Designed by prominent Portland architect, John Calvin Stevens and constructed circa 1899, the Drew House at 143 Vaughn Street is one of many historic houses that define the character of Portland’s West End.
When Andrew and Jessica O’Brien purchased the Drew House in 2011, it was in a rather sad state and had lost much of its former prestige. At the time of sale, the O’Briens had no way of knowing the extent of the house’s deterioration.
Much of the rot and flaking lead paint was concealed behind cheap plastic siding and the porches were structurally unsound. The craftsmen of Rousseau Builders and Bagala Window Works were hired to restore the property with accuracy and attention to historic detail while preserving as much of the original structure and materials as possible.
Rousseau Builders reconstructed all porches and entryways according to the original John Calvin Stevens drawings and replaced deteriorated clapboard siding with new quarter-sawn pine clapboards that matched the original siding both in material and workmanship.
Bagala Window Works restored 47 of the existing windows according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Preservation and installed new traditional wooden storm windows.
Because of the thorough attention to historic detail and sensitive treatment of historic fabric Maine Preservation is pleased to present a 2012 Honor Award for restoration to the Drew House project.
