Colorado Springs Real Estate Facts & Fun

The opportunity to own a part of history doesn't come along every day. With Victorian architecture and design in Colorado this is especially the case.   This beauty stands alone as an original pioneer home built in the late 1880's and one of the first in Colorado Springs.  Rich with beauty, history and location it is a rare find.

The "Hazel House" as it is affectionally named, is a work of art as you walk by it from the outside and through it with history & original work throughout.    1880's wallpaper from Janeway and Carpenter (a  famous turn of the century textile and paper designer) was found throughout  the kitchen and can still be seen in the house. Other bits have been steamed off and donated to  the Colorado College (CC) Art Department for their works on paper teaching  collection.  CC students found the  wallpapers in a number of historic collections including the Cooper Hewitt  Design Museum in New York.

This two story beauty includes hand made Queen Anne windows, a small Van Briggle coal burning  fireplace and two upstairs bedrooms, one with a small south facing bay window.  The family that built the addition to the house had a young daughter named Hazel whose grammar and penmanship homework was found in the attic space  during the 2001 renovation. 

 

An owner from the 1950's stopped by during a visit to Colorado Springs in honor of her husband at the Fort Carson 50th Anniversary World War Two Commemoration Ceremonies. She shared fond memories of living here with her new baby and enjoyed a tour of the house bringing back long ago memories.

An incredible craftsman is also a former owner and he built and operated his first woodworking  studio in the back garage.  He continues to live in Colorado Springs and is a master and teacher at Colorado College.

The house's most notorious owner was Norman Lee an entrepreneur and pilot who was responsible for the  first airplane vehicle crash in aviation history.  His plane, which he  flying low over the downtown area to drop pamphlets, crashed into a Cadillac  on Cascade Avenue and killed the driver Richard Ragan, a local salesman.   Lee survived the crash and was "kept under surveillance at his home,  416 E. Cache La Poudre Street" by Colorado Police Chief H.D.  Harper.

Although currently for sale, it is with pride and sadness for the owner who not only put enormous effort and resources into renovating the Hazel house but wanted to keep the integrity and history of the original house.  With the original windows (extremely rare)  still in place the potential for possible inclusion on the State Historic Register exists.

For buyers who love Victorians and want something where a lot of the work has already been completed this maybe the house for you.  Work done includes:


·      Gas Boiler and all new copper radiant heat 2000

·      New T-Lock  Roof and plywood decking 2000

·      Kitchen  Remodel and all new electrical (including updated box and city hookup!)  2001

·     Upstairs renovation 2001-2003

·    New structural framing with vaulted  ceiling

·    R30 insulation throughout

·    Updated electrical

·    3/4 bath with Italian  glass tile

·    Rebuilt bay window seat

·    Hard wired fire alarms and separate bedroom  breakers for safety

·      Whole house fan 2004

·      Deck and  sliding door 2004

·      Waterwise landscaping (flagstone in front and  back, astro turf and rock wall seating in back) 2004-6

·      New water  service to outside of house on each side 2005

·      New Water  Heater , whole house water filter, and cold water temperature add back for house supply 2005

Call for availability and status as this will not last long.  $178,500 w 2 bedroom, 2 baths and detached artist studio.