It’s more than a decoration — the metal image of an phoenix on a wall of Alex and Lisa Grabowski’s Indian Village Kitchen is a symbol of their home’s long-lasting legacy, as well as testament to its surprising durability.
The classic Dutch colonial, one of the oldest homes in Detroit’s distinctive neighborhood was deemed dead in 2019 after an explosion in the boiler caused a terrible fire. Lisa states that the flames had reached the third-floor.
The fire destroyed the kitchen and damaged the staircase. Smoke damage was also caused throughout the entire 5,000 square foot house. It had been built by Dr. Andrew P. Biddle. He is a dermatologist and philanthropist and the grandson of John Biddle. John Biddle was a 19th century Michigan politician who became the first mayor of Detroit.
Not everyone thought the house was a complete loss. Alex works in real estate and has worked on renovating homes in this area for many years. As he continued to work on this historic area, he fell more in love with the neighborhood.
He explains that, “Even though we had lived in suburbs for years, it was so much fun to spend weekends here.”
They had initially looked at it as a possible client, but decided to buy it themselves.
Lisa recalls the condition of the home after the fire as “completely overwhelming”. Lisa remembers that the state of the house after the fire was “completely overwhelming”.
The fire and earlier renovations had destroyed much of the interior architecture. The pair fell in love despite the fact that the house needed extensive restoration.
Alex: “We knew it was a happy home. It wanted to be saved. The layout was so beautiful and we could picture our family living here.
The house was stuccoed in gray when the Grabowskis bought it in February of 2021.
The stucco was probably added in order to update the house by the 1920s when Indian Village became popular. Alex says that the house wasn’t designed for such a weight. “It crippled it, but may have also been one reason the house survived,” he adds. It encapsulated it and protected. Both a blessing AND a curse.
They began by removing more than 35 tonnes of stucco, and then rebuilt the bulk of the roof. When they removed the stucco, most of the original architectural features remained. Alex says that the only elements inside the house which survived the fire were the front door, main staircase, French doors, leaded glass windows and the French doors.
The Grabowskis have a long history in the construction trades. Alex’s Blue Gate Michigan specializes in historical restoration and rehabilitation. The company is working currently on Dr. Ossian Sweet House, which is a landmark in the city. Lisa’s father was also a Bay City builder.
The project was overwhelming for them at times. Alex says, “I am a very determined person and knew that we would get the job done.” There were moments when I wondered, but. The couple posted their story on Instagram, appropriately named The Seminole Phoenix. They moved into their home with their five-person family eight months after sharing their journey.
They say that the house is now about 98 percent finished, but it may take them the rest of their life to finish the remaining 2 percent. They add that they have no regrets.
Lisa says, “She wanted to look pretty again.” Lisa and her friend were proud to have brought back this lost beauty. While they are happy that it was done, one time is enough. Lisa insistently states, “We will never move.” This is our forever home.
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