The Restoration of an Icon: Iris Club Luxury Apartments

March 27, 2015

11:08 AM

After sitting dormant for years, the Iris Social Club in Wyomissing is in full bloom again thanks to a caring local developer. In its heyday, the private club served mostly the upper crust of Reading. Under its new ownership, former Club guests can now upgrade to residents. While some of its amenities (a ballroom, library and bowling alley) have changed, its name (honoring the late horticulturist Bertrand H. Farr) and other quaint aspects of the building remain the same.

Iris Luxury Apartments

The renovation work was completed by owner Mike Chervanick of Chevrock Property & Construction Services, Reading, in May of last year.

Over time, the untouched brick and stone building, nestled between other majestic buildings in the quiet residential neighborhood, lost its curb appeal. “It was covered in weeds,” says Mike, who initially only gave the property a passing glance while jogging on Fairview Avenue one day with his wife.

But on another day, after jogging through Happy Hollow Park, behind the club, the landscape and the building’s potential became clearer. Simply put, the backside of the building was better looking than its front.

This One's a Keeper

Mike, a Leesport native and 2000 graduate of Holy Name High School, started investing in real estate in 2004 with single family homes as rentals. He used to do all the work himself. Today he has an army of tradesmen that he counts on for electrical work, woodworking, welding, excavation and more.

For this job, a preliminary floor plan was crafted and carried out by Brendan Line of Bline CAD Design and Drew Weyandt of Cross Keys Millworks. After some fine tuning, a complete design was prepared by Patrick Motley of Motley Associates Inc., Shillington.

A Rare Flower

From the start, everyone involved in the project was determined to preserve the historical aspect of the building by repurposing original materials and refurbishing others to keep its overall look and feel authentic.

The first step in the process of the makeover was the pointing of failing or thin mortar joints. “That was important to preserve the look of the building,” explains Mike. Second on their list was trying to save the structure’s copper roof, but that was before they discovered a major portion of it was leaking, Mike shares. Unfortunately, the copper had to be removed, but it was recycled and replaced with heavy gauge, standing-seam metal roofing. Other repurposed items included on-site stone used to make repairs on the building’s 30-inch thick foundation walls. And old plate glass windows were doled out to friends and family members for use in picture frames and other craft projects. “The end result of all the exterior work is a building that looks extremely similar to the way it did in 1916, but it’s now weather tight,” Mike says.

No Waste Trail

To lighten the waste trail even more, much of the building’s quarter-sawn white oak flooring was refinished rather than replaced. A few of the boards (that made it to the curb) landed in the hands of local painter Johnny Funk, who is making wall art with them. And wood that had covered a room from its ceiling to its walls in walnut paneling was cut to fit a chair rail in the foyer and in a basement apartment. All other recycled wood, including that from a wall cabinet and bookcase, is now located in the lobby. The little bit left over was made into newel posts for a new staircase with its original handrail. Oh, and Drew crafted a porch swing and a headboard out of a few salvaged wooden doors.

Live-In Ballroom and Bowling Alley

The vestibule at the building’s main entrance remains unchanged with its old, wavy glass panel windows. This area features all original hardware. The door locks, made in Reading years ago, were sent to a lock specialist in New England for new cylinders.

Inside the complex, a stained glass panel taken from an upstairs ladies room decorates a hallway wall in the lobby. On the opposite wall is Apartment Five in the former Ballroom. The living room — scantily attired in warm cherry wood furniture, a period area rug and engulfing leather furniture — exposes much of the original hardwood dance floor. The room, all 2,220 square feet of it, is not for the faint of heart. Other notables — a double-sided brick fireplace (that divides the far end of the living room from the kitchen), high ceilings and a panoramic view of the park — make the space look and feel even more wide open.

Mark and Kathy Beard, formerly of Leesport, were sold on all aspects of their apartment’s floor plan, especially its incredible view. “We feel very at home here,” shares Kathy, whose former home was immersed in a wooded area. What they love most, though, is the mix of old and new: the original brick walls and wood floors with the new granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

As far as convenience, the apartment is within walking distance of dining, shopping, healthcare facilities and entertainment options (The Reading Public Museum is only a 10-minute walk away).

Lauren and Adam Ressler moved in the first chance they got, too.

The couple, both in their mid-30s, is in love with the area. “We are close to parks, trails, shopping, restaurants and anything else we might need,” they share.

Adam, a software engineer, and Lauren, a pastry chef, both work full-time jobs in addition to coaching high school sports. “It is wonderfully relaxing to live here and come home to,” they say.

All six units, including the penthouse — a four-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot unit occupying the entire top floor — are rented.

A countless number of times before the units were rented, Mike had asked himself, “What did I get myself into?” Understandably, the project — with all of its codes to comply with and even a freak and damaging hailstorm — had given the man too many big headaches. But once the occupancy banner went up and people started to inquire about the apartments, Mike began to relax. In just three weeks, he leased three of the apartments before they were even officially available. “That was the big unknown,” he says. Were people going to go for a high-rent rental unit? He found out in a hurry that they were and that his efforts were going to be rewarded.

“I wish I had 50 more,” he gushes.

It’s kind of like winning the lottery; the lucky ones — or those who are blessed to live here — get a taste of the original Iris Club in a new and improved building.

As Mike would say, “Who wouldn't like to walk into a beautifully restored building after a hard day’s work?” After all, home is where the heart is, even if, in its past life, it had been a bowling alley or a ballroom in a private club named after an exotic flower.

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