Moving Day Is Finally Near for 1921 Craftsman House in Orange

The historic Edwards House in Orange, a 1921 Craftsman residence that had turned into a white elephant, has a new owner.

Last year, the city couldn’t get even $1 for the house when it was put on the auction block. The sale was necessary because the house stood in the way of a library expansion. But there were no bidders, in part because of the requirement that it be moved at the new owner’s expense to another lot in the Old Towne Historic District.

On Thursday, city officials announced they finally have found a buyer, local property owners with a long history in the city and a penchant for home renovation. The new owners will move the house to the corner of Lemon Street and West Almond Avenue this summer.

“It’s like any good marriage. There has to be a fit,” said Library Services Director Nora Jacob of her efforts to find owners for the house. “We opened the courtship once and there was no good match. Instead of forcing it, we sought the right match.”

In 1981, the city of Orange bought the home at 431 Chapman Ave. and annexed it to the city library for offices and a bookstore. When the city launched its $16.6-million library expansion last year, officials needed the Edwards House property for additional parking.

But in Orange, where historic preservation is an ongoing community campaign, officials pledged to spare the home from a wrecking ball.

Preservationists consider the 1,900-square-foot house, named after initial owners Samuel and Lillian Edwards, an architectural gem. The house has its original light fixtures, stained-glass windows and an ornamental brick chimney.

It’s one of 1,237 homes listed in the mile-square historic district, the second-largest U.S. historic district after Williamsburg, Va.

After last year’s auction failed to attract bidders, three potential buyers approached city officials.

Among them were Linda and Joe Day, representing the Scharer Trust set up by Otto Scharer, Linda Day’s grandfather.

The Days learned through a friend of the efforts to sell and relocate the Edwards House only after the bidding was closed.

“It was an opportunity for the family,” said Joe Day, of Orange. “It was really a nostalgic trip.”

City officials said the Days, who are property managers, offered the best proposal to preserve the house in the historic district.

On Tuesday, the City Council will be asked to approve the deal, in which the Days will pay $1 for the house and donate $10,499 toward the city’s $4-million costs to expand the library.

A state grant is paying for most of the other expansion costs.

Linda Day said the family negotiated the amount of the donation in order to close the deal.

The pending sale has excited residents and officials, who had feared the Edwards House might have been moved out of town in the absence of a local buyer.

“Everyone wondered what was going to happen to that house. No one wanted it to leave Orange,” said Councilwoman Joanne Coontz.

Linda Day said that her grandparents Otto and Josephine Scharer bought the 10,000-square-foot lot at 242 W. Almond Ave. in 1932, and discussed building a store or commercial strip there. But the parcel, with its large oak tree, has remained vacant.

Beyond the initial $10,500 price tag, the family faces $30,000 in moving costs plus more than $100,000 in expenses for a foundation, garage and plumbing.

Family members plan to supervise the house’s renovation, then occupy it.

Linda Day can only imagine what her grandfather would say. He probably knew the Edwardses, she said.

“I think he’d be glad it’s still in the family,” she said.

“And that we are doing something to make the property and the city better.”