ダウンタウントラベリングシティ - スタジオアパートメントベイ

Your hosts, Bob & Becky have called Traverse City home for decades and love it more every year — which is exactly why we want to share it with you.
Before retiring, Bob spent his career as a Special Education teacher and builder, and Becky worked in philanthropy. These days you'll find us out running the trails, biking the TART, or skiing up north. Bob has biked across countries and continents, and will tell you without hesitation that the riding around Traverse City is the best he's found anywhere in the world.
We know this town inside and out — the hidden beaches, the best spots for a morning coffee before a long ride, the restaurants worth waiting for, and the ones the locals actually go to. If you want recommendations, just ask. We're happy to help you make the most of your time here.

We chose this spot deliberately, and after decades here we'd choose it again without hesitation.
We're in the heart of Slabtown, one of Traverse City's most cherished historic districts, sitting right on the edge of downtown without any of the noise. Step outside and you're directly across Grandview Parkway from West Grand Traverse Bay — one of the most pristine deepwater bays in the country. The views stop you in your tracks, and full public beach access means the water is yours whenever you want it.
As avid runners, bikers, and skiers, we couldn't ask for a better home base. The TART trail runs right alongside the house, connecting miles of waterfront riding and running in both directions. Bob has biked all over the world and keeps coming back to these roads and trails — that says everything.
Two blocks in the other direction puts you in the middle of everything Traverse City has to offer. But honestly, on most mornings you'll find yourself standing at the water's edge first, coffee in hand, watching the bay catch the light — and wondering why you ever need to leave.

The story behind this home
Our home has a history as interesting as the neighborhood it sits in.
More than a decade ago, Becky and I stumbled onto an old storefront on Grandview Parkway — the Davidson Rock Shop, a Traverse City institution that had been polishing Petoskey stones and selling them to tourists for over 50 years. The building was part of the city's original downtown, built just after the Civil War, sitting directly across from West Bay. We fell in love with the location and decided it was worth reimagining entirely.
We sold the small attached house to friends, cleared the commercial side, and started from scratch. What was left was a narrow infill lot — 25 feet wide and 117 feet deep — with fire-rated walls required on both long sides, meaning no windows on either flank. Bringing light and air into what is essentially a shotgun-style building was the central design challenge, and it became an obsession.
I had also decided I wanted to build the most energy-efficient home in Traverse City. The result follows the German Passive House standard, which combines super-insulation, an exceptionally tight building envelope, an energy recovery ventilator for fresh air circulation, and passive solar design. The floors and domestic hot water are heated entirely by solar panels on the roof.
I retired from teaching on a Friday and started tearing down the old building the following Monday. After four major design revisions, the final version includes a garage and the apartment you're staying in on the ground floor. It's a building with a story — and we think that makes it a pretty special place to call home for a few days.