For the first time, the city of Everett is recognizing a developer with a special Monte Cristo Award.
The developer, Steve Hager, led an effort to move 11 historic homes built by noted architect Edward Donovan that would have been torn down to make room for a $500 million hospital expansion.
“This was a unique effort to preserve these houses,” said Wendy McClure, coordinator for the Office of Neighborhoods. “Once the homes were moved, they were so carefully tended and sited. He created a whole new street so the homes stayed together.”
The cottage-style homes were placed on 10 acres on a newly created street called Donovan Lane, a half-mile from their original lots. Hager has been working for more than 18 months restoring each house. Four have sold.
Hager said moving and restoring the homes was first a financial decision. He acquired the homes for nothing but had to pay $25,000 to $30,000 to move each house. The homes needed substantial work, including foundations and detached garages, new plumbing and heating systems. They’ll sell for $277,000 to $375,000 each. Refurbishing the homes as well as buying and developing the land ate into most of his profits.
“There’s a slim margin, to be honest,” he said.
This is about more than making a buck for Hager. He spent the last 20 years overseeing the development of new residential and commercial buildings at Harbour Pointe. Now, he works at the Donovan site doing whatever needs to be done, including carpentry and cleaning.
He wanted to preserve the original hardware so badly he took every brass hinge and crystal doorknob home on the weekends to boil, strip and scrape off the paint. He agonized over 11 different striking colors for the houses he calls the 11 grandmothers for the aches and pains and idiosyncrasies each offers.
“I never thought I’d move from real estate developer down to the guy cleaning sinks and becoming a finish carpenter,” Hager said. “I love being involved with the houses.”
Hager also is making plans to buy a historic Weyerhaeuser building and move it to a location along the Snohomish River. That move, which will likely happen with the help of a barge, is scheduled for 2009. The building is in a spot targeted for redevelopment.
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