HGTV’s ‘Saving Galveston’ focuses on restoring the historic island
Galveston natives Ashley and Michael Cordray were recently featured on HGTV with the premiere of their show “Saving Galveston.” The show follows the couple’s house-flipping process of historic Galveston island homes from beginning to end.
When the Cordrays decide to flip a house, they choose to feature as many original architectural elements of the homes as possible to allow the history to shine through. Each home is different, unique and distinctly its own.
Early on in Ashley and Michael’s relationship, they began home restoration as a hobby. They started with one house just for them.
“After two months of dating I said, ‘You know what we’re going to go buy a historic home in Galveston,’” Ashley said. “I think our parents thought we were crazy.”
Michael was taken aback when he discovered that Ashley was searching for and found a home in one day.
“So she gets online that night,” Michael said. “I think it’s generic ‘we’re going to buy a house in Galveston,’ right, like that is just a thing people say, and then she’s like ‘I found a house.’”
After their original restoration was complete, they decided they could do more. The Cordrays were inspired by the amount of demolition to 100-year-old abandoned, foreclosed and destroyed homes around the area. The Cordrays were moved to take action.
Ashley encouraged Michael to quit his job daily for a few years before they started their real estate company Save 1900 Reality. Since Michael left the corporate world, they transitioned into flipping houses full time.
“The whole flipping game is fast, if you’re not fast you’re not making money.” Michael said. “But we’ve got to be fast and unique every time and better every time.”
The Cordrays value old over new. The couple has even created t-shirts to support their movement. These shirts say “no cookie cutters” and “old>new.”
They consistently choose to restore old glass, hardware, flooring and wood over buying new products. They strive for quality, longevity and elements that improve the life and value of the home.
“The better we do something the better the next guy is going to do his house as well” Ashley said. “So in the long run I want that guy to keep going too. I want the other people to continue doing what they’re doing, and then maybe they’ll see some of the stuff that we are doing and they’ll do it as well. And that is great because that house is going to be better off for it.”
Looking forward, the Cordrays will continue working to restore historic Galveston island, as the impact of the show could bring major improvements for the area they call home.
“Look at Waco, Waco was not cool. Waco is now cool because of a TV show. ‘Fixer Upper’ is like a breed of its own,” Ashley said. “If we could get just a quarter of what they’ve gotten, Galveston will be a different island because Galveston is already cool.”
“Saving Galveston” will air three times, and the Cordrays will hear from HGTV later on this summer and find out if the show will continue. Regardless of the camera and media attention, the Cordrays will continue restoring homes one day at a time. Their overall goal is to restore Galveston and make it a better place for the beloved community.
“No matter what, we’re going to keep doing what we do,” Ashley said.
If you missed the pilot airing of the show, its next airing will be June 28 at 11p.m.
Also published on Medium.
Love seeing his mother on the show, hope we see more of her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this show. I’ve always loved the historic homes in Galveston & to see the Cordrays transforming them is wonderful. Ashley & Michael seem fun & are so likable. This is the best new show I’ve seen on HGTV in a long time. Would really love to see more episodes. Love it!!
My husband and I loved this show! We live in Houston and plan on retiring to a historic home in Galveston some day, we are thrilled that someone is saving these incredible gems and keeping that Victorian character, bravo hgtv! This will be an awesome hit.
Loved the show! Immediately started checking for more shows but couldn’t find any then decided to google them and found this is the only one so far. Please continued with this couple. Loved the concept of saving the really, really old houses. Love HGTV!!
This show makes me want to visit Galveston. I’d like to live in their 1st restoration!!!
We love the show. It has a unique offering for the HGTV network line up. #savinggalveston
Loved it! Creative & wonderful design, while saving history. More episodes please!
It’s a keeper, our whole extended family loves the show!
I love love love this show! They do a wonderful job and keep the history of a home alive. I am so saddened when I see old architecture and furniture just thrown away, never to be loved again. Their chemistry is amazing as well. I found myself smiling with them all through the show! Please keep this show HGTV!
I love love love this show! They do a wonderful job and keep the history of a home alive. I am so saddened when I see old architecture and furniture just thrown away, never to be loved again. Their chemistry is amazing as well. I found myself smiling with them all through the show! Please keep this show HGTV!
Awesome show!! It’s a keeper with the natural talent of Ashley and Michael on camera. Combine that with those gorgeous old homes; many will tune in to watch!
Out of all the possible new shows HGTV has been testing out this year, this was by far my fave! I like that rather than going into a shop and buying furnishings to show off their project, they will pick up things people are throwing away on the curb. They are both thrifty, environmentally conscious and creative. They are both very hands on, girl power to the wife who seems to have skills beyond just the ‘designing’ part and I can even see the mom, Bootsie was it? being a character on the show.
HGTV please make this a permanent series!
Saving Galveston is wonderful! Michael and Ashley work seamlessly together, and the 1913 house restoration they did is gorgeous from top to bottom. They kept all of the charm and character of the historic construction, but gave it a fresh, welcoming makeover. I agree with the previous comments–Saving Galveston is (finally) a home show with as much appeal as Fixer Upper.
Keep! Keep! Keep! This show is a gem. Love the fact this couple saves and restores everything they can. They’re naturals on camera and the restoration is of these homes are just lovely.
Love this show!! I live in Houston and frequent the Galveston area several times a year. It is so wonderful to see this couple restoring these old homes that were either neglected after the hurricane in 2008 or just fell by the wayside over time. Galveston is coming back strong and this show gives life to these neighborhoods and hope to the people in this community. Ashley and Michael are so real and I so appreciate their love of restoring and not just throwing things away and buying new. PLEASE continue this show.
My husband and I just watched Saving Galveston and absolutely loved it!! Their love for Galveston and historic homes shows in every detail they put into their work. Please Please continue with this show!!!! I felt the same way watching this first episode as I did on the first episode of Fixer Upper.
This show was great! Galveston has so many beautiful homes….let’s see more of this show !
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the transformation! They are so hands on with much of the work and love what they are doing. A nice departure from flipping houses in which the hosts just pick out the same materials, argue about it, and then reveal a very cookie cutter home. Fixer Upper is my favorite but I rate this first episode of Saving Galveston right up there!
I am so excited about this program. Ashley and Michael are just so unique and so committed. Their passion for restoring old homes certainly shows through. Galveston has so many possibilities that I feel sure they won’t run out of work for a long time!!