Mid-century home of famous Quincy architect restored, now listed for sale; open house set for Thursday

QUINCY – Carley Properties, LLC, a Springfield-based real estate firm focused on value-add restoration, development and leasing of rural and urban real estate, recently completed the renovation of John and Virginia Benya’s mid-century modern family home in Quincy.

An open house at the property is scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, July 20.

The nearly 2,100 square feet home, constructed in 1953, consists of three bedrooms and two bathrooms nestled on a half-acre private lot.

The home is tucked into the upscale Lincoln Hills subdivision, which John Benya — a Quincy architect whose career spanned four decades — created in the early 1950s. The single-story home was designed to seamlessly connect the occupants to the tranquil, outdoor space and nature. The home’s landscape shows Benya’s design approach, which prominently features a serpentine brick wall that mirrors ocean waves. The interior of the home contains cypress wood, which accents the living room ceiling and windows.

Benya, a St. Louis native, moved to Quincy in the wake of World War II to meet the rising need for new homes and schools in the area. Benya constructed more than 500 buildings, with half of them in the Quincy area. Some of his most well-known local works are Quincy Regional Airport, St. Boniface Catholic Church and what is now Quincy Notre Dame High School.

Don Carley, owner of Carley Properties, LLC, bought the Benya home earlier this year with the goal of restoring it.

“Although the bones of the home were in excellent shape, the property was in need of meaningful interior and exterior upgrades,” Carley said in a press release.

Carley’s vision was to revitalize the home to modern standards while maintaining its important and historically significant architectural elements.

“Features such as the serpentine brick wall, cypress wood ceiling, creative storage and even the property’s original stove represent a few of the features of the home we wanted to preserve,” Carley said. “The expansive living room, the floor-to-ceiling windows and garden area are some of the aspects of the home that I enjoy most. The backyard, in particular, is an urban oasis.”

Amy Schmiedeskamp, the designer/owner of State One Home Renewal of Quincy, worked tirelessly on the project.

“There are few opportunities to work on a home of this stature,” she said. “As I considered the upgrades to the interior and exterior of the home, I wanted to ensure that the everything from color palate to the lighting were faithful to the mid-century modern era. The enhancements to the home, including updates to the kitchen, were made to ensure the space was livable and met the expectations of today’s home buyers. The opportunity to restore the Benya’s family home, and a building that is a Quincy landmark, was an absolute thrill.”

Diana Waschenbach-Gronewold, a real estate broker with Zanger & Associates, was in awe of the home’s transformation.

“I had the opportunity to visit Benya’s home over the years and was taken by the improvements made to the home,” she said. “Quincy has a number of mid-century modern homes, but the opportunity to buy the Benyas’ family home – fully restored and modernized – is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Waschenbach-Gronewold noted the home has received significant community and buyer interest.

In completing the work, Carley utilized local contractors and landscapers:

• Jeff Stupavsky with Jeff Stupavsky Roofing & Restoration, Quincy, Ill.,
• Brock Hollensteiner with Hollensteiner Lawn Care, Quincy, Ill.
• Todd Steinkamp, Steinkamp Construction, Mendon, Ill., and
• Marty Gerlach, Gerlach Construction, Quincy, Ill.

Daman Emrick, vice president/loan officer at Great Rivers Bank in Barry, provided project financing.