The house the neighborhood had already given up on.

Two story colonial home in Historic Springfield with stacked front porches and brick entry steps

Kitchen with a marble topped island and restored heart pine flooring running toward rear glass doors

Range wall of the kitchen showing a stone backsplash and glass front upper cabinets

Close view of the kitchen island sink with a polished brass faucet and veined stone counter

Wide kitchen view with island seating and glass doors opening toward the rear deck

Living room with patterned chairs framed by a wide cased opening into the kitchen beyond

Restored staircase and paneled wainscot anchor the entry hall of this colonial home

Detail of the refinished newel post and turned balusters at the foot of the staircase

Primary bedroom in soft gray with a doorway opening into the fitted walk in closet

Walk in closet outfitted with white shelving and a small seat at the built in vanity

Full bathroom featuring a double vanity and marble look tile carried up the shower wall

Glass enclosed shower with a mosaic floor sits beside the double vanity in this bathroom

Bedroom washed in daylight from two tall double hung windows with crisp painted trim

White subway tile and twin wall mounted sinks in a bathroom with patterned floor tile

Second bedroom arranged with a writing desk beside a bright double hung window

Laundry room dog washing station with a tiled step in basin and a glass splash panel

Rear elevation of the home with a wood deck and wide stairs down to the yard

Painted Welcome to Springfield Historic District mural on a brick wall in the neighborhood

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Structural rescue: Stabilized and lifted the home off its failing foundation, built a new pier foundation, and reinforced the framing with engineered lumber before any restoration work began.
Floor plan correction: Reconfigured and properly supported the layout to structural engineering specification, correcting prior alterations that lacked adequate load-bearing support.
Historic preservation: Restored the original heart pine flooring and staircase, and crafted new millwork and paneling to complement what remained of the home’s original character.
Modern outdoor living: Added a rear deck and large glass doors connecting the kitchen to the backyard, plus a laundry room “puppy spa” for the homeowners’ three dogs.
Inspiration for a new plan: The home’s architectural character became the reference for the Centurion, a semi-custom plan that carries Historic Springfield’s proportions into new construction.

Some historic homes need thoughtful restoration. This one needed rescuing first. An earlier renovation had been left unfinished, stripping out much of the original detail while leaving the real problems untouched: an active roof leak, deteriorated framing, and foundation settlement severe enough to pull the house out of square. It had been vacant for years. Around Historic Springfield it was widely considered unsalvageable.

M&M Homes started with the structure rather than the finishes. We stabilized the house, lifted it off its failing foundation, built an entirely new pier foundation beneath it and reinforced the framing with engineered lumber, all before restoration could begin. With the house sound, the floor plan was reconfigured to structural engineering specification, correcting earlier alterations that had removed load-bearing support. The original heart pine flooring and staircase were restored, and new millwork and paneling were crafted to complement what remained of the home’s original character.

The finished house is built for the way its owners actually live, with a rear deck, large glass doors connecting the kitchen to the backyard, and a laundry room “puppy spa” for three dogs. Its proportions and detailing later became the reference for the Centurion, one of the semi-custom plans M&M Homes builds new in Jacksonville’s historic neighborhoods.

Specifications

Location: Historic Springfield, Jacksonville, FL

Neighborhood: Historic Springfield

Service: Restoration

Type of Project: Total structural restoration and renovation

Architectural Style: Colonial

Time of Completion: 9 months

FAQS

Can a historic home with foundation failure actually be saved?

Often yes, but the order of operations decides the outcome. On this Springfield Colonial the house was stabilized, lifted off its failing foundation and set on an entirely new pier foundation, with the framing reinforced in engineered lumber, before any restoration decision was made. Finish work applied over an unresolved structural problem fails twice.

What does it mean to lift a historic house?

The structure is temporarily supported and raised so the original foundation can be removed and replaced. It lets the home stay intact, including original floors, staircase, framing and exterior, while the thing carrying it is rebuilt to current standards.

How much of the original house survives a structural restoration?

More than most people expect. Here the original heart pine flooring and staircase were restored and returned to service, and new millwork and paneling were crafted to match what remained. The goal is to keep every original element that can be kept and to make replacements that are honest about being replacements.