Built in 1964, 731 Wyndemere Drive is now a two story house where the Loutzehieser family resides. Surprisingly, the house has many stories that go into it, becoming a two story house, but it didn’t just start out that way. This house was built by the Bestway home and building Department Company, which financed many of the houses in the area, explaining their similarity. It was first bought by Mrs. and Mr. Robert Nagel, who had two beautiful young daughters at the time.
When the Nagel family bought the house, it had an unfinished basement. So, in order to build enough room for both their girls, they basically lived upstairs while the rest of the basement was being constructed. Still, Mrs. And Mr. Robert Nagel managed to throw many dinner parties in what is now the family/music room. To this day, there are still many people who remain in Boise that remember going to those parties. They describe going to big dinner parties, with extravagant food and chandeliers hanging over the dinner table. The whole community got together to attend these parties. The current owners of the house, in the early years of their ownership, carried on this tradition. And they use their finished basement as a place where their children can host slumber parties.
As previously mentioned, the Nagels had two children, two young girls. Sadly, one of their children passed away in an accident while they were living in the house. Still, their social lifestyle continued, feeling the need for a strong community bond. The Nagels often doted on their other daughter, showering her with love and affectation. In 1993, the house was purchased by the Chalfants after the Nagels put it up for sale. The Chalfants lived in the basement for two years while the top of it was being renovated, adding a hidden door leading to a closet, mood lighting, and cabinetry into the house. The previous owners bought the house in 2000 after the Chalfants put it up for sale.
One of the current owner’s children threw a marble at the main glass door of the house while she was playing, breaking it, and causing it to crack in several places They had to hire a glass window and door specialist to fix the door up to it’s previous standard. After all of the remodeling the house had endured, the outside had not changed at all.
Just recently, the Idaho Historical Society asked for the current owners permission to guide a tour through, and around the house, on the outside, as well as on the inside. They believed that the Lounzenhiezer house has, compared to many houses in Boise, been preserved on the outside. This can be seen in the brick, which is echoed throughout the other houses in the neighborhood, which were built around the same time, and the numerous glass windows that lead into the back yard.
This house is a ranch style house, a style which became increasingly popular in the 60’s and it can be seen all over Boise in the suburbs. It is long and rather flat, built with brick and has many horizontal lines, making the house appear to be crouching on top of the hill, overlooking the Boise foothills and the area behind camels back. This style of architecture was very popular during the time period that is was built, as suburbs in Boise became more and more popular.
According to the rules of the neighborhood, the owners of the house are not allowed to have an outhouse on or anywhere around the property. Though outdated, this rule was originally place to ensure a certain standard that is to be maintained through out the neighborhood. Their neighbors do own horse property. Some unique features of this house are that they have a pool in their backyard, a sauna in their basement, and a hot tub built in the ground instead of over the ground like most hot tubs.