Willis Colby residence

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The Willis Colby residence in 2008
Floor plan of the Willis Colby residence

The Willis Colby residence is a small Mediterranean Revival-style house located on a triangular 0.3-acre lot at 2931 Highland Avenue, near the intersection of 30th Street South, across from Rhodes Park. It was built in the 1924 for W. D. Colby, owner of the Birmingham Decorating Company and his wife Mabel, then married for 40 years, who moved from their previous home at 2505 7th Avenue South. The 1,660 square-foot house has 3-bedrooms and 1 bath, and a small outbuilding on the alley.

The rectangular one-story house is clad in white-painted stucco with ganged windows shaded by tile-roofed awnings, originally green. The flat roof is surrounded by a stepped parapet, topped with a pair of urns flanking the central entrance bay. The front door is sheltered by a semi-circular portico supported on two round columns and two engaged half columns. It opens onto a paved terrace shaded by pergolas at either end. The pergolae were originally planted with climbing Caroline Estate roses which bloomed in masses of pink in summer. The columns of the house were mirrored with tall evergreens and the sloping lawn was sodded with Bermuda grass. Mrs Colby also scattered red, white and blue crocus bulps across the lawn.

According to a 1925 newspaper account, the Colbys "did all of the designing and planning of the house, laying out of the grounds and selection of shrubbery and flowers." The odd-shaped lot was described as "one of the most unfavorable locations possible for a house," but they succeeded in constructing a home, "that Birmingham realtors have tried to purchase more than once." Elsewhere architect William Leslie Welton is credited with the design, which he described as "Louis XVI" style, highlighting its neoclassical details. He may have modeled its appearance closely on a contemporary "California bungalow" in Pasadena. Mrs Colby regularly hosted meetings of the Psychology Study Club at the house through the 1920s. In 1930 the house was recognized as "an outstanding example of the beautiful homes to be found in Birmingham," in The Birmingham News gravure section.

The Colbys moved out of the house in 1936, offering for sale hand-blocked linen draperies, a decorated bedroom suite, a collection of "best authors" books, a Humphrey "Radiant Heat" gas-fired fireplace insert and a number of planting urns. In 1937 the home was listed for rent at $60 per month. It was described as "completely reconditioned" with 6 rooms, steam heat (furnished by one of the city's first gas-fired boilers), 2-car garage, ample closet space and an excellent location. Mrs R. M. King resided there in 1938 when she was nominated for "Birmingham Mother of 1938". That same year she hosted a birthday party for her granddaughter, Evelyn Schloff. In 1941 an individual furnished room "next to bath" was offered for rent, with or without meals.

In the 1950s the house was occupied by milliner and dressmaker Marguerite Sarris. Comer School teacher Natalie Sharpe resided there in the early 1970s. Bertie Lowry lived there until her death at age 94 in 1980. Decorator Al Troncalli purchased the house in 1982 for $65,000 and resided their until his death in 1999, after which it passed to his sister, Grace. At some point, a wooden sign with the name "Little Villa on Highland" was hung from a post at the foot of the drive.

The Colby residence is listed as a contributing structure to the Country Club Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 2003. The parcel is also part of the Highland Park Local Historic District, established by the City of Birmingham that same year.

Grace Troncalli put the house up for sale in 2013 for $400,000 but did not immediately find a buyer. It sold in 2015 for $250,000; in 2021 for $525,000; and again in 2022 for $565,000. In December 2023 owner Jose Casanova applied to the Birmingham Design Review Committee to demolish the structure to make way for a new 6-unit apartment building. Highland Park Neighborhood ‎ Association president Elizabeth Sanfelippo started an on-line petition to oppose demolition of the home. In response to that petition, Casanova argued that he had purchased the house in 2021 without understanding its condition, which forced him to move out after two years, and that "numerous professionals" had advised him that "the cost of repairs would far exceed its value." The Friends of Highland Park commissioned an independent engineer's review which concluded the structure was repairable.

To left:
Highland Club Apartments 		Highland Avenue
2931 		To right:
Montcalm Apartments

References

External links

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