Two separate homes on Ottawa Drive had renovations made to the exterior of their homes. The first replaced the broken concrete sidewalk with attractively-colored stamped concrete. The second home had a major restoration made of its plasterwork. Click on either image to view slideshow.

Most of the original wooden front steps throughout our historic neighborhoods have been removed--mostly due to rot--and replaced with cement steps with metal railings. 
 
None, if any, of 1920s homes had railings on the front steps.  This is apparent in 1920s house plans and catalogue pictures.
 
Decades have past since the addition of cement steps.  Now that many of these cement replacements have fall into disrepair, many home owners are replacing them with new (treated) wood steps reflecting the design of the original steps (with railings added).

One advantage of wooden steps is the option of painting or staining them in various color combinations, thus enhancing the home's historic character.

click on one of the images below to view the slideshow

You Can Be Comfortable in Your Historic Home

Since original wood windows are integral to a historic home, it benefits the owner to look at other viable options. Most heat loss is due to the fact that your historic home lacks insulation. You are literally living in a hollow box.

The Seminole Hills home pictured here has original windows with custom wooden storm windows. The blown-in insulation made a major improvement in ending drafts and major heat loss. The monthly bill for this February 2008 was one hundred and twenty dollars as compared to two hundred and fifty in February 2007 (110 CCF versus 245 CCF). The residents keep the temperature at a steady 68 degrees and find it comfortable in the winter months.

Insulating this entire home cost the homeowner three thousand dollars, and the results were significant as compared to the cost of new windows, especially wooden windows as required by the historic guidelines, and that can only be replaced by permission and judgment of the PHDC.

Contact the PHDC for more information.

The office signs for Oak Hill Cemetery had fallen into disrepair and had become illegible. Watch how Historic District Commission member John Cohassey repainted and relettered these signs.

Click here to view the slideshow

Time and the modern automobile had caused quite a bit of damage to the Oak Hill Cemetery pillar at the corner of Paddock and University. Watch how city employees and a private contractor restored this piece of Pontiac history.

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The Pontiac Historic District Commission is grateful for the work of Mr. Larry Keehn and his volunteers in the upkeep of Oak Hill Cemetary. Click on any image to see the work they are doing, and work that needs to be done. If you would like to volunteer to help Mr. Keehn, please call him at (248) 681-0484.

This 1920's Foursquare Home in Seminole Hills is being restored by the use of carbide-blade scrapers and a heat gun.

Click on the picture to see the slide show.