Explaining why the M Streets are unique, Peter Kemp says “there’s a charm to this neighborhood and its homes. I found newspaper clippings about the history of our first home here, which was built in 1922 - so it was like opening a time capsule. I passed them on to the new homeowner when we sold.”

Proud of the work he carried out on that house, Peter continues, “Working in the attic, putting in insulation, I could see the age of the original materials. I don't know if that house would have made it if we hadn't put in the sweat equity. It might have been bulldozed and a new construction put up in its place, but we preserved something historic. We drive by occasionally and have fond memories of that time.”

Although Peter grew up in Virginia Beach, and graduated from the University of Virginia, his father came from Dallas, and he knew the city well from visiting grandparents. With a BA in Economics, Peter first worked in public accounting in Atlanta GA before moving to Dallas in 2011. Today he is the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Providence Energy.

While planning his move to Dallas, Peter took a road trip with friends, several of whom were University of Texas alumni, to the Houston Rodeo. There he met Blakely, from Houston and a UT graduate. The couple stayed in touch, then dated long distance until Blakely moved to Dallas in 2015 before marrying in 2016. A business major with a focus on marketing, Blakely now works for consulting firm Credera.

After that first home, Peter and Blakely looked again for historic charm but with a more modern construction. With a 1 1/2 year old and a baby on the way, Blakely wasn't as interested in a ‘project house,’ and they soon found their present home on Merrimac. “Our home was constructed in 1999, which makes it unusual,” Peter says, “as most homes around here were either from the 1920’s, or more recent, like 2006. But it’s faithful to the architecture of the neighborhood, and visitors are surprised by the modern layout.”

The house is now home to the couple’s daughters Abby, 6, and Audrey 4½, as well as one-year old son Rowan, named in honor of Peter’s mother Rowena who passed away shortly before he was born. The girls are eager to start their school years at nearby Solar Preparatory School for Girls. “They are very close to one another and we are excited they will be together at the same school,” Peter enthuses. With Rowan’s all-round good-natured personality, the couple are enjoying their young family.

They stay abreast of community activities through their block captain Austin Maxey, with whom they participate in the annual Halloween parade and Easter Egg hunt, organize alley clean-up efforts, and help elderly neighbors with household tasks. As Peter says, “We're big supporters of the neighborhood, its locally-owned businesses, and its schools. It warms our hearts to see young families settling down here. We know you can get more space farther out in the suburbs, but we value the cultural attractions available by being near a city center and we enjoy living close to our friends.”

As Blakely concludes, “we feel really lucky to be raising our family in a neighborhood where we can walk with our kids to get donuts or pancakes or have a date night at a fun, new restaurant. In such a large city, it feels so unique and we’ve loved our (almost) 10 years of living here!”

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