Walter O. Briggs Home in B-E on the Market

[Pam]

http://www.freep.com/story/money/rea...ers/472681001/

It is the imposing stone house on Boston Boulevard built in 1915 by the Detroit Tigers' then-owner Walter O. Briggs.

The house is listed for sale at $954,900. Since the size is 9,549 square feet, that’s a tidy $100 per foot.

[p69rrh51]

Interesting the house seems to have gained 1,600 sq. ft. since the last time it was on the market. While the exterior is very imposing its the most claustrophobic large house I have been in around the metro area. Then there is the "pickled" wood paneling in the entrance hall. I could not find any new interior images so I do not know if the current owners corrected that disaster. On the other hand Hill Harper is your next door neighbor.
Designed by Chittenden & Kotting, construction of the house started in 1914 and finished in 1915.

[Hermod]

Walter O. Briggs didn't buy into the Tigers till 1919 and was a minority partner until 1935 when Frank Navin died and Briggs became the full owner. The stadium was known as Navin Field until Briggs had it rebuilt and enlarged in 1938 when it was reopened as Briggs Stadium. After Briggs passed in 1952, his son tried to maintain ownership of the team, but a court ordered it sold to settle the estate. In 1915, Briggs was not the owner of the Tigers.

[Ray1936]

The team was sold to a consortium of owners headed by my cousin, Fred Knorr. Fred also initiated radio station WKNR [[call sign a contraction of his surname). Alas, Fred died in 1961 at his winter home in Florida, and, sigh, he failed to mention me in his will. If he had, the Tigers would have been world champions for a half-century. [[I'd sell it today, I need the money.......) [[but true about him being a cuz.)

[kathy2trips]

I do so love that house! One of our residential architectural treasures. I hope it has a buyer that will do it proud soon.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

The team was sold to a consortium of owners headed by my cousin, Fred Knorr. Fred also initiated radio station WKNR [[call sign a contraction of his surname). Alas, Fred died in 1961 at his winter home in Florida, and, sigh, he failed to mention me in his will. If he had, the Tigers would have been world champions for a half-century. [[I'd sell it today, I need the money.......) [[but true about him being a cuz.)

Thanks for the interesting tidbits Ray...

[Maof]

Hey Ray...Any relationship to the Knorr food products?

[kathy2trips]

Before it was called WKNR, it was WKMH...the home of the great rock DJ pioneer Robin Seymour. But I don't have to tell you that, Ray as you probably listened to it. BTW: Mickey Shorr played "the devil's music" on rival WJBK-AM and beginning July 1956 at WXYZ.

[Hermod]

Before it was called WKNR, it was WKMH...the home of the great rock DJ pioneer Robin Seymour. But I don't have to tell you that, Ray as you probably listened to it. BTW: Mickey Shorr played "the devil's music" on rival WJBK-AM and beginning July 1956 at WXYZ.

Mickey [[double sawbuck after one over half a dozen) Shorr became the Detroit poster boy for the big DJ payola scandal [[record companies were bribing DJs to get their records played more often to jazz up sales). Among many others, he was exiled from the business forever and opened a chain of shops selling car stereos.

[ABetterDetroit]

Listing with more pics and details.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...2-12188#photo0

[archfan]

Listing with more pics and details.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...2-12188#photo0

tfw your house is too big to stage.

Compare to this Curbed article from 2012 when it was last up for sale.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Disappointing how they tore out the original kitchen and bathrooms. Homes like this need to stay original. One of Walter's great grandkids told me how at the time it was all original plumbing and all and it was bought in 71 or 72 for around $62,000 I believe. Nels Michelson house the previous owner who renovated it kept everything original except for the kitchen which Gordy re-did it when he bought it but the new kitchen actually looks good.

[Ray1936]

Hey Ray...Any relationship to the Knorr food products?

Not to my knowledge. The Knorr family was actually into the insurance business for generations prior to Fred's death.

