Hollywood Home Tour to feature renovated 1920s residences

On April 27, 2011, lightning started a fire in the Hollywood home of Shannon and Steven Bakir. In the hours preceding the tornado outbreak, neighbors formed a line and helped save as much furniture, knick-knacks and memories as possible.

The Bakirs and their three children, Halle, 11, Michael, 8 and Lila, 5 at the time, left the building safely.

Unfortunately, the upstairs was damaged extensively, so the Bakirs gutted their home and renovated.

This year, they are proud to be a stop on the Historic Hollywood Home Tour on April 28. Every other year, the Holly Oak Garden Club selects historic homes to feature for the event.

“We’re really excited about being on the tour,” Shannon Bakir said, “because it gives back to the Homewood community and it gives back to the neighborhood.”

Their home, 218 La Prado Place, was originally built in 1926. Architect Warren Kyle helped with a renovation in 2002 and again after the fire. With each renovation they were careful to maintain the historical integrity of the home and neighborhood.

During the remodeling process, the Barkirs added features to enhance the fire safety of their home and to make their children feel safe moving back in. These features include a sprinkler system, lightning rods and a safe

Hollywood Home Tour to feature renovated 1920s residences room that can withstand F3 tornados.

The other three homes on the tour were all built between 1925 and 1927 and have undergone similar extensive remodeling in the last 10 years: the Goodrich home, 300 Yorkshire Drive; Freeman home, 11 Bonita Drive; and the Beisher home, 224 Poinciana Ave.

Lisa Freeman’s 1927 home on Bonita Drive was renovated two years ago. Her renovation encompassed the master bedroom and bath, kitchen, viewing room and front porch.

Freeman said her main concern is having her spring garden planted in the small window of time after winter but before the tour.

The tour will take place April 28 from 1-4 p.m. Tickets will be available at any featured home the day of the tour for $17. Advance tickets are available at Hunter’s Cleaners, Harmony Landing, Arceneaux Gallery and Sweet Peas

Garden Shop. Proceeds of the tour benefit the Holly Oak Garden Club’s maintenance of neighborhood public areas and Shades Cahaba Elementary.

For more, visit historichollywoodtour.com, find Holly Oak Garden Club on Facebook, or follow the home tour on Instagram @hollywoodhometour.