FNB: Look at all this space!

Apartment C - looking South

Apartment C - looking North

As demolition progresses (one dumpster filled, another delivered this morning) we are opening up the building and finding so much space!  These photos of Apartment C show the full volume of space that results from taking out the old walls and lowered ceilings.  You can trace the line of the removed walls in the floor and ceiling.  Excellent work by John Dye and Lane Dye.

It's too bad that we don't get to keep all this space...we'll be filling it up with our own walls, stairs and plumbing.  In the meantime we get to investigate the old building and see how things used to work.

An interesting discovery is that none of these walls were original!  How do we know?  Because the plaster is continuous behind the removed walls - and so is the wallpaper!  The photo below shows the (lovely) old wall paper as it appears in the space where a wall used to be.  We haven't taken enough of the walls apart to know what's underneath - we also don't know what the arrangement of these spaces looked like before.  One thing is for sure - we won't be going out and finding this wallpaper for the new apartments :)

FNB: Committed to Doing it Right

Yesterday (Thursday) I had a very productive meeting with a interesting group of people: a carpenter, a mason, a lumber guy and a window guy.  We each came to the table with our backgrounds and talents.  The thing that we have in common = making this project the best it can be.  The great thing about working with thoughtful and talented people is their commitment to doing it right; I am very proud to be working with this group!  Thank you Craig Siebenaler, Daniel Hammond, Greg Shoup and Chris Pfleghaar.

We met to talk about the windows - just ONE of the challenging parts of this project for multiple reasons: 

1) none of the original windows exist on our building.  We do, however, have examples of the original look right next door at Hammer Athletics (photo at right).

2) the original openings have been compromised - even to the point of completely blocking them up...

3) we really don't know the condition of the openings until they are all opened up

We met to form a plan for the windows - how will they be installed, what will the details look like, how much material, how do we keep the water out?  The good thing is that, spending the time to discuss all of the options and important information, we came up with a very good solution which will realize itself here in the next few months.

In order to have this conversation, though, we needed to open up the walls and ceilings to look at all sides of those openings.  The first photo shows the inside of an opening that was completely blocked up - this one stays that way.  The second photo shows the inside of an opening that was fitted with a MUCH smaller window and then bricked the rest of the way up.  See how much higher the ceilings are in the oldest part of the building?

A few frustrating observations:

1) For all the effort to lower the ceilings, in this apartment there was no insulation installed.  What a waste of all that space!

2) They used Belden brick in these openings - for those who don't know, Belden brick is some of the best.  So they used high-quality brick on the outside but installed no insulation in any of these openings.

Our forebears spent a lot of time and energy to retrofit this building while leaving out the most important part - the insulation.  I'm so glad we have the opportunity to do it right this time - with the help of some thoughtful contractors!

FNB: Demolition = Discovery

As demolition gets started, and the dropped ceilings removed, we have already made some discoveries.  These dark spots on the ceiling are skylights!  I haven't spent much time on the roof (I suppose I should have known about them) but we have discovered TWO of them in the future Apartment C.

The problem: BOTH skylights show signs of extensive water infiltration (all past, thankfully) and have been completely covered by the relatively new roof membrane.  This makes the skylights unusable for now.  It may also make the unusable for our project - which is HIGHLY unfortunate...skylights would MAKE these apartments.

In any case, demolition is progressing nicely.  We will have temporary power tomorrow - then demolition will go more quickly!

Next come the windows - something to look forward to for next week.

FNB: ...and so it begins!

2 years, 6 months, 6 days after we purchased the First National Building, work FINALLY begins!

I never thought I would say that I was glad to see a dumpster...but today it was delivered and I was glad!  It's hard to believe...but the day has finally come for hammers to swing in earnest.  

Today Matt Dye Construction arrived to begin the demolition of the second floor of the First National Building.  We begin the rebirth of one of the oldest buildings in downtown Montpelier.

To say that I am excited is an understatement.

FNB: Exciting News! We have been granted "Partial Plan Approval"!

Today I received some long-awaited news - we have been granted "Partial Plan Approval" for the First National Building.  All that means is that we can BEGIN work but we can't FINISH until the Plans Examiner is satisfied with the details and specifications of the new systems being installed.  I still have work to do but at least we can get started!

Dumpster will be delivered tomorrow.  Contractors arrive later this week!  The excitement is growing!

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A short note to explain the silence over the last two months.  We received a surprise when the Bureau of Building Code Compliance (aka "the State") required us to install a monitored fire alarm system in the building (March 10).  We spent a month designing and pricing said system - estimates ranged from $9,000 to $20,000.  We decided that the cost to install plus the perpetual maintenance and monitoring costs were not acceptable for the viability of the project.  So we spent the next month re-designing and coordinating to comply with the Building Code as the State required.

Honestly, I could not bring myself to type a sad and frustrating update about going back to the drawing board AGAIN.  I would rather trudge quietly through and celebrate on the other side.

We submitted for Building Permit on May 7, the Village received the Grant Funds on May 12, we close on the loan May 21.  It's been a busy month - it will be a busy Summer and Fall!  Thank you, Father, for the patience and perseverance to see this project to this point.  Please help me to carry it through!