30 Preston Place was built as 486 Kercheval Avenue, designed by New York architect, Duncan Candler, and completed in 1932. The house was commissioned as a springtime residence for Louise Webber Jackson. She was sister to the Webber brothers who ran the Hudson’s Department Store. Her first husband Hugh Jackson was president of Hudson Motor Car Company. They lived in a Leonard Willeke-designed home in Detroit’s Indian Village. Jackson died unexpectedly on a European trip in 1934.

The Jacksons visited Seal Harbor, Maine in the summers along with other prominent Grosse Pointe families. The architect designed homes in the community, including Skylands for the Edsel Ford family, now owned by Martha Stewart. In 1934 Louise Jackson married another Seal Harbor habitue, John “Cap” O’Brien.

The home was built by contractor Bryant and Detwiler from Detroit. It features seven bedrooms, four full and 2-1/2 baths in 9000 square feet. The property originally extended from Kercheval to Lake Shore Road and was landscaped with spring-blooming trees, shrubbery and flowers. Several of the bathrooms feature extraordinary examples of Pewabic tiles. The library has carved teakwood paneling with bas reliefs by William Zorach.

The home was purchased in 1961 by Edward Frohlich and his wife, Jessie. She was drawn to the estate because the garden reminded her of a favorite children’s book, “The Secret Garden.” Eventually, the estate was turned into the Preston Place Subdivision (named after Frohlich’s mother’s family name). The home was the scene of many social events and musical entertainments. When Frohlich died, the house was left in trust to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. DSO leaders used it as a home over decades.

When the house became available for sale, it was ready for serious renovation and revisioning. it was featured as a “Pop Up Tour” in 2016 by the Grosse Pointe Historical Society. Facing an uncertain future, builder and developer, Dan Connell and his wife Jill fell in love with the property, acquired it, and set to work. They had the vision and expertise to restore the home for 21st century family living.

Homeowners and Event Hosts are Jill and Dan Connell.
Event Chairs are Valerie and Dr. Peter Dodenhoff and Dr. Maria and Thomas Jones II.
The Honorary Committee includes:

Mary and Michael Farley, Chairs Kay Agney Dr. David S. Balle Dr. Richard K. Baumgarten and Dr. Cheryl A. Wesen Anne Berschback Suzy and Chip Berschback The Honorable and Mrs. Arthur W. Bryant Kay Burt-Willson Mr. and Mrs. J. McGregor Dodds Valerie and Peter Dodenhoff Mr. Dale Ehresman Jane Whitney Gage Stuart W. Grigg Susan Hartz Mark Heppner The Honorable Michele Hodges Maria and Thomas Jones II The Honorable Thaddeus Kedzierski Vicky L. Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold Mr. and Mrs. Ronald C. Lamparter

Susan and Craig Larsen Ann Loshaw Louisa St. Clair Chapter NSDAR Mr. and Mrs. Philip P. MacKethan Sandy MacMechan Marcia M. McBrien Gioconda and Thayer McMillan Patricia E. O’Brien, PhD Amy Pfaehler and Bradley Miller Ruth and Kris Pfaehler Stefan Pfaehler Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Selvaggio Michael W. Skinner John Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Randall J. Tallerico The Honorable and Mrs. Louis Theros The Honorable Sheila Tomkowiak Molly and Mark Valade The Honorable Thomas A. Van Tiem, Sr. James and Karen Verney Leslie Wagner, PhD Mireille Wilkinson Lisa Worley Frederick R. Zosel

Lifelong Grosse Pointe friends Jay Cooper and Matthew Monsour moved into an apartment together in East Lansing, Michigan in 2020. Their apartment became known by friends as the premiere place to gather and enjoy Jay's cooking and Matthew's hospitality. That is when the 405 Hospitality Group was born, named after the apartment unit where it all began. With the addition of Vincent Pucillo and Spencer Lukas, the team provides innovative and exciting catered and in-home dining experiences with a 21st-century perspective.