Chateau Malloy
CD101's General Manager, Randy Malloy, and his family reside on campus... but you wouldn't guess
By David Lewis |
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Randy and Susan Malloy remember house-hunting six years ago; when their real estate agent told them about a great property on campus, they didn't even want to see it.
"We couldn't find the house," said Randy, referring to the enigmatic driveway, which appears between two houses like the road to the Batcave. "So we ended up parking in the ravine, came in the back door, and then, just as we stepped into the kitchen, we were like, 'we'll take it.'"
Photo: Patrick Mizenko
The house, formerly an OSU sorority house built between 1924 and 1928, sits atop the Iuka Ravine like a despot on a green and rocky throne; its stucco faces provide a courageous contrast to the deep red wire-cut brick trim. Resplendent with vintage leaded-glass bay windows and a claw-footed bathtub original to the house, the Malloy's residence rests peacefully in the shade of 80-year-old oak trees.
"The thing that's unique about it is that we're on campus, with keggers raging all around us, and it's still always this quiet," said Randy, proudly.
He has every reason to be proud. As we toured the grand old house, Randy showed us various projects he had built himself in his basement workshop. From laying a stone sidewalk that wraps around the house, to pouring a concrete footer, to setting French drains and a sump pump in his basement, Randy has made many improvements to his residence.
Photo: Christopher Atwood
"If you own an old home, you have to either be very handy or rich, and we are not the latter," laughed Randy. "I'm very good at fixing stuff myself."
Four-year-old Jacob wasn't yet born when Randy and Susan first purchased their home six years ago, but he very clearly enjoys living there: playing fetch with Zoe the Australian cattle dog in the ravine, and exploring the house, much of which is clearly devoted to his youth.
"The attic, that's where I like to go," said Jacob articulately, of his "secret" upstairs playroom.
The home has provided the perfect showcase for many classic decorations the Malloys owned prior to purchasing the home.
Spectacular antiques are abundant, from the 1920s-style hand-cranked washtub upstairs, to the original arts-and-crafts mirror in the master bedroom. The Malloys found the mirror in the basement.
"[The house] already fit our decorating style," said Randy.
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Out on the patio, which affords a spectacular view of the Iuka Ravine, Randy and Susan spoke jokingly of "Chateau Malloy."
"It feels like a vacation home," said Susan fondly.
"Yeah, like we're in the Poconos," laughed Randy. "There's not a lot of topography in Columbus," he said, looking down into the thicket as it sloped sharply away from the foundation.
With such charming scenery and historical significance burrowed into a secluded nook, the Malloys are certainly glad they followed their realtor into the unknown and discovered their hidden abode.
Originally Published: October 1, 2009
