BY
ERICA SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ
As
Tom Swarm stands outside his newest project at 391 Rhode Island Avenue, a woman
parks her car to ask him about the construction taking place there. She`s not
the first. Others have stopped by the old Frazier`s Funeral Home, located in
historic LeDroit Park, curious about the changes that are occurring right
before their eyes.
The
building, constructed in 1910, is being turned into apartments. Mr. Swarm
bought the property in September 2011 after falling in love with its old-world
style and potential to be converted into stylish apartments. After a single
competing bid, he got it for $850,000.
``The
properties I buy are always historic in nature,`` said Mr. Swarm, who would fit
in on the set of ``This Old House.``
Mr.
Swarm said he used to own a retail photo business, which gave him valuable
construction experience every time a store was built-out or remodeled. When he
saw the writing on the wall about the future of photography, he sold his
business and entered the world of construction and remodeling full time. Mr.
Swarm said he has been rehabbing old buildings for the past 15 years.
The
constant flow of traffic at the corner of Rhode Island Avenue and Florida
Avenue NW, where the building is located, was not a deterrent to Mr. Swarm. He
called the intersection ``prominent and busy,`` and said the nearby metro
stations, restaurants and nightlife would attract renters. ``It`s the type of
apartment for two roommates or young couples. We have four other small
apartment buildings in the area—they usually end up with young married couples
and young professionals,`` he said.
When
renovations are complete, Mr. Swarm said the building will have six two-bedroom
apartments, each approximately 1,100 square feet in size. Rent will be
somewhere in the $2,500 per month range. Apartment amenities will include
hardwood floors, custom woodwork and modern appliances. ``They are certainly
upscale apartments,`` said Mr. Swarm.
The
building is actually two townhouses that were combined in the early 1900s. This
gives the building the advantage of having multiple doors for individual
entrances. ``It`s nice to have your own entrance,`` said Mr. Swarm.
So
far, the most notable detail of the renovation is the façade`s transformation
from ``formstone`` to its original brick. Mr. Swarm explained that in the mid
1900s, formstone was a popular material to install on the exterior of brick
buildings because at the time, brick was considered ``outdated.``
Fashions
come and go, however, and the brick exterior that has been hidden for so long
is now being restored to its original beauty. Mr. Swarm said that at a cost of
more than $50,000, removing the formstone was considerably more expensive than
leaving it in place. He is also adding back exterior trim pieces and brick
details that were removed when the formstone was originally installed.
Mr.
Swarm said he expects the renovations to be complete in fall 2013 at a total
cost of $2 million.
Although
the building`s use as a funeral home is familiar to residents of the area, the
building first served as a real estate office. Mr. Swarm said a real estate
agent set up shop there in the early 1900s. He said the building was then
bought by the Fraziers, a couple who turned it into a funeral home in 1929.
According
to Mr. Swarm, funeral homes were cutting edge businesses in the 1930s and the
Fraziers prospered. The Frazier family sold the building 15 years ago and the
business continued under the name Frazier`s Funeral Home until it closed and
was sold to Mr. Swarm. ``There`s a lot
of history behind this place,`` he said.
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