'A very special property': Peoria mid-century home owned by Kim Blickenstaff is for sale

Leslie Renken, Peoria Journal Star
·2 min read
The home of med-tech entrepreneur and former Peoria developer Kim Blickenstaff is for sale.
The home of med-tech entrepreneur and former Peoria developer Kim Blickenstaff is for sale.

PEORIA – The home of med-tech entrepreneur and former Peoria developer Kim Blickenstaff is for sale.

Priced at $750,000, the home at 6900 N Upper Skyline Drive was built in 1968 by Bill and Hazel Rutherford, founding members of the Forest Park Foundation and Wildlife Prairie Park, which opened to the public in the fall of 1978. Blickenstaff purchased the home in 2019.

"It’s a very special property,” said Julie Bielfeldt, the real estate agent who listed the property. “It’s such an interesting, substantial structure, and it’s had just a handful of owners over the years. And when Kim purchased it, he brought it back to its original glory. ... He lovingly brought it back to what it was intended to be, and updated things.”

Built by Bill Rutherford and owned most recently by Kim Blickenstaff, the mid-century modern home at 6900 N. Upper Skyline Dr. in Peoria has vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Built by Bill Rutherford and owned most recently by Kim Blickenstaff, the mid-century modern home at 6900 N. Upper Skyline Dr. in Peoria has vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams and floor-to-ceiling windows.

A stunning example of mid-century modern architecture, the three-bedroom, two-bath 2,433-square-foot home has vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams and floor-to-ceiling windows. It overlooks both park property and the nearby Illinois River.

Other amenities include polished concrete floors, a gas log fireplace, and a renovated kitchen with solid surface countertops and an island made from a life-edge board. The dining room has many windows and access to a new covered outdoor cooking patio, which was designed to blend with the original design of the home.

“You honestly would think that it had been there forever,” said Bielfeldt. “It matches the architectural style to a T.”

A gravel path leads to a pergola at the Blickenstaff home.
A gravel path leads to a pergola at the Blickenstaff home.

Landscaping includes a fire pit built into a patio, and a rock path leads to a pergola that can be used for sleeping, reading and meditation. An oversized garage has room for a workshop.

The house sits on three tree-filled lots. Blickenstaff purchased several undeveloped lots surrounding the home – two extra lots are included with the home and another set of parcels is being sold under a different listing.

"It is the most peaceful setting. I love that neighborhood up there. The North Upper Skyline Drive has a handful of neighbors, a nice community of people who have lived there for years. I say it’s like a sanctuary.”

More: Abandoned and for sale: What we know about 13 properties connected to Kim Blickenstaff

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Kim Blickenstaff mid-century modern house for sale in Peoria