Livingston’s own blueprint: Local architect James Livingston designed dozens of projects including Lawton Elementary School and Weber’s (known back in Livingston’s day as Weber’s Motor Inn). In 1958, he designed 1821 Sheridan Dr. as his own residence. The 5-bedroom, 4-bath house, which sold for $1.25 million, has exposed beams and fir paneling, along with a sunken living room and a two-story foyer. Longtime owners Robert and Martha Ause carefully preserved the mid-century modern home, even keeping the pendant lights and the purple St. Charles kitchen cabinets, earning them a 2023 Ann Arbor Historic District Commission preservation award.
From blast to boom: The last time the house at 701 S. Seventh St. made the news, there wasn’t much house left to talk about. In 2024, the Old West Side home exploded after propane tanks were used indoors to heat the home, and there wasn’t anything worth saving. The rubble-filled lot was sold for $200,000. Now the property has a very different look, along with a very different price tag. A new house with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and a full apartment above the garage sold for $1.25 million. That’s quite a leap for a house that literally went out with a bang.
Related: Explosion Aftermath (Aug. 2024)
A row house with no row: 1420 Granger Ave. looks like someone dropped a piece of Stockholm into Burns Park. Built in 1967 by U-M architecture professor Kingsbury Marzolf, and sold for $868,000, the house is a striking departure from its older, more traditional neighbors. In a 2012 Observer article, Marzolf called it a “Scandinavian row house,” inspired by his wife’s Swedish family and their travels abroad. The narrow, two-story structure, which sits on what was once another home’s side yard, has brick side walls and wood paneling facing the street. The back of the house is all floor-to-ceiling windows, making the 4-bedroom, 2-bath feel larger than its 1,710 square feet. Marzolf specialized in apartments and commercial properties—this was the only house he ever designed.
Dig These Digs: Who wouldn’t love a house with its own tiny waterfall? The ranch at 2411 Londonderry comes with perennial gardens, a flagstone patio, and a fountain-fed stream tumbling over rocks in the backyard. Inside, the 2,708-square-foot home has been thoroughly updated without losing its midcentury footprint. There are hardwood floors, a kitchen with granite countertops and new appliances, and a primary suite with a remodeled bath. Downstairs, a recreation room, office, and fourth bedroom give the house plenty of space to stretch out. Its size, updates, meticulous landscaping, and Arbor Hills address helped this house sell for $1.255 million.