Oscar the cat has one of the best views in St. Paul.
The cat, who belongs to Ellen and Peter Brown, was one of the first residents of Kenton House at 695 Grand Ave., the posh building on the site of the former Dixie’s on Grand. The five-story development combines retail and restaurant space (such as longtime tenant Saji-Ya) and rental apartments on the upper floors, including the penthouse that the Browns now call home.
The public will be able to tour the Brown family’s penthouse unit during the Summit Hill House Tour on Sunday — along with more than a dozen homes, places and spaces in and around the Summit Hill and Ramsey Hill neighborhoods.
Based on last year’s numbers — more than 2,000 people attended the tour — high attendance is anticipated.
“It was a record-breaking turnout,” says Marcy Wengler of Edina Realty, who works in and around the neighborhoods and is the tour’s presenting sponsor.
Extras this year
In the past, the Summit Hill Association and the Ramsey Hill Association have taken turns producing the popular home tours of their historic neighborhoods. This year, though, they are partnering to host a tour together.
As usual, the tour serves as the major fundraiser for the organizations and their work for the neighborhoods they serve. This year, general admission tickets are $45 (a $5 increase from 2023).
With more volunteers on hand for the 2024 tour, there are some fun extras this year:
For an extra cost, the public can attend a dinner on Saturday at a Summit Avenue mansion that is not otherwise on the tour; enjoy Sunday brunches at a couple of tour stops or mingle at a post-tour reception at the University Club.
The tour
The tour includes 12 private residences — four of them on Summit Avenue.
“It’s a really beautiful assortment,” says Tricia Huntley, a board member of the Summit Hill Association and co-chair of the house tour committee. “The variety is really nice in terms of size, features and even decor.”
The variety ranges from 19th century turrets to 21st century terraces; there’s a bed and breakfast, too; plus, home features including stained glass, front porches and expansive grounds tucked away in the city.
Together, Huntley says, the properties illustrate how St. Paul and its homeowners have worked through time to preserve the history and craftsmanship found in one of our country’s best preserved streets and throughout these two neighborhoods.
“These homes are all pretty spectacular,” says Huntley, an interior designer. “It’s an amazing gesture on the part of these homeowners to open up their homes to the public; it’s really a gift to our community.”
The public spaces on the tour include the Lexington, the restaurant on Grand and Lexington avenues, and Cochran Park at 375 Summit Ave., which features an award-winning renovation of its pool and sculpture.
New construction
This year’s tour also features new construction: Kenton House at 695 Grand Ave., otherwise known as Oscar’s home.
The Browns and their cat moved into the penthouse, a rental, after downsizing from their single-family house on Fairmount Avenue. So far, so good, especially on their private terrace, which Peter Brown accessorized with the cedar planters he made for the space.
“Oscar loves the terrace,” says Ellen Brown. “It’s like having a backyard, but without having to mow the lawn.”
Besides their roomy apartment, which overlooks the treetops of Grand Avenue, the couple also enjoys the community spaces (with firepits) as well as seeing neighbors who span the generations and include plenty of dogs. They also look forward to the coffee shop opening on the ground floor.
It’s not easy, of course, to open your home to the public, but the Browns have done it before with their house on Fairmount and, before that, a condo on Summit Avenue.
“The main reason we are doing it again is to support the Summit Hill Association; it’s a really important asset to the neighborhood,” says Ellen Brown. “The second reason is to show off the building; we’re proud renters here and it’s nice to give people a chance to see what the building is like.”
