Timeless East Lakeshore home retains character and elegance

• By STEVE WHEELER
• Advocate Real Estate editor
• Published: Jun 15, 2009

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With stately old oaks standing guard, the home at 2639 E. Lakeshore Drive has kept its charm and character since the late 1920s, when Baton Rouge money was clamoring to build and live on the high property overlooking City Park Lake.

Today, East Lakeshore Drive is just as desirable, and the new listing north of Morning Glory Avenue presents a unique opportunity to live on “the most coveted street in Baton Rouge,” according to Marge Mackey, who is marketing the house for Coldwell Banker Mackey.

This unique home was built in 1928, and a cypress sunroom was later added to the front by legendary Louisiana Architect A. Hays Town.

Much of the original construction is evident in the home, where old brick flooring and huge exposed cypress posts dominate the design. Old brick is also used for the sidewalk that runs the length of the driveway to the front porch. A swing hangs in the massive oak tree in the front yard - perfect for quiet evenings by the lake -- and the sunroom in front was designed by Town to take full advantage of the lake view. Walkers and joggers are a common sight around the lake.

Inside, a foyer stairway greets guests who can look right into the formal living room or left into the formal dining room. In fact, all of the views from inside the home are through wood windows, including a fabulous 30-light window to the back yard from the great room. The home’s old brick -- some staggered and some in herringbone patterns -- has an antique patina that, like wine, improves with age.

Generous use of brick and exposed wood inside has helped the home keep its character over the years. The century-old oaks in front and back have also stood the test of time, and they appear to be in excellent health. The biggest oak, whose cabled branches cover the width of the back yard, makes the perfect backdrop for parties on the flagstone and brick courtyard.

The home is perfect for entertaining, with the public areas of the house downstairs and all four bedrooms upstairs.

The kitchen is smallish, but has been updated with a Wolf six-burner gas cook top, a large Sub-Zero refrigerator, double Thermador ovens and a stainless sink, dishwasher and trash compactor. Mexican tile is on the counters.

A refrigerated walk-in wine cooler is down a short hall near the mud room, not far from the breakfast room.

The four bedrooms are in the upstairs corners of the home, with bedrooms No. 2 and 3 having a view of the lake. Bedroom No. 3 has a door to the balcony, where the best views of the lake can be found.

The master suite contains an office and is floored in antique pine. A large window provides a great view of the 300-foot lot that goes all the way back to Elissaide Drive, Mackey said. The master bath has a single vanity topped by slab marble, a tub area and a large closet. There are also three full baths upstairs.

The layout of the upstairs living area could easily be adjusted to make room for more closet or bath space in the master suite.

One of the biggest surprises in a home full of them is the private elevator, which is large enough to take a wheelchair from the first floor behind the kitchen to a small cove near the office in the master bedroom suite upstairs.