[drjeff]

Disappointing how they tore out the original kitchen and bathrooms. Homes like this need to stay original. One of Walter's great grandkids told me how at the time it was all original plumbing and all and it was bought in 71 or 72 for around $62,000 I believe. Nels Michelson house the previous owner who renovated it kept everything original except for the kitchen which Gordy re-did it when he bought it but the new kitchen actually looks good.

A kitchen from the 1915 would not be functional in 2017 in any way, shape or form. The house would gain a lot of value from a modern kitchen so it makes sense they would upgrade that room but it's great they kept the rest original.

[Michael Hojnacki]

[QUOTE=drjeff;534487]A kitchen from the 1915 would not be functional in 2017 in any way, shape or form. The house would gain a lot of value from a modern kitchen so it makes sense they would upgrade that room but it's great they kept the rest original.[/QU

It may not have had wi-fi but it still did the job....

[Meddle]

A kitchen from the 1915 would not be functional in 2017 in any way, shape or form.

A 'functional kitchen' has cabinets, counter space, running water, electric for appliances, maybe gas for cooking.

Pretty sure 'upscale' houses in 1915 had most of that.

[Neilr]

[QUOTE=Michael Hojnacki;534573]

A kitchen from the 1915 would not be functional in 2017 in any way, shape or form. The house would gain a lot of value from a modern kitchen so it makes sense they would upgrade that room but it's great they kept the rest original.[/QU

It may not have had wi-fi but it still did the job....

I expect that the job would have been done by the hired kitchen staff rather than Mr. or Mrs. Briggs.

Also, I don't believe that the leaded & stained glass windows in the living room were original to the Briggs family.

[Shai_Hulud]

A 'functional kitchen' has cabinets, counter space, running water, electric for appliances, maybe gas for cooking.

Pretty sure 'upscale' houses in 1915 had most of that.

Not too many cooks here I see. Yes, a stately home would have had all of those in the same way a Model T has four wheels, drivetrain and steering.



Lets see...

1. There's about 25 square feet of workspace [[my modest kitchen has 140).
2. 60 cubic feet of storage space, [[I've got about 300)
3. A sink that's too low with taps that provide scalding hot or freezing cold water.
4. A stove with a pilot light that will belch heat all day, everyday, no landing space and I shudder to think of the oven.
5. No task lighting, no undercabinet lighting, no overhead lighting and little natural light.
6. A refrigerator out of frame, which means it's a hike.
7. No ventilation, no dishwasher, no microwave, and probably one outlet in the place.
8. I could go on...

Point is, I'm all for preservation and historical accuracy but few people want to live in a museum. If that is a requirement for inhabiting a historical structure, you aren't going to have many historical structures.

Even if the person who bought this house had full time staff and didn't have to set foot in the kitchen that staff would be spending extra hours to produce an inferior product. It's simply not going to happen.

[Meddle]

Aside from seeing a refrigerator, that is a fully functional kitchen capable of food preparation for a family. I know many houses that are very similar to that today.

Then again, maybe the refrigerator is in the back room?

And if you shop carefully, you will find modern appliances made to look very similar to those pictured.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

A 'functional kitchen' has cabinets, counter space, running water, electric for appliances, maybe gas for cooking.

Pretty sure 'upscale' houses in 1915 had most of that.

True, but it still was the correct choice to update the kitchen, to feature modern amenities.

[Shai_Hulud]

Aside from seeing a refrigerator, that is a fully functional kitchen capable of food preparation for a family. I know many houses that are very similar to that today.

And an IBM Seletric is fully capable of handling my personal correspondence. But I don't use one.

Function is not performance. It is not realistic to expect someone, with deep pockets no less, to put up with a house that merely functions because you find it aesthetically appealing.

And if you shop carefully, you will find modern appliances made to look very similar to those pictured.

Yes, I'm familiar. Modern appliances styled to look older than they are. But they meet building codes and perform in a modern way.

I'm all for styling a kitchen to look old-timey while performing as expected. Even that didn't happen here, but maybe the next remodel will be better. Because in twenty years or less someone else will rip out the current, functional kitchen to replace it with a new one for either style or performance.