Lofty living

By Casey Gillis


Published: February 20, 2008

Betty Boop is always around to greet visitors to Winston Green’s downtown loft.

A statue of the iconic cartoon character stands in the living room, holding a tray displaying a collection of Betty Boop Russian nesting dolls.

Green, who bought the statue at McCraw’s Furniture downtown, used the color of Betty’s red dress as inspiration for decorating the rest of the loft. There are red accents everywhere - rugs, throw blankets and even the leather dining room chairs.

A pair of University of Georgia barstools, also red, sits in front of the bar that leads into the kitchen, which is outfitted with stainless steel appliances and shiny, white cabinets.

Green and husband Roger don’t just own the loft, which will be one of the stops on the Free Clinic of Central Virginia’s annual Downtown Lynchburg Loft Tour this Saturday. They own the building, now dubbed the Frye Center.

They originally bought two side-by-side buildings on Church Street about seven years ago. One used to be the old Monticello Hotel, the other housed Burroughs Business Systems.

“It had, over the years, fallen into disrepair,” Winston Green says.

Two years ago, they began renovations, which included refurbishing the buildings’ hardwood floors and replacing them where it was needed, as well as connecting the two buildings with a lavish deck out back. They also had a waterfall carved into the bank behind the building, which Green says was her husband’s idea.

“He’s the visionary,” she says. “He just looked at that bank. It was overgrown with junk and weeds, and he just thought of the waterfall.”

After renovations were done, the Greens were left with four commercial and eight residential units.

Winston Green says they decided to keep one for themselves to have “a little urban living apartment. We walk down to Main Street Eatery. It’s just fun. And it’s getting more and more so with different things (moving in) downtown.”

One of their available residential lofts will also be included on the tour, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There are 11 lofts total on the tour: nine new ones and two that were included on last year’s tour.

“We’ve gotten to the point now that we’re actually screening,” says Bob Barlow, executive director of the Free Clinic. “We’re selecting them from people who step forward.”

“We’re looking for unique and or tastefully decorated (lofts),” he adds. “I think people like to see how (others) fix their places up, and they like to see things that are different.”

Says Edie Light, special events/development coordinator, “It’s so different than just an apartment because, usually, the floors are all so gorgeous, and they have exposed brick and ceiling beams - (things) you can’t find in an apartment complex.”

Barlow says attendance has risen steadily over the years. Last year, they sold over 300 tickets and raised $6,000. Their goal for this year is to sell 400 and raise $8,000.

All proceeds go back into the Free Clinic, which is located on Main Street. Staffed mostly by volunteers, it currently has a little over 5,000 active patients.

As a downtown organization, “it’s nice for us to feature downtown living,” Barlow says. “It goes hand-in-hand.

“A lot of people say there’s nothing happening downtown, and those (who live there) get offended. They enjoy living down here.”

Each of the lofts included on the tour will be marked with a large turquoise and white flag, with black letters that spell out “Welcome.”

The other lofts are:

-- The Boynton Loft, 6F Riverviews, 901 Jefferson St.
This loft joins two adjacent units, one that measures 960 square feet and the other 400 square feet. Seven giant windows offer cliff views, and the eclectic décor includes Turkish rugs, Asian accents and work by local artists. There’s also freestanding cabinetry made of recycled wood, which complements the original flooring.

-- The Cylke Loft, 5H Riverviews, 901 Jefferson St.
One of the highlights of this space is the festive, Mardi Gras-themed bathroom. The living area, which features the loft’s original hardwood floors, is accented with a yellow couch and a glass-top table with stools, and the walls are decorated with the work of local Virginia artists. The loft also offers a view of the Lynchburg fountain.

--The Filiaggi Loft, 3F Riverviews, 901 Jefferson St.
With stainless steel and glass to spare, this loft - decorated with a vintage sofa, chairs, dresser and drawing table from the 1950s and 1960s - mixes the industrial, modern and retro.

-- The Cesafsky Loft, 1016 Church St.
This recently renovated space sits on the first level of the Old Leggett Executive office building. It’s got hardwood floors, a large kitchen, two bedrooms, a non-working fireplace with artificial logs and interesting ornamental woodwork, which used to cover ductwork.

-- City Market Loft #404, 1301 Main St.
An all-glass front is the highlight of this three-bedroom space, which is decorated with a flair for today’s fashion and a touch of feminine chic.

-- City Market Loft #502, 1301 Main St.
High ceilings, exposed ductwork and all-glass frontage characterize this three-bedroom loft. The décor mixes the formal and the contemporary, and highlights include walnut floors and a collection of antiques.

-- City Market Loft #604, 1301 Main St.
This two-bedroom split-level sits next to the hot tubs and rooftop patio at City Market Lofts. The bedrooms and full bathroom are on the first floor, and the kitchen and half bath are on the upper level.

-- Borel Loft, 1102 Commerce St.
Previously the Eastern Electric Company and originally a wagon factory, this building was built in the 1800s and measures about 15,000 square feet. The Borels use 1,800 square feet of it as living space, which includes a kitchen, dining room, living room, three bedrooms, two baths and an office. There’s also a five-car garage and a gym in the basement, which served as a loading dock for the previous owners.

-- Beeswax Candle Company Loft, 109 13th St.
Originally an alley between Commerce and Main streets, this two-story loft features hardwood floors, skylights, massive ceiling beams and brick walls. The first floor is used as gallery space for artisans from the U.S. and Canada, and the second floor is where the beeswax candles are poured by hand and then shipped all over the country.

-- Kahn Loft, Apt 4, 1216 Main St.
This loft is located up three flights of steep stairs. The front of the space offers views of the City Market, while the back faces the James River. The old freight elevator for the building is “parked” in the unit itself, and highlights include exposed beams, hardwood floors and brick walls.