Rare Opportunity to Own an Arch B. Swank-Designed Midcentury Modern in Kiestwood Estates

Bart Thrasher grew up riding bikes along the rolling hills and the alleyways of Kiestwood Estates. Now the fourth-generation North Oak Cliff dweller is selling homes in the area, and he’s got a new listing on South Franklin Street that is nothing short of a piece of art. 

The three-bedroom, two-bath abode at 3454 S. Franklin St. is a Midcentury Modern designed by legendary architect Arch B. Swank. 

“My mom grew up in a house in Kiestwood that was built in 1958, the same year this house was built,” Thrasher said of the Franklin Street property. “This one is special because I don’t know of any others that have an architect as significant as Arch Swank.” 

Thrasher, a Realtor with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, has the original blueprints of the home for the new buyer. And that’s just one of the gifts the owner will receive. 

“This home is set in the side of a hill, so it’s not like on top of the hill,” Thrasher said. “It affords it to have a split level where there’s a partial basement, which my seller used as a studio.”

Another bonus: the crawl space is huge. 

“Being in the side of a hill, you can party in there,” Thrasher said. “It’s like eight or nine feet.”  

Midcentury Modern at 3454 S. Franklin St. 

Kiestwood Estates was developed as individual lots for potential buyers who would design and build custom homes. The styles vary from ranch to modern to traditional. 

The home at 3454 S. Franklin St. is “just so well done and unique,” Thrasher said.

“It’s been very lovingly maintained by my seller,” he added. “He purchased it about five years ago and life circumstances have changed and he’s planning on moving out of state for work. He’s lived so very lightly in it and the updates have been very sensitive to the original details.” 

The previous owner “did a ton of the ugly money” items such as replacing HVAC and adding an impact-resistant Galvalume metal roof. The kitchen features a classic restored Wedgewood gas range and stainless steel appliances. The seller rebuilt the deck earlier this year. 

The 1,851-square-foot home also features “really interesting orange Amtico flooring,” Thrasher said. The sinks are originals with updated faucets. 

“It’s a piece of art,” Thrasher said. 

Thrasher previously worked in construction and said homes built in the 1950s are the best-built homes in America. 

“It just went downhill from there,” he said. “In the late ‘60s, they started playing around with slab construction. Everyone went from pier-and-beam, which had been perfected, to slab, which was far from perfect.” 

Kiestwood Estates Neighborhood Nostalgia

Thrasher said it’s nostalgic for him to peek inside homes like the one on South Franklin Street. 

“Kiestwood has all these hills, and I remember I would take my bike over to my grandmother’s house,” he said. “We lived maybe a little bit less than a mile away when I was growing up. I would ride my bike through all the alleyways of Kiestwood. Looking back now, that was dangerous. It was like the wild west.” 

Now the area has running and hiking trails and is a perfect place to raise a family.  

“It’s a really desirable spot,” Thrasher said. “Not everyone can afford to live in Kessler Park or parts of North Oak Cliff. This is very affordable for North Oak Cliff, or just Oak Cliff in general.” 

Realtor Bart Thrasher with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate is listing 3454 S. Franklin St. for $500,000.