A dean’s design: 374 Hilldale isn’t your average Ann Arbor ranch. Designed by
Robert Metcalf, former dean of the U-M College of Architecture and Urban Planning, it’s one of sixty-eight projects he designed while juggling his teaching and administrative duties. In a neighborhood dotted with more conventional homes, this four-bed, three-bath, which sold for $610,000, stands out. The horizontal profile, expansive windows, and subtle integration with the landscape make it a recognizable example of Metcalf’s modern design.
Flashback
Dream Houses: When architects design their own homes (Nov. 2012)
Turn-of-the-century homes: Some houses capture the spirit of their era with unambiguous clarity. At 2925 Exmoor, which sold for $1.345 million, you’ll hear the 1990s calling. The five-bed, six-bath home—built in 1992—features the open floor plan, vaulted ceiling, and swooping staircase popular in design trends at the time. Across town, the six-bed, five-bath 5050 at Pleasant Lake Rd.—which sold for $975,000— was built in 1999, and it also showcases the decade’s taste for sprawling layouts and a mix of traditional and contemporary touches. The houses offer a nostalgic look at a moment in Ann Arbor’s residential development, like flipping through a yearbook of suburban design.
Appearances can be deceiving: Two properties that sold this month might look similar on the surface, but they have very different origins. Selling for $700,000, 223 E. Ann, apt. 6 is a 1,632-square-foot unit in the 1911 Armory building, a National Guard outpost converted into lofts in 1998. Its high ceilings, exposed brick, and industrial bones carry echoes of its military past. Meanwhile, 140 Ashley Mews, a 2,644-square-foot apartment that sold for $925,000, is in a group of buildings that make a deliberate nod to old city charm. Brick walkways, quaint brownstone facades, and front stoops give the appearance of history without actual age—Ashley Mews is less than thirty years old.
Flashback: At Last, a New Use for the Armory! (Aug. 1996)
Dig These Digs: A newly remodeled 3,005-square-foot home along the Huron
River has all the trappings of a dream retreat: heated bathroom floors, a wine cellar, even a mudroom with its own doggy shower. It’s nestled on a wooded half-acre lot that feels a world away from the city. The previous owners left no luxury unturned when remodeling the four-bed, three-bath at 333 Riverview, which sold for $1.4 million. However, the railroad tracks slice between the house and the river, a reminder that even the most enviable locations come with drawbacks. Call it part of the charm (or at least, part of the soundtrack) of riverside living in Ann Arbor.