604 N. Lakeside Drive
Colleen and Manny Occiogrosso

This “masonry vernacular” home was built in 1936 by George Harwood Boutwell of Boutwell Dairy and Farms. The Boutwells lived in the home until Manny Occhiogrosso purchased it in 2007 after Mr. Boutwell’s passing. The home is a contributing structure in the Old Lucerne National Register Historic District and the structure was designated a historic structure by the National Park Service in 2008. Key architectural elements original to the home include wood batten doors and hardware, Cuban tile surrounding the front entry door and planter, and the Dade County pine roof which is exposed in both the living room and family room. The original home was comprised of the carport, living room, two bedrooms, and what is now the laundry room. In 1951 the kitchen, office, dining room, and powder room were added. The covered porch was enclosed to make the current family room.

Being an architect, what first drew Manny to the home was the charming character of the architecture. Second, was the amazing view of the golf course and intracoastal waterway. This house is one of the few historic homes in the area that has large living spaces, a necessity for entertaining their large family and also provides ample wall space to hang Manny’s oil paintings and photos of Ella, their new addition to the family. When Colleen isn’t chasing after Ella, or taking photographs she loves to cook and the updated kitchen is her favorite part of the house.

All of the interior elements that were not in keeping with the original 1936 design were removed in our renovation. The new design updated the kitchen and the two bathrooms, added wood flooring and lighting throughout the house. The old “knob and tube” electrical system was replaced with new wiring. Despite the obstacles we encountered restoring and renovating an old house, the result was well-worth the effort. The new house is an artistically eclectic marriage of old and new; the modern renovations to the interior being simple and elegant, accentuating the historic architecture of the home rather than competing with it.