Originally built in 1929 for Fielding Yost, legendary University of Michigan football coach, and his wife Eunice, the Colonial Revival house and half-acre lot was purchased in 2004. Needing to balance the lifestyle of a young, busy family with a respect for the home’s history and architecture, the new homeowners wanted to ensure the renovations would have minimal, visual impact.

Key to the renovation was a large addition for entertaining, including hosting University of Michigan booster events. With a directive that the addition should not be visible from the original historic home nor from any of the primary views on the site, the only option was to build down. Extending one-story below the original house and underneath the main drive, the addition seamlessly ties into the terraced backyard landscape and the historic site wall detailing.

Renovation of the existing home included widening the garage, flipping the kitchen and dining rooms, and major reconfiguration of the second floor bedrooms. The majority of floor and wall finishes and all detailing was preserved and/or restored on the first floor.

The most recent phase of work included transformation of the attic into living space with the addition of three new dormers on the rear of the house.

Access to the addition is through the historic balcony/portico on the ground level. The balcony/portico was re-built in order to install the new stair. Given the geometry of the site, the underside of the stair was inaccessible for service and maintenance; therefore, a custom “rising stair” was designed with air-springs to allow access. The stair is seamlessly hidden and requires less than 5lbs of force to open.