Story

Built in the 1920s, this beautiful mansion is modeled after a 17th century French chateau, with intricate limestone carvings gracing both the exterior and interior. In 2006, a stairwell and elevator were added.

The 480-square-foot, four-level stairwell addition, located on the right side, and the elevator shaft at the rear mimic the style of the existing exterior. Using Indiana limestone, the masonry contractor incorporated details such as quoins at the corners and intricate carvings around the door and windows. The mason carved lintels with fruit and floral themes, jambs with scrolls, sills and keystones. Before creating shop drawings, the mason measured each of the courses, matching the lengths of stone as closely as possible. The masonry contractor applied a light sandblast finish so that the stone would appear weathered like the original stone.

The interior of the stairwell includes a significant amount of limestone. Although it is more modern in appearance, using similar materials was still important. The masonry contractor also had to transform two window-like recessed areas in the existing lower level into openings for the stairwell door and elevator. It involved removing a section of the limestone dado that wraps around the room and adding detail to the new doorways. The mason also patched the masonry on either side of the openings, recreating a diamond-shaped brick and stone pattern and locating a type of marble that was hard to match. From the inside out, the result is a seamless transition from old to new.