Reincarnated Circa-1880s Victorian Italianate in Cooper-Young. by JOHN GRIFFIN his Italianate side-hall cottage was built in the 1880s at 209 Mill Avenue in Greenlaw, this city's first subdivision. It has all the picturesque Italianate features of off-center front door, tall walk-out windows, and narrow, full-width galleried front porch. With the addition of cypress shutters, it would look perfectly at home in New Orleans. One hundred years after it was built, it took a little trip. The house was jacked-up, loaded onto a flatbed, and moved across town to Cooper-Young. The roof, porch, and chimney had to be reconstructed after it was re-sited. The roof and porch were rebuilt, with all due respect, to match the original, and only the brick chimney was altered. Even the remains of the gold-leaved address on Mill still dimly glow on the front-door transom, while the new address on Nelson is more prominently displayed. It hints that this house has certainly "been around the block." Though renovated as a single-family residence in its new location, this house has most recently been a Buddhist temple. This transformation was effected by the application of intense magenta and saffron paint to the walls and trim. But this color change literally transports this interior, and all those that enter. It's not what you'd normally expect of a residential interior, but I found it exhilarating. When first moved, the house was restored religiously. The wide, original moldings at doors, windows, and baseboards, and heart pine floors remain. Eight-foot-tall, four-panel doors are perfectly proportioned to the 12-foot ceiling height. The main chimney was rebuilt with a two-sided firebox opening both to the living room and the kitchen/dining. Matching period mantels grace both sides. The kitchen is discreetly designed with a wall of storage behind a generously scaled work island with verde antique marble top. A low wall surrounding the work island hides prep while showcasing a custom-designed dining table of English soapstone. This layout maximizes the space functionally and allows cook and guests to visit with unobstructed views to the fireplace. The bath is a practical epiphany. The floor and shower are finished in alternate green and white marble tiles. The tub surround and vanity are topped with intensely veined stone slabs. The 12-foot ceilings are accentuated by double-height transom openings over the doors to the toilet and the shower room, and a gold-framed mirror that runs from vanity to ceiling. It's simply divine. This house is an astonishing mix of modern high style played against an elegant Victorian backdrop. Its current color scheme is yet another strong statement that only lifts this reincarnated Victorian to yet a higher plane. 1775 Nelson Avenue Approximately 1,100 square feet 2 bedrooms, 1 bath; $89,000 Realtor: The Nelson Group, 324-5800 Agent: Angie Kirkpatrick