u/AffectionateDebate58

In 2020 when I approached the city of Orange about converting a 16' x 16' falling down garage into an accessory dwelling unit, I was told by the (then) city's preservation director: "as long as I work here, that garage will always be a garage" and there will be zero changes within the historic district of homes.

I spent many months trying to get this approved knowing the new state laws were in my favor. Finally I was granted building permits. The plan was to honor my best friend and longtime Old Towne resident Ted Glasener (who had terminal stomach cancer and was on hospice), with a project called "Ted's Garage in Old Towne." Although Ted never saw the finished product due to city's bureaucracy, I did share with him the plans. Tomorrow marks the 6 year anniversary of his death. The tiny, tiny house is 256 sq feet and rents for $1975 per month and cost $125k to build. I served as the designer and general contractor.

It even has a hidden bathroom whose door is activated by tilting a book on a shelf to electronically activate the door latch release. The cottage also has an original 1920s built in Murphy dinette thst seats 4.

Today: no shortage of ADUs in Old Towne and elsewhere. In 2020 this was the first and only.

Www.instagram.com/@tedsgarageinoldtowne

A number of people asked to see the bathroom in the Old Towne Orange (CA) Lil Red Cottage post from yesterday. Although the city demanded the exterior be historic looking (1910-20s), I went next level and also made the bathroom period correct. Found this lavender bathroom set on FB marketplace for $1,000 and figured that's about what cheap home depot fixtures would have cost.

You'll notice two sinks: the smaller sink is an ultra rare (especially in lavendar) piece - in the 1920s Kohler embarked on an ad campaign to increase sales of sinks by creating a campaign of telling the public that they needed a "dental sink" because it was more hygienic than spitting toothpaste into same sink as you wash your hands. That's the story multiple historic home experts have told me. I'll leave it up to the internet sleuths to verify.

This is a 747 sq foot ADU that is a rental home I completed in 2024 Old Towne Orange, located 6 miles from Disneyland

Finished this detached ADU in Old Towne Orange. City made me make it look like it was from early 1900 to match the other homes in the historic district. It is a 2 bed/1 bath total of 747 square feet. I was the owner builder and also the designer (saved a ton of fees since I didn't pay an architect, didn't pay a general contractor). More pics on my

IG: HistoricHomeRow. More than happy to answer any questions/provide any insight i gained from this build.