Mark and Connie Beford open the doors to their penthouse apartment and explain why they are leading a resurgence in downtown living.
By Marla Brannan
HQ 66 | AUTUMN 2008
Mark and Connie Beford like to go to the city on weekends. They used to pack up the car and head for Cincinnati. Now they pick up snacks and something to grill and make the long, long trek from their home in Briarcliff near Ceredo to – downtown Huntington!
The owners of Southpoint Beford Ford and Beford Family Pre-Owned Auto in St. Albans, Mark and Connie weekend at a recently renovated penthouse apartment in the St. James Building. With sweeping views of downtown, the Ohio River and Marshall University, their 12th floor flat feels urban and modern from the moment you enter the elevator. And with all the entertainment, dining and cultural options now available downtown, it has many of the amenities of a larger getaway city – without the long drive and money spent on gas.
Mark explains their decision to buy property downtown: “The thing to do as kids was come downtown – but then you get older, move to suburbia and don’t often go down there to eat or shop or just hang out. So we both looked at downtown buildings growing up, me in Charlotte and Connie here, and thought it would be so cool to live in one of them. As time evolved, I happened to bump into Mike Rafey, the St. James developer, at a restaurant in the Palm Beach airport, and he said he’d bought the St. James. Lo and behold, three years later he was marketing the condos and we decided we wanted to live at this premier address. Now this is our weekend getaway – and we absolutely love it!”
When they first saw what is now their 2,300 square foot apartment, it didn’t look anything like it does today. “You could not have lived in it,” says Connie. “It was two little units with 7½ foot ceilings, a boxy 1960s kitchen and an extremely dated bedroom.” In order to lend an even airier feel to a space already containing 17 windows, crews hired by Creative Kitchens (who stayed in the condo during the week) knocked out numerous walls, raised the ceilings and totally reconfigured the layout. “We had to take it down to the foundational walls,” Mark remembers. “Andrea Nelson and Rob Stepp down at Creative Kitchens were so instrumental. In addition to designing the kitchen, they oversaw all the work and suggested paint colors – they really helped us create our dream.”
And what a dream! Now when the Befords and their friends cross the threshold of their downtown home, they truly feel transported. Contemporary art and traditional architecture co-exist in a wonderful fusion of old and new. Much like the Soho lofts the Befords admired on a visit to Manhattan, the classic appearance of the St. James Building belies the modern space nestled directly under its roof. And instead of the two making strange bedfellows, they seem to play into one another’s strengths.
Entering the marble-floored foyer, a formal dining area with dark brown walls and modern furnishings lays to the right and the cozy avocado-hued living room to the left. Occupying the corner of the loft is the magnificent kitchen, with traditional cabinetry that hides the refrigerator and dishwasher and blends seamlessly with the Murano glass pendant lighting and a stainless steel range hood. Beyond the living area is an office that can be used as a guest bedroom, a full bath with fantastic tile shower and a utility room complete with loads of storage and hanging space. A large “his” walk-in closet for Mark echoes Connie’s space at the other end of the apartment.
What used to house an entire one-bedroom flat is now the master suite. Hidden behind a lead glass door, this haven contains not only a magnificent and jealousy-inducing “hers” walk-in closet, but a large brick-colored bedroom and a fabulous bath. Built-in cabinets along the hall add shelf space.
The master bath presents some perfect examples of the Befords’ synthesis of modern and traditional: The claw foot tub sits on a heated floor. The countertop is lava, but the lighting includes a conventional chandelier. Then again, there’s a chandelier in the bathroom, which is in itself a modern twist. Just outside a shower covered with rich blue Italian glass tiles is an extremely contemporary piece of glass art Connie picked up on a trip to Florida.
In fact, throughout the whole apartment art from the past century by the likes of Russian-born Frenchman Marc Chagall meets up with more contemporary pieces including an original painting by American Icon LeRoy Neiman. And this just adds to the unique nature of the loft. The entire space is wired for sound: The Befords have included a Bose system that extends to each room and a floor outlet in the living room for a soon-to-be-purchased grand piano.
It’s a nice change of pace for the Befords to leave their traditional home in the suburbs and “go to the city” for the weekend. And even though it’s not far from home, it has all the facets necessary for a great weekend getaway. “Downtown Huntington has seen so much progress in the last few years. We have Pullman Square, new restaurants, more shops and a comedy club. There are numerous cultural opportunities, as well as the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, The Marshall Artists Series, concerts on the riverfront and so much more.” Connie adds, “We are thrilled to be able to come here on the weekends and be in the heart of it all.”
