Kitty Smith Elevator Story
In the late 1950s, Dr. Brady Smith and his wife Kitty were avid boaters living in Linstead on the Severn in Severna Park, MD. The waterfront community was a perfect home for the two to raise their family just outside of Maryland’s capital city, Annapolis. They owned two boats, a sailboat named Brady and a powerboat named for Mr. Smith’s late brother Edward. Aside from being a very well respected physician in the area during the week, Brady loved spending time with his wife and kids out on the water on weekends. They had planned on selling the two cruisers and consolidating into one large boat which they could take on longer trips to explore more of the Chesapeake Bay.
The perfect nautical plan seemed to be in place for the Smiths until one morning a neighbor asked Brady for a favor. The neighbor’s usual foursome was missing a golfer and they needed Brady to fill in. “I haven’t played golf since college,” replied Brady, “and besides, I don’t even have my own clubs.” His neighbor told him not to worry, and that they had a set for him to use, so Dr. Smith accepted the invitation and joined the group. It’s not clear on which hole the “Golf Bug” actually bit him, but one thing is certain, after that day on the links Brady’s passion shifted from the water to the golf course and there was no looking back.
By 1980, Dr. Smith was enjoying his time on the golf course immensely. He played in a regular foursome at Chartwell Country Club, located just down the road from his home, and was beginning to look ahead to retirement. He had run a prominent medical practice for over 40 years and with that success he earned the opportunity to build him and his wife Kitty’s dream home. They found a hidden lot on the very golf course Brady played each week, and with it, the foundation of what would eventually become their home to gather with family and enjoy the golden years of life. The Smiths hired local architect Joe Hansen to design their house, who knew right away that he had the potential for a remarkable home. Mr. Hansen quickly realized he had to take advantage of the multiple golf holes that surrounded their wooded lot, and to do so he would have to build up, rather than out.
To accomplish this, Joe implemented a new idea in homebuilding, the reverse or upside down floor plan. Like most beach houses being built at that time, the kitchen was placed on the third floor, above the entrance way and bedrooms. On top of the kitchen, Mr. Hansen designed a loft space with nine massive windows that could see out over much of the course. While this layout provided the central theme of their home, it also presented the Smiths with a considerable hurdle. How does a couple entering retirement live in a house with multiple levels, with the kitchen being three floors above the garage? The answer: a home elevator.
The home elevator may have been patented in 1928, but it remained in obscurity for all intents and purposes until the past five years. In 1983, when the Smiths were getting ready to break ground, it was unheard of for someone to have an elevator in their house unless they were either handicapped or in a veritable chateau. To assist them with the lift, the Smiths hired Raymond C. Maule & Son (now based in Severna Park, MD) to furnish and install their new elevator. The company has been installing elevators since 1929 and has a great deal of experience performing installations in the most precarious of situations. In this case, the Smiths’ elevator would run outside of an enclosed shaft, and instead right through the middle of the house. Wanting to create a design statement, Mr. Hansen specified that the entire outer wall would be made of Plexiglass. This unique feature allows the rider to look out over the entire front of the home and to the outside while riding up to each floor.
The price tag at the time was around $10,000 for the four landing elevator, which was not exactly pocket change. Kitty admits that while she thought the elevator could be useful in years to come, the idea seemed more of a novelty at the time. However, what Joe knew then, and what the Smiths were soon to discover, was just how practical and useful their elevator would prove to be.
The Smiths moved into their home on September 30, 1984. They actually planned to move in on the 29th, but they were delayed when their youngest granddaughter was born that morning. However, the next day the big move finally commenced, and immediately the elevator started earning its keep. Boxes of dishes and pots and pans easily made their way up to the kitchen. Brady and Kitty’s clothes and shoes required just a push of the button to be whisked up to their bedroom. The convenience was immediately appreciated by the Smiths, and word of the elevator quickly spread throughout the community. About a month later when they had finally settled into their house, it came time for Halloween. That night, droves of neighborhood kids hurried down the dark wooded driveway and knocked on the huge front door. When Kitty answered, however, instead of asking for candy the children inevitably inquired, “Can we ride your elevator?” It was now quite clear to the Smiths; their elevator was an instant hit.
As the years passed on the Smiths enjoyed their retirement and their beautiful home. The loft at the top of their house doubled as an overlook of the golf course and world-class playroom for their grandchildren. Kitty recalls that no matter what time of year it was, her grandchildren insisted she keep the artificial Christmas tree up, and she of course obliged. The elevator maintained its convenience and popularity, and as the Smiths got older, they discovered the machine’s necessity. When Brady’s health began to deteriorate, the elevator was a major reason he was able to stay in his home for so long. Sadly though, Dr. Smith passed away about a year and a half ago. Kitty has since heeded the advice to not make any major decisions for at least a year after the passing of a spouse, and has continued to stay busy in the community and at home.
Mrs. Smith still insists on taking the stairs at least two times a day for exercise, but she attributes the fact that she has been able to stay in her home to the presence of her elevator. So what should a homeowner do who is interested in buying a residential elevator? First, find a reputable installer in your area. There are a myriad of companies on the internet that sell home elevators, but the problem with some of them is they are nationwide installers. What this means is you purchase the elevator from that company, they ship it, install it, and then move on to the next job wherever it may happen to be. While this almost always appears to be the cheapest option, there are a number of pitfalls that can be involved. For example, these companies usually charge excessive fees per day if they arrive at your home and you are not ready for them to install the elevator. Also, once the installation is complete, it is up to you to find a company to maintain the lift, and most elevator companies will not service units they did not install themselves as a matter of liability. Therefore, when finding an elevator company, stay local.
Another area to be mindful of is hiring a general contractor. Whether you are building a new home, or renovating your current residence, the builder you choose can have a great impact on how smoothly the entire process goes. Unless you have a specific builder you want to work with, if the elevator is your main reason for undertaking the project it may be best to get a few referrals from the elevator company you have chosen. The reason for this is there can be a few inherent hiccups that occur the first time a builder works with an elevator company. For instance, the structural composition of the elevator’s main rail wall is different than any other wall in your house. Also, some elevators require separate machine rooms, and others simply require extra space on the top floor of the shaft. All of these details are best left between the professionals, and always seem to go better when the contractor and elevator company have a history of working together.
A few months ago a dentist who played golf with Dr. Smith inquired if he could come and take a look at the house. Since the first time he had seen the beautiful home, the dentist had been trying to convince Dr. Smith to sell it to him. When the man arrived, he and Kitty took the elevator up to the top floor so the man could see their outlook on the course. Instantly, the doctor began to rave about the view. He couldn’t get over how many different holes on the course can be seen from the kitchen and loft area. He didn’t look in the bedrooms or downstairs, but reaffirmed his offer to buy the house. After the man left, Kitty thought about the glowing praise he had for her house and the view. The more she thought about it, the more she was in complete agreement with the dentist, and made the decision then that she couldn’t possibly leave Brady’s and her home. She says she plans on staying there forever, and with the assistance of the elevator, hopefully she will.
