1313 Massachusetts Street

1313 Massachusetts St

Anyone driving down Massachusetts Street near South Park probably has noticed the work going on at 1313 Massachusetts Street, immediately south of the Castle Tea Room. We certainly have.

The small house at this address has been vacant since 2006, and there were questions whether rehabilitation or demolition would be the next step for this property. But now new owner (and LPA board member) Pat Watkins—after a thorough and painstaking project—is putting the finishing touches on a sweet house that he brought back from death’s doorstep.

This gable-front National Folk-style house has more than a next-door connection with the John N. Roberts House, now known as the Castle Tea Room. Built in 1870, 1313 Massachusetts was sold in 1873 by John and Emily Roberts, who would later build the castle as their personal residence. After several twists and turns involving different owners—including Roberts again in 1898—and several small additions and changes over time, the two properties became connected by ownership again when Libuse Kriz Fiorito and her husband Louis purchased them in 1947 in an effort to save the deteriorating Roberts home. Libby Fiorito opened the Castle Tea Room and ran the restaurant herself until her death in 2004.

Today 1313 Massachusetts is listed on the Register of Kansas Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. The register nomination, written by Stan Hernly and available here, is a fascinating read about the lineage of ownership and different architectural styles implemented with each addition—the predominant one being the Craftsman style evident in the entry foyer, a triple window, two dormers and the remodeled kitchen.

Windows are a spectacular feature of the house, and every component of every window has been restored. It’s one of Pat’s favorite features of the home because of all the light they bring inside. Another aspect of this project that received major attention was the foundation masonry. Kyle Weiland of Stonehouse Construction personally oversaw the removal and restacking of the stones and leveling of the floor above them in a particularly complex and technical task. Now newly painted a beautiful shade of blue, the house looks great, and one can appreciate the added value of the Castle’s courtyard and historic fountain complementing it immediately next door.

This property is projected for office or short-term rental use and is using both the 25% Kansas Historic Tax Credit and 20% Federal Historic Tax Credit programs to help cover the expenses of working on a historic registered property. Part of Pat’s law practice is providing historic tax credit consulting services, so that was one subcontractor he didn’t have to search for. Keep an eye out for an LPA Old House Warming open house sometime this fall as a part of Pat’s well-deserved celebrations in successfully completing this project. We’ll let you know when a date is set. Driving by is fun, but we can’t wait to see this project up close.