A cream brick revival: How an easy-to-miss 122-year-old building became Racine’s newest short-term rental | Local News
Original brickwork and metal gates can be seen at the State Street entrance to 566 State St.
RACINE — On Sunday, Preservation Racine will host its 45th Annual Tour of Racine’s Historical Sites. The theme this year is “An Eclectic Collection,” and is set to feature a variety of former industrial or commercial properties that have since been repurposed for public benefit.
Paul and Shannon Curtin opened The Furniture Store at 566 State St. in 2012 after moving out of Regency Mall. The Furniture Store closed in 2019.
The Journal Times received a sneak peek of one of these sites, an eye-catching, cream brick structure at 566 State St. Built back in 1900, the 4,088-square-foot building spent its life hosting a variety of different businesses, the most recent being “The Furniture Store,” which officially closed its doors in 2019.
In 2020, Todd Nelsen and his wife purchased the property with intentions to renovate the structure, but only if they could do so while maintaining and paying honor to its original features. After weighing all the viable repurposing options, Nelsen and his wife decided to take their proposal plans to the city for approval. The proposal in question was unprecedented — never put forward by any of the sites’ previous owners.
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“Once we got our layout that we liked, I hired an architect, because he had to drop all the little plans so that I could get an engineering stamp and go to the city and get all my permits,” Nelsen said. “So, I had to go stand in front of the mayor and aldermen and say, ‘Here’s my proposal. I want to take this commercial building and turn it into a residential, commercial block.’”
The exterior of 566 State St., built in 1900, as seen Tuesday morning.
Pointing out the blend of popular, maple, and oak wood flooring, Todd Nelsen said, “They (the original builders) pieced this floor together with whatever they could find.”
Once the proposal was approved, renovations commenced. Nelsen never broke his initial promise to remain as loyal as possible to the original structure. Aside from the cream brick shell, Nelsen retained all the functional wooden materials he could. He made it a point to incorporate other local historical artifacts wherever he was able. Many of the bricks added came from Racine’s historic Capitol-Park Theater, built in 1928 and razed in 2021.
“We tried as best we could to stay with the character,” Nelsen said. “Even the barn beams above the kitchen — those came out of an old Amish farm in Kenosha.”
After years of dedicated work, the end results of the property are a seamless blend of historic early 20th-century design and décor along with the necessary integration of modern-functional upgrades for safety and comfort.
So, what does it mean to turn a 122-year-old structure into a mixed-use residential and commercial building?
The cozy and rustic open gathering space inside 566 State St.
The patio and cream brick exterior of 566 State St.
“We decided to split the building in half and to ‘Airbnb’ the front end,” Nelsen explained. “It gives you a little bit more room here right downtown than you would get in a hotel.”
In other words, the entirety of the 2,300-square-foot front end of the building is now available as a vacation rental condo through Marina District Homes via Vrbo, one of Airbnb’s top competitors in the short-term rental market.
The Vrbo listing (vrbo.com/2389967) for 566 State St. describes itself as “Perfect for a lake getaway with friends and family” and includes two bedrooms with seven beds, two full bathrooms, a “fully equipped” kitchen, free Wi-Fi, and a game room with foosball and board games.
In Photos: Sites on Preservation Racine’s Tour of Historic Places, 2016
Charles and Imogene Carpenter House
The Charles and Imogene Carpenter House, built in 1896, is one of 12 sites on this year’s Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places on Sept. 25.
St. Luke’s Barnabas Chapel and Library
St. Luke’s Barnabas Chapel and Library, built in 1932, is one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
John and Jeanette Reid House/Lochnaiar Inn
The John and Jeanette Reid House — now Lochnaiar Inn — was built in 1915.
Emily Baker House/Christmas House
The Emily Baker House — which is now the Christmas House bed-and-breakfast — was built in 1893 and is one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
Richard and Sarah Miner House
The Richard and Sarah Miner House, built in 1870, is one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places.
Lucius and Caroline Blake House
The Lucius and Caroline Blake House, circa 1868, was one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places on Sept. 25.
Simon and Minnie Grant House
The Simon and Minnie Grant House, built in 1928, is one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places on Sept. 25. This year’s tour will feature sites in the city’s Southside Historic district.
Wheeler-Bull House
The Wheeler-Bull House was once two separate residences built in 1869 and 1881. It was merged into one home in 1903, and is one of 12 sites on the Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
Racine Carnegie Library/Racine Heritage Museum
The Racine Carnegie Library — now home to the Racine Heritage Museum — was built in 1904 and is one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
Memorial Hall
Memorial Hall, built in 1924, is one of 12 sites on the Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
George and Margaret Judd House
The George and Margaret Judd House was built in 1850, with an addition constructed in 1887. It’s one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.
Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln Monument
The Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln Monument was created in 1943 by well-known Chicago sculptor Frederick C. Hibbard. It was the first monument in the country to memorialize an American president and his wife. It’s one of 12 sites on Preservation Racine’s 41st annual Tour of Historic Places, set for Sept. 25.