STE-GENEVIEVE — For 25 years, Alice Khieu drove past a heritage home on Gouin Boulevard West on her way to and from work.
Tired and neglected, the building hadn’t seen significant renovations since the 1930’s. Then, one day in 2010, she saw a for sale sign posted out front.
“That’s when I decided to come and made an offer on the spot when I visited the first day,” said Khieu, a local dentist.
Along with husband Robert Cloutier, the couple began a complex project to restore the home to its past glory.
Built in 1845, the house was classified as a heritage building in 2012.
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“It’s protected, so that means you cannot do all the renovations, all the alterations, as you want it,” explained Khieu.
For example, the classical custom-made windows had to be preserved in their original style, as did the three-story spiral staircase.
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But even beyond what was required by law, the couple made it their mission to preserve every bit of history they could.
“The floor is [also] original,” said Cloutier. “It was quite complex to redo. You can see that it’s not even. But again, it’s in the spirit of keeping the way the building was.”
Not only does the home serve as the couple’s main residence, it also houses Khieu’s dental practice on the first floor.
“In each room of the clinic, there is a recall of the past,” said Cloutier of the clinic. “As you enter the waiting room, you see the original door frame and you also see the original wall of stone which divides the house on this floor from one end to the other.”
Patients who use the washroom are in for a special treat: a cabinet displaying artifacts recovered during the renovations.
The restorations turned up other surprises along the way as well, like the fact that the house had no foundation.
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Instead, the house stands strong thanks to large tree trunks installed inside the walls.
Finally, after years of planning and construction, the extravagant project became a reality.
Of course, it came with a hefty price tag: $2.5 million, including the cost of the property.
For Khieu, it’s a dream come true, but it’s also her way of giving back.
“I was part of the boat people that, in 1975, came to Montreal here so I always want to give back to Quebec what Quebec had given to our family: this opportunity to start our lives again,” said Khieu of her Vietnamese roots.
The renovations were completed earlier this year.
Now, family is now eager to share the result of their project with the public.
An open house will be held September 10th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at which time the community is invited to admire the rebirth of this 171-year-old landmark.
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