Lexington residents will have a chance to peek into eight residences in one of the city’s most popular downtown neighborhoods as part of the biannual Kenwick Bungalow Tour, presented by the Kenwick Neighborhood Association.
This year marks the sixth time the tour will be held, and according to Sara Constantine, a resident since 2007 and secretary of the neighborhood association, it’s an event that continues to garner neighborhood pride and enthusiasm.
“Everyone in the neighborhood is excited about this year’s tour,” she said. “It’s a community event that’s already become a tradition.”
A rectangular-shaped area consisting of 15 blocks, Kenwick’s boundaries include Sherman Avenue, Richmond Avenue, East Main Street and the railroad tracks along Robertson Avenue on the north. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were built between the 1920s and 1950s, but there are some Victorian-era homes along with some modern ones in the mix.
Jay Christian, president of the neighborhood association and a Kenwick resident since 2002, said that architectural styles of the area’s 900 homes range from Craftsman bungalow, with their distinctive dormer windows, to typical ranch, Cape Cod, federal, Carpenter Gothic and Victorian-style homes.
“It’s a truly eclectic neighborhood, and that’s a big part of its charm,” Christian said, adding that Kenwick is known for its very friendly, active and caring residents.
“It’s a vibrant community, where residents truly care about each other.”
Ivan Z. Newell, a former resident who was the vice president of the neighborhood association from 2008 to 2009, said Kenwick’s residents are also known for being very protective of their area’s unique architecture.
“There is a lot of renovation work going on in Kenwick right now. Considering that very few houses there are on the historic registry, remodeling can be done without restrictions,” he said. “However, residents treat their homes with a lot of respect and go out of their way to make sure the classic bungalow architecture of the neighborhood is being preserved.”
Newell, a realtor who has sold several dozen homes in the neighborhood over the past decade, said that houses in Kenwick tend to be much smaller than those in newer subdivisions, with the average size less than 2,000 square feet. However, that doesn’t stop potential buyers, who are often attracted to the community vibe and the proximity to downtown, Henry Clay Estate, Bell Court and Chevy Chase.
“It’s a very fast-moving market,” he said. “This year, many of the new listings sold within a week.”
Kenwick Bungalow Tour
Sunday, June 14 • 1-5 p.m.