For the Residential Rehabilitation of the Percy J. Olive House, 206 South Salem Street, Apex
Graham and Kim Shirley purchased the circa 1900 Queen Anne-style Percy J. Olive House in September 2015 with the intention of making it their home. Although constructed as a residence, the house had, in recent years, been used for commercial purposes. After rezoning from commercial to something more flexible, the Shirleys launched a two-phase project that would take the better part of a year. The result is a stunning rehabilitation/expansion that ensures that the Percy J. Olive House will continue to be a vibrant part of downtown Apex for generations to come.
Phase one consisted of the rehabilitation of the existing structure including all new wiring, plumbing and HVAC along with the installation of 22 new piers and three steel beams, as well as replacing/reinforcing joists and plates as required, in order to make the house structurally stable. In addition, one half-bath was converted into a full bath, while a second half-bath was relocated. A modern kitchen with a center island was installed as well as a laundry/pantry area. New exterior grade doors were custom made to match the existing front door. Existing windows were restored and repaired as necessary by Double Hung, LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina. Acoustical tile covering the original tongue-and-groove ceiling was removed to expose the original finish. In the front parlor, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, including a rolling ladder, were installed to create a library. Existing hardwood floors were refinished and, where necessary, repaired/replaced with reclaimed heart pine. Modern French doors in the center hall were removed to restore the original configuration. Trees that were threatening the roof were pruned away and large shrubs that blocked the front bay window were removed. A new roof and period-appropriate half-round gutters were installed to direct water away from house. The non-historic brick front steps – causing some rot in the tongue and groove porch boards – were replaced with period-appropriate wood steps. Enhancing the view from the road, new landscaping and a white picket fence were added to the front elevation.
Phase two involved a sympathetic and compatible addition to the back of the house that blends the old with the new. The addition was designed to be compatible with, yet distinct from, the existing house and features an inner courtyard for a kitchen garden. Siding and two windows that were removed from the back of the original house were reused on the addition. The siding was used as shiplap in the back entry and the windows were used in the master bedroom. While the addition has the same roof height as the original house, it consists of a story-and-a-half containing a master suite, back entry and screened-in porch on the first floor along with two bedrooms and a bath on the second floor. Exterior trim details match the existing home; and, on the interior, reclaimed heart pine floors, in keeping with the original heart pine floors of the main part of the house, were used downstairs.
The Board of Directors of Capital Area Preservation, Inc. is pleased to present a 2016 Anthemion Award to Graham and Kim Shirley; Pell Street Studio, PLLC; B-K Builders; Double Hung, LLC; Earthscapes Land Design, Inc. for the Residential Rehabilitation of the Percy J. Olive House, 206 South Salem Street, Apex.