Names of family members: Jason & Lauren Baker, plus our rotten good dogs
Occupation(s): We both work for HCSC and were deployed to work from home in March 2020. Our work from home situation was a major player in our moving to Enos Park.
When did you move to Enos Park? October of 2020
What drew you to the neighborhood? We knew we wanted an older home, big trees, and a great location. We didn’t set out to move to Enos Park, but the first time we walked through the home we were hooked. We met a few neighbors on that first day and they were incredibly welcoming. We fell in love with the entire look and feel of Enos Park, the overwhelming sense of community, and the wonderful central location. We’re able to ride our bikes or walk to downtown breweries, restaurants, and visit the Farmer’s Market every Saturday. We can walk and grab donuts on a weekend morning, walk to MJ’s for dinner, and wander home through the gardens and parks.
What kind of activities have you gotten involved in around the neighborhood? We have picked up mowing a couple of neighborhood lots that are near our home, and love spending time in the Community Garden. We enjoy the neighborhood meetings, walking our dogs, and connecting with our community.
Was your house move in ready? Yes, thankfully! We have nothing but admiration for the folks who are able to rehab a home and make it shine again, but we were able to just move in! It is incredibly fulfilling to take over stewardship of such a piece of history. We are one chapter in this home’s book. About 10 years earlier it had been in danger of demolition but was saved and restored by Old Neighborhood Rehab.
What projects have you completed since moving in, or have planned for the near future? We have made a few small cosmetic updates to the home. We have had the first floor repainted (except the kitchen), and bookshelves built for a room that we consider the library and repainted the primary bedroom. The to-do list is long and includes laying hardwood floor in our home office, updating the main bathroom, updating the kitchen, and possibly finishing portions of the basement and/or attic. We love our outdoor spaces as well. We brought our hot tub when we moved and expanded the patio area for better hosting. We’ve started landscaping a cottage-style garden in the back and plan a shade garden in the front along the street. We hope to construct an outdoor kitchen area as well in the coming years.
Did you do any of the work yourself? Indoors, no. We worked with Dave Large Professional Painting to do the interior work. There is so much trim and detail that we knew we didn’t have the patience or precision for! Outdoors we have done all of the planting ourselves. The patio was poured by MDS Custom Concrete, but we do plan on building the outdoor kitchen area on our own.
Any advice for someone contemplating a move to the neighborhood and/or a renovation project? Enos Park has something for everyone! Single, two, and even three-story residences line every street and you can find single or multifamily homes to accommodate any need that you may have. Know where you excel and surround yourself with professionals in areas that you are less good at.
What’s your favorite thing about living in Enos Park? The list is so long! If we had to pick one favorite it would be the people! It was important for us to be in a diverse area. We have met so many lovely people that have so much to share. We love being able to support super local businesses and walk or bike to so many destinations. The sense of history and community is beyond compare.