By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

In the year since Todd Winter bought a dilapidated house at the corner of Santa Fe and 5th St. in Marion, he’s worked to rehabilitate it as often as his time and resources have allowed.

“This is something I’m doing in my free time,” Winter said. “As I have money in my savings account, I put it in the house.”

In recent weeks, Winter has been working on the house more often.

The three-bedroom, single-story cottage style house was built in 1900.

Winter said he bought the house with the intention of overhauling it and using it as a rental, but now his intention is to sell it.

On a recent day, Winter and Christian Pedersen worked on opposite sides of a bay window. Winter applied fascia board along the top while Pederson applied window tape to stop air leaks on the other side.

Curling, decaying wood siding is being replaced with vinyl. Old windows are being removed and modern ones installed in their place.

The inside is gutted to wall studs that mark where new walls will be built.

The floors will be leveled and then given new surfaces.

The kitchen and living room will be redesigned into one open area with wood plank flooring.

Electrical upgrades will be made as well as plumbing upgrades for the kitchen and bathroom.

Winter said the formerly narrow doorways will be made wider to make the house friendlier for wheelchairs.

He hopes to have the project done in six months.