By Cindy Hadish/Save CR Heritage

CEDAR RAPIDS – One year ago, on September 16, 2015, the “Frankie House” was moved from its longtime home on Third Avenue SE to a new site just blocks away at 1425 Fifth Ave. SE, to save it from demolition.

Since then, a new foundation was poured, masonry facing was added to the 1890s house and interior rehabilitation, such as new plumbing and electrical work, has been underway.

Some of the work, including a new roof, has been donated. Still, the expenses involved in moving and restoring a home are high. Save CR Heritage is continuing to seek donations of appliances – a refrigerator, washer and dryer and stove – and monetary donations are appreciated to offset the cost of work being performed by contractors. Tax-deductible donations can be made here: Donate

Volunteer help also is welcomed.

Save CR Heritage board members have spent countless hours working on the home, and in recent weekends, outdoor work has been in full swing. The Iowa Law Class of 2019 helped with priming and painting, Trees Forever pruned the plum tree on the property, the Cedar Rapids Garden Club offered landscape design, perennial plants and their time in landscaping the site, and students from Washington High School’s Interact Club helped with landscaping and preparing the porch for painting.

For future volunteer opportunities, “like” Save CR Heritage on Facebook.

The home will be put on the market sometime this fall to be sold as affordable housing under the city’s ROOTS program.

Learn more about the background of the home and see some of the images from the volunteer weekends, below: