Historic Ocean City Home Saved by Community

mvitale

By MADDY VITALE Sometimes in life, preservationists who have an interest in saving historic sites really do win. That is exactly what happened when a group of concerned Ocean City residents, many of whom live in the Historic District, spoke out about the condition of the nearly 130-year-old home that was up for sale and pushed for its repairs. And more than a year later, after months of uncertainty about the fate of the home, a family has purchased it. The Edwardian-era house at 615 Wesley Ave., if not purchased, was feared to be heading for demolition, in part because of its run-down condition. But it was recently sold. Now, the buyer, Christine Lihou and her family, are working to restore the home to its original stately splendor. Christine Lihou could not be reached for comment Monday. However, she and her family appear to have big plans for the house that sits in the heart of the Historic District. Lihou has already chronicled some of the family’s progress on the Facebook page, Ocean City Old Home Lovers. She has also created a new Facebook page to give people a view of the work to bring back to life the original guest house, “The Genevieve.”

The new owners work to remove what they call a metal skirt. (Photo courtesy of the Facebook page, "Restoring The Genevieve." The residence also was once the Koo-Koo’s Nest bed and breakfast, according to online real estate records.

The social media page Christine Lihou fittingly called "Restoring The Genevieve:" gives followers a view into the home's transformation.

“The process has started. The first thing to go was what we called the hula skirt, which is an old aluminum siding,” Lihou posted. “After several blades and tired shoulder muscles, the hula skirt is gone.” The home has been classified by the city as a “key building” in the Historic District, the highest ranking for historically significant structures. The family has already uncovered some pieces of the home they believe are definitely worth restoring. “The girls were investigating the floors and seeing what lurked underneath really bad laminate and several layers of horrible flooring,” Lihou said, while providing a photo of the flooring on social media. “Their work was rewarded with finding gorgeous floors and this one, in the dining room, was painted.” Richard Barth and Jay and Kathy Hogan were among the Ocean City residents who helped keep the community apprised of the status of the home. They also urged city officials to order the former owner to clean up the property.

Residents in the Historic District worked for over a year to save the home. The former owner, RJGVB LLC of Shippensburg, Pa., cleaned up the property after the city sent a litany of violation notices. Avery Teitler, the attorney for the former owner, could not be reached for comment despite numerous attempts to contact him over the past year. Community members held a meeting at Barth’s home in the summer to discuss what they could do to ensure that the home was cleaned up and possibly saved from demolition. According to the latest information on the real estate website Zillow.com, the five- bedroom, five-bath home was originally listed at $999,000, but was then under contract for $849,000. The Hogans sent out emails to the Historic District community, city officials and other interested parties on a regular basis to keep them updated on the status of the house.

The new homeowners want the residence to be returned to the original bed and breakfast. (Photo courtesy of Facebook) On Monday, the Hogans sent OCNJDaily.com a comment about the sale and the beginnings of a restoration for the Wesley Avenue home. “We are both looking forward to getting to know the Lihous,” the Hogans said. “Lots of hard work ahead, for this happy family.” Posters were thrilled and remarked on the Ocean City Old Home Lovers social media page. Bev Halpin Stirling posted, “Somebody gets it! I love it when people save the old Ocean City houses.” Bernice Mchale called it “Great News!!” “So much persistence and concern for this old house!!" Mchale said. "A perfect example of the fight left in the OC community to preserve the charm that we old home lovers truly value and appreciate!” And Zachary Lizzio touched upon the community coming together for the piece of history. He posted, “All that contributed to keeping this home from being torn down, I thank you all!” Lihou thanked Barth and others for their best wishes and support. “We hope to prove worthy of her and the neighborhood,” Lihou said of the old house on social media. “She will once again be “The Genevieve”! Thank you, Richard for lighting the fire! We will post progress as we re-discover her beauty.” Richard Barth, who, like the Hogans, lives across the street from 615 Wesley Ave., summed up the fight for the house on the Ocean City Old Home Lovers Facebook page. “They said it was beyond repair. They said it was not safe to show people. They said tear it down. It wasn’t beyond repair. It was safe to show,” Barth posted. “And it won’t be torn down. It is been here for 100+ years. And it will be here for the next 100. Welcome to the neighborhood Christine Lihou and family!”