This is from Hannah Maple, who with her husband is the new owner of the long-neglected house at 18 Mentelle Park. Because there has been much neighborhood interest in the house’s fate, she provided this update:
I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and my family, as the newest members of your wonderful neighborhood. We are the Maples, Hannah and Corey, and we have three children — Hazel (5), Sam (3), and Max (19 months). I know many of you have been quite concerned, and interested in, the future of the notorious 18 Mentelle Park home. And, I still can’t believe we are able to share this news, as it’s been a very long-awaited victory for our family, but, as of last Wednesday, we are incredibly excited new owners!
I, Hannah, was born to an architect father, and an appreciation for architecture and historical preservation runs deep in my blood. I have a background in interior design, having run a design business for 10 years, and I have quite a bit of experience with construction and renovation. My husband, Corey, owns a marketing company, and together we own Wilson’s Grocery + Meat, from which we currently live just across the street.
To say I have been obsessed with the 18 Mentelle property for years is really a bit of an understatement. And, although it’s a longer story than this introduction really calls for, Corey and I have been tenaciously pursuing that house for the past four months, and our efforts finally paid off when Heritage Baptist Church voted two weeks ago to accept our offer, which we made in early December. We are so very grateful to be the lucky recipients who have been given this incredible chance to bring life back to this property once more!
I know just how many people have wanted to purchase this home, and I still can’t believe it ended up in our hands, though we truly feel it was meant to be. (Eighteen is our “lucky” number, and we have felt deeply connected to that home for years.)
Fun fact: we ended up purchasing this property sight unseen. So, last Wednesday (March 18th), Corey and I left the closing table with the home’s keys, and set foot inside, and our eyes upon its interior, for the very first time. And I have to tell you, we were nothing short of blown away!
We had heard rumors that the interior was just as dilapidated as the exterior. And although it does need quite a bit of work, as most homes built during that era at some point do, it’s structurally sound, and much of the 1907 bones are preserved and intact. The interior is incredibly grand, with large-scale rooms, very tall ceilings — the second story has an 18-foot ceiling at its peak — and beautifully detailed interior architecture.
As we begin to clean up the expansive yard, we expect to uncover even more treasures! Just last week we found a limestone and brick patio that had been completely grown-over with grass and weeds.
Now that you know a bit about our family, I want to reassure you that this home is now in the most appreciative of hands. It has been such a dream of ours to own this property, and although we will be incredibly sad to leave our beautiful home on Cramer, which we recently renovated and added onto, we know that this home on Mentelle Park was meant for our family, and we are beyond excited to raise our three children there.
We very much intend for this house to be our “forever” home, and we very much intend to take the most wonderful care of it. After all, we are only the third family to have owned it, and we do not take that lightly — we feel it’s our responsibility to bring a much-needed light to this property once more, and ensure that the home’s history and integrity are preserved for this neighborhood, and all of Lexington.
I am in awe of the thought, integrity, and time that went into the design and construction of this house nearly 113 years ago, and we will put just as much thought, integrity, and energy into rehabilitating those wonderful bones. Corey and I sincerely look forward to joining your neighborhood, and establishing our family’s roots at 18 Mentelle Park. And we’re still pinching ourselves that she’s actually ours!
We wish you all the best — that you’re enjoying this beautiful weather, and staying safe. If you see us in the yard — we’re often out gawking at our new home — please say, hi! We look forward to meeting you.
