Holiday homes tour fosters holiday spirit
Houston’s history will meld with the present at the Heights Association Holiday Homes Tour, which takes place the weekend of Dec. 4-5 in the historic community just northwest of downtown Houston.
The homes tour, the first in the community since 2013, will spotlight four unique Heights homes that personify the historic character of the community, event organizers said.
The tour will run from 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 4 and from 3-9 p.m. on Dec. 5.
Each home will be decorated for the holidays, with musicians and carolers serving up traditional holiday music.
Shuttle service will be provided to the homes from the Heights Fire Station at 107 W. 12th St.
“It (homes tour) really puts you in the holiday spirit because it’s an oldfashioned feeling,” said Janet Buchheit, vice president of fundraising at the Houston Heights Association. “It’s neat to walk down 19th Street, our original Main Street. It feels like it’s Christmas from your childhood.”
The 2015 Heights Homes Tour will spotlight the following homes:
Sartor Home: 2222 Cortlandt. Most recently purchased in 2010, the circa-1940 home has gone through a complete, downto-the-studs renovation and expansion. Owners Daniel and Kathryn Hodge Sartor describe their home as a modern, midcentury, eclectic-style bungalow.
Klaybor Home: 1615 Cortlandt. Michael and Gayle Klaybor put their mark on the kitchen and baths of this manytimes-over warmly renovated 95-year-old home, which features a beautiful stained-glass window over the master bath and an 18th Century fountain from a Japanese Shinto Temple in the backyard.
Silkwood and Milnarich Home: 706 Mosby Circle. In keeping with the Italianate style of homes on this reclaimed residential cul-de-sac, Chris Silkwood and Gary Milnarich contracted with Sterling Victorian Homes to build the residence on a 14,000-square-foot lot in 1994.
Whitfield Home: 915 Heights Boulevard. Newlyweds Colby and Heather Whitfield purchased this circa-1919 Queen Annestyle bungalow in 2009 and fully renovated and rightsized the home for a modern family in 2014. Taking great care to match original features both inside and out resulted in the home’s nomination for an HHA Community Improvement Award.
The homes tour, said event co-chair Marianne Terrell, also spotlights the community’s close-knit and preservation-minded residents.
“We love living and working in the Houston Heights,” she said. “I personally feel this event really highlights the camaraderie and charm of our beloved neighborhood.”
Kenny Terrell, her husband and event co-chair, agreed.
“As the holidays seem to become more commercialized each year, it’s important to take a step back, slow down and just enjoy the season,” he said.
The homes tour is one of four major fundraisers for the Houston Heights Association.
Proceeds are used to maintain parks and the esplanade and jogging trail on Heights Boulevard; to maintain the historic fire station on Yale; and to promote educational efforts.
Advance tickets are $20 each and may be purchased until 5 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Heights Fire Station. Tickets also will be available at http://stores. houstonheightsstore.org/ events/.
After Dec. 4, tickets are $25. No tickets will be sold at the individual homes this year, event organizers said.
For more information, visit holidaytour@houstonheights.org or call 713861-4002, ext. 6.