SE Sem Hts. Home Tour

There are two article in the papers about the upcoming SE Sem Hts Home Tour. For those who don't want to go on the tour, there are vendors you can come at shop at at Giddens Parks.

In the St. Pete Times " A tour of homes touches heart" A year later, Erin Parsons and her husband will open their new home to others......

And in the Tribune "A home for the holidays"

By KATHY STEELE ksteele@tampatrib.com

Published: Dec 1, 2005

SEMINOLE - HEIGHTS -- For Claude Maggi and Rich Guagliardo, the rehabilitation of their 1925 craftsman-style bungalow has been like peeling layers off an onion.

"It gets more and more involved," said Maggi, a commercial real estate investment consultant. He and Guagliardo, a residential real estate consultant, moved into their home on McBerry Street in December 2004.

Last week, construction on a remodeled master bathroom and kitchen was heading toward completion. The living and dining rooms, with polished oak floors, were decked out in holiday glitter.

Stockings hung from the fireplace mantel. A battery-operated Santa waved a candle. Tiny white lights twinkled on a Christmas tree.

By Sunday, everything must be finished and in its place.

The bungalow is the designer showcase for Homes for the Holidays, the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association's second annual Historic Home and Garden Tour.

"It's forcing us to get the place ready in a timely fashion," Guagliardo said.

Nine other holiday-themed historical houses, Seminole Heights Baptist Church and the new facility of community radio station WMNF, 88.5 FM, also will be featured on the tour.

Holiday gifts and arts and crafts will be sold at Vendor Village at Giddens Park and Kathryn Malone Community Center.

A portion of tour proceeds will benefit Joshua House, a home for abused and abandoned children.

The inaugural tour drew more than 700 people.

"We're anticipating hitting the 1,000 mark this year," tour organizer Stan Lasater said. An active civic association and a hot real estate market have boosted the neighborhood's appeal, he said.

A couple who came to the first tour bought a home soon after and their Victorian bungalow is on this year's tour.

"They had never even been to our neighborhood," Lasater said.

Guagliardo and Maggi, who used to live in Beach Park, said they liked the passion and activism of Southeast Seminole Heights.

"We want people to know Southeast Seminole Heights has wonderful homes," Maggi said. "It's a great place."

Their 2,700-square-foot bungalow was owned for most of its 80 years by the Pimm family, well-known Tampa land surveyors.

"The original architect put a lot of thought into how it would be designed," Maggi said.

Constructed of terra cotta block, "It was built to last," Guagliardo said.

Rooms have 10-foot ceilings; floors are oak and heart pine.

But there were problems. Plaster was peeled. Flooring needed repairs. An upstairs room had been closed off, unused for 50 years.

Maggi and Guagliardo have modernized while preserving the period look. About 1,500 square feet of terrace was added to the back yard. Maggi laid the intricate mosaic floor in the kitchen.

For the remodeling and holiday decorations, they worked with Jennifer Winchell of Winchell Interiors in Lutz. She combined their personal tastes and possessions with touches of her own, Maggi said.

"It's an eclectic mix that works," he said.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Southeast Seminole Heights Historic Home and Garden Tour

WHEN: 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Buses will depart every few minutes from Seminole Heights Baptist Church, 801 E. Hillsborough Ave.; parking available at the church.

COST: $10; free for ages 12 and younger. Tickets available Sunday at the church.

INFORMATION: (813) 239-0025 or www.holidayhomeand

garden.com

"We want people to know Southeast Seminole Heights

has wonderful homes. It's a great place."