvo, will be in attendance. 

216 Park Blvd., at I471 exit

 Parking is at a premium, so you may want to hoof it.More info to come

The next Renovation Happy Hour (sponsored by the East Row neighborhood association) will be held this Thursday, May 4th, 5 to 7 PM, hosted by Brant and Kellye Owens at 402 W. 9th Street in Newport’s Buena Vista neighborhood. The property was built in 1907, in the height of the Queen Anne architectural period, and over the years went through many owners and transformations. At times it was a gambling hall, a brothel, a metal stamping plant and a funeral home. Perhaps this reminds you of Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film Poltergeist, and while we can’t promise you anything quite that dramatic, we can provide conviviality, a fascinating tour and carefully selected vintagesand cereal malt beverages.

You will recognize the building by its carefully restored turret at the corner of the structure. For years it existed in a state of suspended animation, decrepit and seemingly abandoned. The building’s current owner, Duane Cronin, of Diversified Capital Management, acquired it in 2017. According to Mr. Cronin, it was a total shambles, and little of the interior of the 10,000 square foot edifice was salvageable. There was fire damage, sagging floors, and rooms piled high with trash. After a complete renovation this ugly duckling emerged as a lovely swan (here we wax poetic), consisting of six units. The Owens occupy a fine two story apartment, while the basement is finished with a large party room.

Newport’s West End is currently experiencing a bustle of activity, which we believe will become a virtuous cycle, as this part of our city contains numerous candidates for reconstruction.  We look forward to many more renovated properties in the coming months and years.  

“Please join us for a renovation happy hour: Monday, April 3rd

At the property of Ramzi Nuseibeh

1027 Washington, 5-7PM, Refreshments provided.

Ramzi adds:

We literally are raising the roof on this house to give it more room, as well as putting a rooftop deck. I believe this house will help push the East Row a little more south.

Hope to see you there!

Please join us for our next New Neighbor Welcome Party,  Thursday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. St. John’s UCC,  located at Fifth & Park. Representatives will be on hand to share opportunities to get involved in our vibrant community. Learn about our many clubs and activities as there is something for everyone! Whether you are new to the East Row or have been a resident and simply wish to learn more, please join us for a social and informative neighborly gathering! Adult refreshments provided by the ERHF. Please bring an appetizer to share. We encourage residents to invite new neighbors living in the East Row! Please help us to get the word out! Thank you!

Elaine Pearl on behalf of our New Neighbor Welcoming Committee. Questions, please text or call 513-315-7228. 

Join us for our annual Holiday Party. Main courses and drinks are on us. Bring an appetizer or dessert to share!

Visit the East Row, tour a few of the homes decorated for Christmas, explore the outside light displays and stained glass windows, enjoy a Christmas Victorian Tea and visit our local establishments for a drink or a meal.

Tickets $20 online , $25 at the door

For much more information and to purchase tickets, go toVictorian Home Tour and Tea .

ALL are invited to come and celebrate a successful Victorian Christmas Tour and Tea.

Enjoy live music by Ben Walz from 7:30 to 19:30

Food truck ( tentative) available

Beverages available from local bars and taverns

Guests are encouraged to bring food, beverages, coolers, chairs, blankets, etc.

Visit Newport’s historic East Row, tour homes decorated for Christmas, explore the outside light displays and stained glass windows, enjoy a Christmas Victorian Tea and visit our local establishments for a drink or a meal.

Tickets $20 online , $25 at the door

For much more information and to purchase tickets for the your or tea, go toVictorian Home Tour and Tea .