The house is located just outside of the Ellicott City Historic District, originally part of a larger 19th century Arthur Pue’s Temora farmstead in Howard County.

Set at the top of a gentle rise and surrounded by lawn, the 3.5 acre remnant farm property consists of the original 1850s stone house with added 1905 large foursquare at the front and stone smoke/spring house on the side. Existing and new proposed suburban development surrounded the project.

The house has been altered over time and was split up into different apartments. A local developer who was undertaking the development of the nearby townhomes also undertook the rehabilitation of the house for mixed us. Following county agreement, the first floor of the main house will function as a meeting house for the local Howard County Historical Society and the other spaces are being converted to a moderate-income housing apartment and a market rate apartment.

The objectives were to restore the historic character of the house while adhering closely to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The exterior and interior finishes also had to reflect the values of the local historical society. Non-historic finishes, including aluminum and asbestos siding, vinyl windows and doors, were removed. Existing board and batten and cedar shingle siding were restored. New period-appropriate aluminum clad windows were installed in the existing openings, with details reflecting the historic character of the time. Exterior work included refurbishing the exterior porches to include historic, long-lasting materials such as cedar, ipe, and stone.

On the interior, partition walls that divided and masked the original layout of the first floor were removed and the original floor plan of the house revealed along with added interior fittings for an accessible, code compliant, multi-purpose space.

The two apartments were skillfully reconfigured to allow for an open, continuous and well-functioning plan layout, while maintaining the existing character of the house including stairs, chimneys, and interior finishes such as wood trim, floors, and plaster.