Preservation group brings beauty back to bungalow home in Central El Paso

Ray Rutledge, right, treasurer of the El Paso Preservation Alliance and alliance member Kevin Wells showed a newly restored Central El Paso bungalow-style home built around the early 1900s Tuesday. Refrigerated air is among the modern amenities added to the home. The home was restored using historic preservation guidelines and will be featured in an open house today and Sunday. (Rudy Gutierrez El Paso Times)

Photos: El Paso Preservation Alliance restores central home

For several years, the home at 2731 Portland in Central El Paso in the historic Manhattan Heights neighborhood was an eyesore. But not for Ray Rutledge, a member of the El Paso Preservation Alliance, who could see beyond the caved-in ceilings, boarded up windows and dilapidated, graffiti-covered walls.

"The interior was in bad shape, but structurally it was fine. There was really nothing wrong with the building. The homes of this era were built by craftsmen and being on this side of the mountain doesn't hurt either, because we are on very solid ground," he said.

Initially, the city was going to demolish the building. But in April of 2009, the Preservation Alliance worked with the city, which sold it to the alliance with plans to restore it to its original classic American bungalow style. The home dates back to the early 1900s.

"We generally have not done brick and mortar projects as an organization," Rutledge said. "Individually, all of us have historic homes and in some cases have done multiple restoration projects but as an organization we had not."

Rutledge said the alliance took on this project hoping to show the community that restoring a historic home is a viable and better option to tearing down buildings.

The public is invited to see the completed restoration at an open house from Saturday and Sunday.

"We didn't want to lose a historic property. If it had been demolished, nothing would have ever been built and it would just have been a vacant lot for the next 80 years." he said.

Alliance members said the work has been slow but worthwhile.

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Preservation group brings beauty back to bungalow home in Central El Paso