GEORGE MANOLAKOS

Description

Welcome to the Conny Meade carriage house & stable! Constructed in 1902 for T. Ellwood Allison at the age of 24, he likely inherited significant funds from his grandfather that established one of the largest box car manufacturing companies in the U.S. As an adult, he was a significant player in real estate around Media. In the early 20th century, he owned over 150 acres that was developed for residential use. No expense was spared for the creation of this amazing building. Originally, the horses were kept in the northern third of the building. This section was crafted with white glazed brick interior walls that housed 5 stalls. The original stall dividers are crafted in iron with solid brass finials while each stall had brass metal rings used to hold the horses in place. Three of those dividers remain within this living space now! A pedestrian door is centered in the rounded turret portion that rises three stories. This cozy entry/sitting room is anchored by a large stone fireplace. Directly to the left of this entry remains the original carriage doors that provide access to a large un-finished storage room. The Southern third of this floor was for the storage of the carriages that retains all of the original beadboard walls and ceiling! Upon conversion to a residence, the floors were elevated and one of the barn doors was permanently affixed in place, while the other half of the barn door remains that still provides access to the storage room. Two of the original stall dividers were relocated to this space to provide a visual break between the dining & entertaining portions of this space. This one area is over 1,300 square feet! A spacious kitchen connects the two sides of the building that provides direct access to the rear yard & inground pool. There is also a breakfast room with built-in cabinets. The current owner has made significant enhancements using Bryant Phillips Construction to the 2nd floor as well as to the exterior of the home. All of 2nd floor walls & ceilings were removed to insulate the entire structure & the ceilings were raised 2’ to their original height. Both bathrooms were completely renovated & reconfigured. An entirely new HVA/C system was added that provides central air conditioning & heat to the entire 2nd floor. All of the windows on this floor were also replaced. The most significant change came in the turret bedroom! A custom series of curved bookshelves were crafted around the three windows with downlights installed. The ceiling was removed from the turret to expose the original structural elements. Insulation was added & a custom designed turret cap was installed higher into the space to allow for the addition of a ceiling fan. There is a wood burning stove in this space as well. At the end of the 2nd floor hallway is a door to even more (1,500 SF of unfished) space! The entire width of the southern portion of this floor provides further opportunities for the next stewards to expand the living space. As if that isn’t enough, there is a spiral staircase to a massive loft area that is centered under the main roof & cupola. A previous owner actually used this space for additional living (even though it is not heated) and installed plumbing in the loft! There is a toilet, a small clawfoot tub & a pedestal sink in this area that has been shut-off by the current owner. On the outside of the property, the current owner removed all of the vinyl siding that was installed by a previous owner and replaced it with Hardie plank boards & just repainted in 2023. There are perennial beds surrounding the front and side yards anchoring the building to the landscape with an abundance of blooms. There is a large covered portico over the carriage bay entry that is a great shady place to enjoy al-fresco dining. Just outside of the kitchen is a stone patio within the fenced area for the inground pool. Come explore the uniqueness of the Conny Meade carriage house & stable, and you too will fall in love!

Features