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The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa has a new paint job and a new roof. The owner plans to open an inn at the historic house.
Owners of the William Andrews House at 741 Seminary St. in Napa want to turn the property into a luxury inn.
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa. has a new paint job, new roof, and even some gold leafing.
A former resident once described the historic William Andrews House at 741 Seminary St. in downtown Napa as “a grand old lady.”
Today, 16 months after being purchased by John Heath, this lady is looking grander than ever.
The exterior of the Queen Anne-style mansion has been completely repainted in new colors including white, gray and black.
“I think it looks absolutely stunning,” said Heath. “Gorgeous. It came out better than we expected.”
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Decorative exterior ornamentation has also been refinished, with some parts getting a coating of real gold leaf.
A new roof was installed. Dry rot was removed. Original glass windows have been reglazed, meaning new putty was added around where the glass meets the frame. New ropes, used to help open and shut the windows, have been added. The original rain gutters, which are made of wood, were sanded and relined with sheet metal, explained Heath.
“The outside took a phenomenal amount of work,” said Heath, whose company, Golden West Engineering and Construction, is based in Shingle Springs, Calif. Because the home is on the National Register of Historic Places, all renovations had to replicate the original work, “like for like,” he said.
The improvements are all part of a multi-million dollar renovation to turn the home into an inn. Heath bought the home for $1.6 million in May 2021. Before that Napa’s Sanza family owned the 5,300-square-foot home.
This historic Napa house is for sale for $2.1 million. Check it out.
Heath said he hoped to repair the original decorative slate roof but, “it was just crumbling in our hands,” he said. The new roof is made of composition shingles. According to city records, permits for the remodel were issued on July 19.
It wasn’t easy to replace the roof, he said. It has a very steep pitch — about 45 degrees.
“It makes a little more difficult to install,” a new roof, said Heath. “It’s more time consuming,” and expensive — the replacement roof cost more than $50,000, said Heath.
Next, the basement of the Queen Anne will be excavated and lowered about two feet to accommodate guest rooms.
The basement excavation will also include seismic upgrades. That part of the project alone will cost Heath about $400,000.
When finished, the basement will include two suites. The attic will include two suites. The rest of the home will include two more suites and two separate bedroom units. In total the home will feature eight bedrooms, including one for the inn manager.
Should this Napa historic home become a B&B called “Hotel California?”
So far Heath has found some interesting artifacts during the process — items such as square nails, and door hinges and metal ornamentation trim left behind from the original build.
The Andrews House, described as one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Napa, was commissioned in 1892 for William Andrews. Andrews was a miller and then opened a Napa grocery store. His home was designed by local architect Luther Turton.
The two-and-a-half story home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Heath is guessing more “treasures” are to be discovered once the walls are opened up and floors repaired. After all, who knows what items have slipped beneath the floorboards of a 130-year-old house?
He plans to name his inn the Hotel California, after the Eagles song, “but we’re still working out,” permission to do so.
In the past, The Eagles have been protective of the name Hotel California. In 2017, the rock band sued a Mexico-based hotel using the name “Hotel California.” That case was eventually settled.
A bed and breakfast the owner wants to call the Hotel California is headed for a historic Napa house following Planning Commission approval.
Regardless of the final name, Heath said the inside will feature a “classy” rock and roll theme including live musical performances, he said.
Chris Sanza McCall, who lived in the house with her family from age 15 on, said she hasn’t seen the new paint colors of the house in person yet, so she couldn’t share any thoughts.
But McCall has fond memories of the home that her parents owned for 56 years. For the Sanzas, it was more than just a historic house, it was a central hub for the family, relatives and friends, she recalled in an earlier Napa Valley Register story.
“We’d have New Year’s Eve gatherings, bridal showers, baby showers, costume parties (and other parties) all the time,” said McCall. “There were four of us, we always had something going on, along with mom and dad too.”
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story house is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home. The roof is made of slate, said the current owner.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home. The roof is made of slate. The brown marks on the roof is rust from original square head nails.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
This historic Napa home is for sale for $2.1 million. It was built in 1892 for William Andrews, a miller and then a Napa grocery store owner. The two-and-a-half story home is located at 741 Seminary St. It was most recently the Sanza family home.
Evelyn I. Sanza
Francis “Jeep” Sanza
WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2012 NAPA, CA – A book documenting the short history of the Army’s 3457th Ordinance Medium Auto Maintenance Company with a photo of the jeep Francis Sanza drove Gen. George Patton in and two of the three stars from the vehicle’s flag Sanza was able to keep as mementos. Jorgen Gulliksen/Register
WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2012 NAPA, CA – Francis Sanza spent time during World War II driving Gen. George Patton’s jeep with the Army’s 3457th Ordinance Medium Auto Maintenance Company. As a gift, Sanza’s son gave him a replica of the jeep he drove. Jorgen Gulliksen/Register
WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2012 NAPA, CA – Francis Sanza in Luxembourg around 1944 or 1945. Jorgen Gulliksen/Register
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa has a new paint job and a new roof. The owner plans to open an inn at the historic house.
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa. has a new paint job, new roof, and even some gold leafing.
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. has a new paint job.
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. has a new paint job, including some gold leaf.
Take a tour of 741 Seminary St. in Napa: a historic Napa home that was for sale in 2021.
You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 707-256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
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The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa has a new paint job and a new roof. The owner plans to open an inn at the historic house.
Owners of the William Andrews House at 741 Seminary St. in Napa want to turn the property into a luxury inn.
The William Andrews home at 741 Seminary St. in Napa. has a new paint job, new roof, and even some gold leafing.
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