ANDERSON, Ind. —
While home ownership is a distant dream for most college students, Steve Marstall jumped at the opportunity to acquire a rental while he was studying at Purdue University.
“My dad helped me buy it,” admitted Marstall, owner of All-American Construction. “He’s always had some rental properties and he knew the family that was selling this one. It was a great start.”
Not only did Marstall enjoy income during those early years, but once he graduated, he already had a place to live. Since moving into one side of the duplex in 1995, he has been steadily renovating the property — and renting the other side to friends.
Built in 1913, the Madison Avenue home was once spacious and regal. At some point, a previous owner divided the living space into a duplex. Most large historic homes were parceled out during the Great Depression.
“One of the things I did was pull up the carpet to find the original hardwood floors,” said Marstall. “You can see how this wall was erected right in the middle of the pattern on the floor.”
Typically the planks in hardwood floors create a rectangle around the outside of the room and lay in one direction in the middle of the rectangle. But the wall of Marstall’s game room cuts right through the center of the rectangle. On the other side of the wall, the second living area sports a mirror image of this floor.
Helps to own company
Not only did Marstall restore the hardwood floors to a beautiful, smooth state, but he also refurbished the trim to reflect its original light glow rather than the dark tone added by years of varnish.
In addition to reworking the beauty that was inherent in the home, he has been finishing areas that were very rough. Restoration of the garage and driveway, including the removal of old concrete and the addition of a privacy fence and charming garden area, has substantially improved the outside property.
With a desire to utilize the basement, he has been transforming concrete walls and creepy corridors into pleasant living areas. His bedroom, now in a quiet and secluded part of the home, appears as lovely as the upstairs rooms.
Since such a great amount of work was needed for this home, it is fortuitous that Marstall owns a construction company. Getting an early start at his father’s side put the love of repair and restoration in his heart.
“Construction is just what I’ve always done,” he said. “I remember I built a deck around a pool with my dad when I was in the eighth grade. He had a lot of rentals and so I did a lot of work for him. I just like fixing up houses.”
Triumphs, heartaches
Honing his skills even further was his nine years as the service and technician manager for Redbud Homes. By the time he was finished there, he had repaired almost every problem he could imagine.
Now as he works on various jobs, he encounters both triumphs and heartaches.
“One time I worked for a guy for five months restoring an old building downtown,” he recalled. “We textured ceilings and put up all new drywall, worked on the trim and had everything looking brand new. It was beautiful. The guy who owned the building sold it and it was torn down right away.”
Hoping to use that building as a showcase for his work, Marstall was sorely disappointed. But sometimes unexpected pleasant surprises come his way as well.
Several of the most unique items in his home were finds discarded by homeowners that employed him.
And somehow, these unwanted items (plus a few antiques) fit perfectly in his historic home.
Each week, Emma Bowen Meyer features a Madison County home. If you know of a home that should be showcased, send an email to emmagoldiemeyer@yahoo.com.
Community
Related Photos
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Restoring the original woodwork in the Marstall home has added charm and dimension to the rooms.
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Steve Marstall enjoys entertaining friends in his 'man cave,' complete with a pool table and a bar.
Discussion
Getting your hands dirty
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