Alameda 'Curb Appeal' Episode to Air Saturday

A stately Italianate home at 1547 Versailles Ave. stars in a new episode of Curb Appeal – The Block that will air Saturday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m. on HGTV (Comcast channel 67).

In supporting roles: across the street, where the show's crew renovated the main entrance, and a neighbor's home which received a mini-makeover.

The episode, hosted by designer John Gidding, concludes with clips from a block party for about 200 neighbors, family members and friends that celebrated the completion of the renovation – the largest such block party to date in the show's history, HGTV crew members said.

The owners of 1547 Versailles, Neal and Heather Jarecki, hope the episode and surrounding publicity will elicit  information about their home's past. They ask anyone with tidbits about the history of "the old white house at the corner," or photos of it in previous years, to email them at OldHome1547@AOL.com

Heather Jarecki, by the way, graduated from Alameda High School; Neal grew up in neighboring San Leandro.

During two weeks that ended June 15, 2011, HGTV crews of carpenters, painters and landscapers transformed the front of the 1885 Italianate home.

Neal Jarecki said these were the major changes:

• What had been an all-white house for 120+ years received six colors.
• Poorly-draining concrete front steps and flimsy 1960s stair railings were replaced with new wood stairs and railings designed to match the originals on the porch.
• The concrete front path was demolished and replaced with elegant pavers.
• The dying front lawn was replaced with a formal parterre landscape with over 250 flowers, shrubs and trees.

Alameda has appeared in previous episodes of Curb Appeal – The Block. You may read about one of those .