Elmwood Restoration

Converting a four unit Elmwood Village Victorian into a 5,300 square foot single family home is worth every penny for this Buffalo bound family of six.

STORY BY CHRIS HILL     PHOTOS BY MATT BROWN

At a time when many young professionals have chosen to move from Buffalo to pursue house, home, and employment out-of-state, a core of Buffalo folk have decided, unquestionably, that they are here to stay--a friendly regime with blood type “Go-Buffalo,” and a tie so strong to their city that they will take risks, get creative, and have patience beyond belief in order to stay.  Such are Peter and Lisa Sauer, born and raised on Buffalo’s east and west sides, respectively.  The story of their homestead is  interesting from the perspective of smart realty and eclectic home decor, but it is most inspiring to the young Buffalonian professional who might somehow defer their dream of finding the “perfect house” just long enough to realize they may already be living in it. 

     The Sauers purchased their Highland Avenue Victorian in the fall of 2001. Lisa was raised in a similar Auburn Avenue double, and was naturally drawn to the large wooden front porch, and ornate wooden foyer and staircase, while Peter was impressed by the home’s intangible benefits: off-street parking, backyard green space, a family-friendly neighborhood, and the income potential that a multi-family property could afford the couple early in their careers.  Built in 1907, the home had many of its original features such as light fixtures and woodwork intact. Yet the family had no idea what beauty would lie beneath the wood and plaster that had been covered when the home took on a two-story addition and became four apartments in the 1940s. READ MORE...