New living space features Mississippi River charm
Karilyn McArthur and Matt Esser are pleased with their newly-remodeled living space overlooking the Mississippi River. (Press photo by Caroline Rosacker)
By Caroline Rosacker
This year the Guttenberg Press will feature the newly-remodeled apartment of Matt Esser and Karilyn McArthur in our annual nod to home improvement.
Esser's parents purchased the building at 502 South River Park Drive in 1947. His mother updated the interior of the upstairs living space before the family moved in.
"My parents didn't tear down any walls, but they did refinish all the woodwork," he recalled. "There were three bedrooms and one bathroom. I slept on the living room couch and my sisters slept in the bedrooms. When we first moved in there was no hot water, which was common at the time. I used to tell everyone my mother hauled the laundry down to the river and washed it on the rocks."
Esser attended college at the University of Iowa and earned a marketing and business degree. After graduating he went to work as store manager at J.C. Penny in Iowa City. "I had worked part-time for my father during the summer," commented Esser. "When my parents decided to move to Las Vegas and sell the store, I was the first person he contacted. That was 58 years ago!"
The longtime clothier eventually purchased 504 South River Park Drive. He connected the two buildings and opened up Connie's Apparel, named after his late wife, Connie.
In 1980, Matt and Connie decided to move from the upstairs apartment and build a home on Acre Street to raise their son, Terry. "Guttenberg nightlife was very active back in the 80's. It is much quieter now," he noted.
Esser's companion, Karilyn encouraged him to utilize the upstairs space that overlooks the Mississippi River. "I wanted to be closer to the river, and was concerned about Matt, who was responsible for lawn care and snow removal at the Acre Street location," she told The Press.
"It was also becoming somewhat of a hassle renting out the space," he added.
"We were going to downsize, but that didn't happen," they laughed.
The couple used local contractors Dave Greve, Moser Mechanical, Electric Tek, Garnavillo Electric, painter Jeff Hyde, stone mason Mark Kuempel, and purchased building materials and appliances, and other supplies from Meuser Lumber Company and Kuempel Hardware. Lighting fixtures and some decorative items were also purchased at Kann Imports' going out of business sale.
The contractors took everything down to the studs, and did a one hundred percent plumbing and electrical upgrade. They replaced the flooring and installed two gas fireplaces. The exterior building was also refurbished during the two-and-a-half year project.
Although the main kitchen, which is the focal point of the living space, is new, they kept the original cabinets in the second kitchen, which Karilyn, who loves to cook and entertain, will take advantage of.
"The cabinets are in excellent shape and handmade by Farley and Loet-scher," they pointed out, "My father moonlighted there at one time and purchased the high-quality cabinets. We cleaned them up and updated the back splash with new tile, in addition to other tile work that was completed throughout the home."
The home's footprint includes two kitchens, four bedrooms, two baths, an office/den, dining room and living room.
"We placed double french doors between the two units so they can still be considered two separate apartments," he shared
Esser placed his faith in Karilyn's good taste and decorating abilities and allowed her free range with the interior decor. "I wanted to capture the essence of the Mississippi River, but with an elegant southern charm," she explained.
Stately pieces of stylish furniture fill the large space, with each room showcasing a different theme. Karilyn's beloved piano is placed in front of a window that overlooks an unobstructed, picturesque view of the mighty Mississippi.
"We are pleased overall with how everything turned out," they agreed. "One of our favorite areas is the River Park Drive deck."
"It feels good to be back at the old home," Esser concluded. "It has been a long time since I lived downtown. There is still quite a bit of work left to do. I always believe you are never finished, and when you do, it's time to start over again."
