Greg Schneider stands outside the house at 732 Fourth Ave. S.W. he has begun to repair and renovate.
After standing empty and neglected for years, an old house in Albany’s Monteith Historic District now has new owners who have cleaned it out and are fixing it up. They hope that it will once again become a family’s home.
The house, at 732 Fourth Ave. S.W., dates from around 1880, when it was built in what the city’s historic inventory calls the western farmhouse style. In recent years it was owned by the Federal National Mortgage Association and became overgrown to the point where the city ordered a cleanup and eventually threatened to foreclose on it for unpaid liens. This year the city settled with Fannie Mae for a lesser lien amount, and the property was cleared for sale.
Greg Schneider and his wife, Wendy Greenwald, bought it. Retired, they raise alpacas and now a few sheep on their farm on Rodgers Mountain Loop near Scio.
Their purchase of the Albany house closed on Aug. 30, and work started forthwith. One of the first things was to rebuild the top of the brick chimney, which had fallen off. Also, the big old tree in front was cut down to open a view of the two-story structure’s interesting lines.
On Tuesday afternoon I got off the bike when I saw someone working in the yard. It was Greg, who stopped what he was doing and gave me a tour of the inside. It’s a solid place, with four bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a full basement with a concrete floor.
Schneider figures on putting on a new roof, repairing the windows, raising part of the building to make it level, putting in new ceilings, and replacing the plumbing, along with all kinds of other renovations.
He has experience renovating houses, and he expects to get this job done. But it will take a little time, and he hopes the neighbors will be patient.
He won’t have any trouble on that score. Looking at the place now, compared to a few months ago, it’s already obvious that the owners care and the house is in good hands. (hh)
Greg Schneider on the porch. The interior has been cleaned out so the renovation can begin.
Fannie Mae took title on 12/17/18. They didn’t own it very long.
So, is this home in the southeast or southwest side?
Southwest. I made a mistake in the cutline. It’s in the Monteith District, as I pointed out.
He murdered a “big old tree in front” to improve sight lines to the house?
It sounds like an injustice was inflicted on the poor, defenseless tree.
Trees can speak. Was it’s voice heard on this decision?
Only government has the power to authorize premeditated killing. Did the city approve this murder in accordance with Chapter 7.98 of the Municipal Code?
Awww Gordon my friend, a little heavy on the accusations? You’re just gonna stir the “Anti-Gordon” folks up! Trees come & trees go. Perhaps in the near future a smaller Japanese maple could take it’s place. The most important point is the house will become a home and apparently done with private money?!
Gordon, look at the property on Google Street View.
You may change your opinion.
Trees have much in common with kittens and puppies — cute when little. Without proper care, they shed all over. Witness the debris on the porch roof. I worked with someone who wouldn’t tolerate a tree of consequence within 100 yds of the house. He kept a defensible boundary against fire and storm long before the term became popular/
Just sayin’
And how about a hand for Greg Schneider for taking on this project and NOT asking for us to “help” fund it.
Darn. I was hoping to see photos of the inside.
Is this Greg Schneider the same Greg Schneider who was the quintessential pile-driving fullback from the old West Albany HS in the early 70s? He was a phenom.
Nope. This Greg told me he came to Oregon in 1990 from South Dakota.