3701 Maloney - Brott
Submitted by Walter Brott, September 9, 2009
I was never privy to all the history prior to when Dr Lou Hefley (female Obstetrician) and her Hospital Administrator husband Donald McGrath bought the land from whoever had developed the Timberlake area. Dr. Hefley was the primary financial contributor and her husband oversaw the house and grounds construction...to the point that he almost lost his job because he spent so much of his time and attention on it. The architect was Raymond Guay, who apparently is still alive but has Alzheimers. He did a very creditable if not masterful job in fitting the house to the landscape so it is not pretentious from the outside and yet is very functional for the life style that Dr Hefley had as an Obstetrician. Each floor has a walk out as it is nestles into the hillside. The land that they bought included the area across the road. Spiva divided that area into three parcels The center parcel was sold to the Bellamy's which is why they are in the Timberlake association. the northern parcel did not perk for septic so Spiva gave that to the Timberlake Association. No one took care of it although Bruce cut the lawn. The Bellamy's bought it from the The Association several years ago and the proceeds were given by the association to the Church on the corner to construct a walking path. The Bellamy's landscaped the area by the lake with a little help from us.
The partly underground area in the lower level of the house has a bedroom, bathroom and living room. Dr Hefley's nurse lived there. When a call came in and the good Dr needed to go, the nurse came around back to meet Hefley at the front. Dr Hefley could go through the court yard, through a sunroom and be out the door and both were off without going through the rest of the house.
As I understood from our realtor, Mr. Carter, not many years after the construction was completed, the marriage floundered with McGrath and Hefley going their separate ways. She went to Hawaii and practiced a number of years, She returned once about 15 years ago. Marie took her on a tour of the house to which she obviously had some attachment. Interestingly, my daughter-in-law Melissa was delivered by Dr Hefley. Melissa's other connection was that she was a friend from childhood of the son of the architect Raymond Guay. The son was a friend of my son at Webb. He introduced Melissa and Kevin after which they essentially never dated anyone else. For a time while Kevin was at Vanderbilt, they latched onto an idea of some frat houses that painted on their streets and painted "Kevin Loves Melissa" in various ways by our property on the Timberlake side. Someone didn't like it so it was painted over, although I remember one comment by Dr Schaumberg that “we finally have some renewed life on our street.”
The architecture of the house is that of the late 1950's with a modern Spanish or Mexican Ranchhouse flavor. Mexican stone and onyx terrazzo floors are in several areas. Saltilla Tile is use in some large areas including the courtyard in the center of the house. Low voltage switches were used in all areas for lighting. The entire outside walls are Redwood to obviate Termite infestation.
Copper gutters were used and a gutter as well as driveway heating system was in place but no longer functional. In the back part of the house the partially underground rooms have structural concrete ceilings like industrial construction making those rooms candidates for Tornado or fallout shelters. There was an extensive storm sewer drainage system constructed separate from the septic systems that eventually drains down the hillside but has portions that go under the house and some that drain the back yard including the areas around the swimming pool and behind the "Guest house /Apt". The beams in the living room and dining room and carports had to be brought in by train at that time. Tile and some ironwork and sunbaked bricks in the courtyard were brought from Mexico. All glass was double glazed. We enjoy a marble bathroom with a sunken tub and shower looking out on a patio with Mexican Colonial door. Mr Carter who was our realtor and knew this area well unfortunately has been dead over 20 years. He told me that our wooden front doorway was featured on the front page of "Homes and Gardens" or "House Beautiful" or the like around 1963. I guess it was cutting edge then. I have tried but haven't found any archives of those magazines going back that far. Carter's daughter kept his agency going but I haven't seen the logo for years.
We have enjoyed living here and hope to for a while longer. We have tried to preserve the basic theme or character of the place with such things as a Chandelier in the atrium I brought from Mexico, a cast metal fountain in the courtyard and clearing and landscaping the lower area. Maintenance is always a headache particularly with nine restrooms etc but it is always so great to have a place for our Children and twelve Grandchildren to visit and enjoy.
Walter Brott