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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, February 27, 2002

New interest in old houses

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

For years Rick Romer used to drive by a very old home he admired on Kalihi Road every day on his way to and from work. In 1984, a "for sale" sign was placed out front, and within a week he had bought the 1927 Tudor revival-style house.

In Kalihi Valley, Rick Romer has restored a 15-room house during job breaks between assignments as a scenic designer in the film industry. He says the Tudor revival-style house, built in 1927 when the area was an artist's colony, was sold in 1932 and resold in the 1950s before it came into his hands. Romer is organizing the Historic Home Owners Group.

Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

Romer learned a lot about renovating his historic home over the years and, now, with a group of other people interested in preserving and celebrating Hawai'i's historic homes, he has formed the Historic Home Owners Group, which will hold its initial organizational meeting tomorrow.

There are thousands of such homes on O'ahu, many in the older Honolulu neighborhoods from Kaimuki to Kalihi Valley, and from Nu'uanu and Manoa valleys to Waikiki. Romer's group is believed to be the first here that is strictly focused on historic homes rather than on a specific geographical area or general preservation.

David Scott, executive director of the Historic Hawai'i Foundation, said a rule-of-thumb definition of a historic home is one that is at least 50 years old.

"There would be thousands of those and some not that old could also be considered historic," Scott said. "Homebuilding then, just like today, was done in spurts. In Hawai'i, the two most common styles that also indicate a time frame are the bungalow style, popular from 1900 through 1930, and the plantation style that lasted 50 or 60 years from the turn of the century."

Scott said that as a statewide organization, the Historic Hawai'i Foundation encourages grassroots groups being formed to help preserve homes, neighborhoods or public spaces.

At a glance

• Who: Historic Home Owners Group

• What: Organizational meeting

• When: 7 p.m. tomorrow

• Where: At the renovated Winstedt house Paki Hale, 3840 Paki Ave.

"Preservation is always local," he said. "It's always the people closest to it."

Romer is not sure what kind of interest the new group will generate, but he has already had dozens of calls from people wanting to attend tomorrow's meeting.

"We're hoping to connect everybody and see what we can do here," Romer said. "We are open to owners, renters or people just interested."

The organization, which includes members of Malama O Manoa, the Historic Hawai'i Foundation and the University of Hawai'i, hopes to present forums on topics such as preservation and restoration techniques and how to place a house on the Historic Register.

The forums would foster the exchange of information about supply resources and qualified craftsmen.

Romer, who has worked as a scenic designer in the local film industry for two decades, spent his time during production job breaks to repair the windows, walls and foundation of his "money pit" and now knows every inch of the four-floor, 15-room home.

Romer said that when the home was built, Kalihi Valley was an artist's colony.

He met the granddaughter of the family that bought the house in a bankruptcy sale in 1932 and then sold it in the early '50s. Romer says the house was used for gambling and prostitution at one point and was scheduled to be demolished.

"It is still standing and I am proud of it and enjoy it every day," Romer said. "The craftsmanship that went into these historic homes ... , each one was an individual; even if it was based on a pattern, they were oftentimes customized for the family."

Bill Chapman, director of the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Hawai'i, said people are always asking for advice relating to their old homes.

"There seems to be an audience out there that is interested in taking care of their old houses," he said. "This new organization will fill a great need."

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.