February 21, 2024 | Housing
The Harvey House: From Hearth to Home
Recently, a completed rehab of one of our newly acquired homes received a tour by the prior owner and the Matthew 25 team, bringing blessings to all in attendance.
Matthew 25 recently completed the renovation of one of our acquired homes, and last week invited the former owner, Charles Harvey, along with his daughter Jill and son-in-law Doug, to tour the home with the Matthew 25 team. They were thrilled to see all of the improvements made.
As he wandered from room to room, Mr. Harvey shared many fond memories of owning the house, originally constructed in 1880. When he purchased the home in 1966, he moved the fireplace mantel and hearth from his previous residence to where it remains today. He was delighted that Matthew 25 preserved it for future families to appreciate as much as he had over the years.
Chatting with Clint Twedt-Ball, Brenner Myers and the Matthew 25 team, Mr. Harvey reminisced about painting the rooms in vibrant 1970’s colors, building a bunk bed for his son, installing speakers in the walls and remodeling the upstairs bathroom to include a shower.
Mr. Harvey shared poignant memories of the Cedar Rapids flood of 2008. He recounted that when the main floor flooded with over 4 feet of water, he moved upstairs. It was warm on the top floor, so he bent down to open a window and then struggled to get back up. He called the authorities and waited for 7 hours until they were able to rescue him. He was very thankful that his front door survived the flood with its beautiful etched glass artwork. He also reported that the flooding caused his steps to float away from the home. Luckily, he discovered them at a business down the road and returned them to his home. He also had a dock from Ellis Harbor float into his yard and land on his porch.
Mr. Harvey lived in the home until 2022 when he sold the property to Matthew 25 and moved in with Jill and Doug. Following the purchase of the home, Matthew 25’s Housing Team worked with Steve Miller at Corridor Construction Company to complete the rehab, and turned Mr. Harvey’s home, complete with his treasured fireplace, into a home for a new family to appreciate its charm and history.
At the end of the walk-through with Mr. Harvey and his family, Clint and others offered blessings for the house and all future residents who will live there.
If you have a property you would like Matthew 25 to turn into quality affordable housing, contact us.
