Lake Oswego developer chooses preservation over demolition in purchase of Lake Grove home

Susan Crittenden, a former home and garden manager for Powell’s Books, wanted her home to serve as a refuge where she could unwind after a busy day.

So, over the course of decades, Crittenden planted around 500 trees, plants and perennials surrounding her abode on Sunset Drive, which she owned for 45 years. Though she recently sold her property, Crittenden is happy to learn that the developer who bought it plans to retain its natural character.

While many Lake Oswego residents lament the trend of developers tearing down quaint homes with spacious yards and replacing them with gigantic and more expensive houses, Monogram Customs Homes saw the natural environment at Crittenden’s home as an asset worth retaining.

“I didn’t know he would be interested in conserving this and I’m very grateful,” Crittenden said.

Some of the varieties Crittenden planted included a weeping Katsura tree, a golden flowered osmanthus plant, a golden catalpa tree and a Calycanthus “hartlage wine.” She said the property was mostly grass and weeds before she began her project and that she also thoroughly mulched the property for many years. In turn, her home regularly attracted wildlife like screech owls, salamanders, chipmunks and even snakes.

“I wanted to create a refuge for myself in this garden and I wanted to learn about plants, gardening and botany. The more I learned the more plants, (the more) I wanted to try out in this yard,” she said.

However, maintaining such an extensive yard is hard work and Crittenden decided she needed to find a place that didn’t require so much strain. So she met with Lake Grove resident and Monogram Custom Homes President Bryan Noffz. Noffz wanted to buy it and retain as much of what made the home special as he could. Though some trees will be removed to put in a driveway, the home footprint will stay mostly the same and many of the exterior trees will remain, he said.

“After having walked the property with Susan, I fell in love with what she did to it,” Noffz said. “Most trees are in the right spot where we can salvage most of them, especially the ones that are rare, uncommon and mature.”

Noffz plans to put the home out on the market soon and begin a redevelopment process that will include deconstructing (rather than demolishing) the home, which was originally built in 1912.

“We did design a home that is classic and timeless in style and our goal would be to have a home with the surrounding plants to make it look like it has been here for a long time,” Noffz said.

Crittenden said selling her longtime home was difficult but she doesn’t regret it in part because of what Monogram is doing to salvage its essence.