ABOUT
The house with its own love story…
The Declan House guesthouse is a storied place, unique and enchanting because of its unusual history and the love story written within its very walls. It all started with the home’s previous owners, Jerry and the late Linda Vandeveer. They were owners of the Wood Shack, an architectural salvage company. They loved the neighborhood and moved into a home next door to the Wood Shack in the 1990s.
When the Vandeveers outgrew this home on Baker Street and considered moving, they realized that the house adjacent to theirs was nearly identical. That’s when their labor of love began. They purchased that home and began the process of joining the two 1900s-era homes, which involved taking down exterior walls and building over the breezeway that separated the two houses. They did all the handiwork themselves, adding in historical touches from their vast Wood Shack inventory.
This construction project was truly a labor of love, for both the house and the neighborhood. The neighbors recall seeing Jerry and Linda dancing together on the expansive porch! Over time, the Vandeveers’ passion for restoration spread through the neighborhood, catalyzing neighborhood pride and beautification. Thanks to the Vandeveers, new projects like Electric Works are developing nearby, Parkview Field exists, and the neighborhood is safe and thriving.
This construction project was truly a labor of love, for both the house and the neighborhood. The neighbors recall seeing Jerry and Linda dancing together on the expansive porch! Over time, the Vandeveers’ passion for restoration spread through the neighborhood, catalyzing neighborhood pride and beautification. Thanks to the Vandeveers, new projects like Electric Works are developing nearby, Parkview Field exists, and the neighborhood is safe and thriving.
Sadly, Linda succumbed to cancer in 2018. Jerry sold the property, as well as the Wood Shack and all his other investment properties, to Brackenridge Village, an investment group intent on turning the neighborhood into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood similar to Broad Ripple in Indianapolis.
The house, which was three-quarters renovated, was leased by John Freiburger in 2020, and in 2022, he lovingly completed renovations to the house, even exceeding the Vandeveers’ standards. Freiberger has continued the legacy of love, proudly naming the house after his first grandchild Declan.
Says property manager Kristina, “We hope it is evident when you stay here how much love has been shared within these walls, and how much care went into the renovations. We hope when you stay at The Declan House, you become a part of this never-ending love story.”
