A very Brady nightmare turns out to be a real find for old-house lovers with a vision and now, a view.
By ELIZABETH BETTENDORF
Published May 14, 2004
BEACH PARK - The 1960s ranch house with the shoe-polish white wrought iron and front doors to match wasn't exactly the historic home Craig Shatto and his fiancee, Rae Catanese, were seeking.
In fact, the couple, both in their 30s, currently live in a properly aged 1926 Seminole Heights bungalow.
When it came time to buy the house where they would share married life together, they wanted something similar.
"The idea," says Shatto, "was to buy a 1920s or '30s style home or have that style."
"Not an extreme makeover," as Catanese likes to joke. Not something that would require investing their life savings.
But things didn't quite turn out that way.
First a little back story:
A decade ago, Shatto led an effort to preserve one of Hyde Park's most poetic little streets, Bungalow Terrace - the one between Swann and Inman avenues that you can't drive a car through - and honor it with a historic marker.
A self-described history buff who holds a degree in art history, Shatto, 39, spent 14 years working in marketing and public relations. Aside from fishing and bike riding, he adores the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and tagging along on archaeological digs.
In the early '90s, he lived in a 1916 airplane bungalow once occupied by writer Alec Waugh. A true history sleuth, he even tracked down one of Bungalow Terrace's earliest homeowners and a cache of precious, early photos of the neighborhood.
Get the picture?
So, when Shatto and Catanese started house hunting six months ago, the couple looked all over Central and South Tampa.
In late March, they finally bought a 1,400-square-foot 1960s ranch house along West Shore Boulevard in Beach Park.
"Settled on" is a better phrase.
"It was something we both agreed on," Catanese explains.
It was also a good value.
They paid $276,000 for it. Homes in the area, depending on size, location and condition, range from about $400,000 to over $700,000.
No, it's not exactly historic, Shatto concedes.
But it's within shouting distance of plenty of 1920s and '30s Mediterranean-revival style homes.
He plans to make it look just like the others in the neighborhood with an extensive renovation that will add a second story, a front courtyard and an old-world Mediterranean look.
Better yet, it's on the water.
Shatto and Catanese, both Realtors, were willing to overlook the home's obvious downfalls - busy location and way-outdated Brady Bunch interior and exterior - because of what was in back: a shaded yard with a deck overlooking a sleepy canal.
On a breezy spring afternoon, the couple sits in camp chairs on the dock, leafing through sketches with their general contractor, John Velge, of Banyard Construction.
Mullet and catfish jump by a tangle of mangroves that give the setting an old Florida look.
"There are homes all over that are this price and not on the water," explains Catanese, 35, who grew up in Clearwater and loves boating.
She remembers taking a look out the back window at the water, where a family of ducks paddles by daily. "And I knew this was it."
Still, the couple worries about the low tide water and dredging issues that dog the neighborhood. They worry that young struggling homeowners like themselves will be stuck with the bill.
"We know the water is low," Shatto says. "But we're willing to make an investment in this neighborhood and its future."
They decided to take the plunge and renovate properly from the start.
Tearing down the solid, concrete block house wasn't an option because demolition is so expensive. Still, they're gutting 80 percent of the interior and adding about one-third more living space.
"It's a lot more challenging than building a new house," says John Velge. "Starting fresh is easy."
They've hired Tampa architectural designer Alan Dobbs to mastermind the 1960s to 1920s transformation. Catanese's mother, Catherine Catanese, owner of Metropolitan Decor, will design the interior.
When it's finished, the house will look backward as well as forward. The stucco exterior will feature traditional wooden garage doors, and a gated courtyard that will serve as an entryway to the front door. It will offer plenty of room for entertaining.
Their plans include some cool, up-to-the-minute touches: Bare concrete floors, stained for an interesting, antique-ish Mediterranean look, mosaic-tiled kitchen counters and a cylindrical, space-saving Japanese tub.
For the time being, they plan to leave the deck and waterfront patio area alone until they have the money to update, Catanese says.
Still, that back yard, with its view of diving pelicans and kayaking neighbors, will make for some great Florida parties. They even went fishing the other day, a first for Catanese, who reeled in a catfish.
"All we do is work, and life is too short not to be able to enjoy it," Shatto says. "Our plan is to relax more."
