A River Town on the Rise - Newport, KY

I'm not sure how long this link will be good at the CJ so read it soon - America's Comeback City, Newport KY. The authors are Matt Hanka and John Gilderbloom. They are with the Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods at the University of Louisville: www.louisville.edu/org/sun.

Some excerpts, with bolding done by me to add emphasis.

"In an urban world beset with defeat, Newport is a feel-good story about how one small Ohio River city turned itself around with strong leadership, entrepreneurship, forward-thinking federally funding programs and effective partnerships between non-profit organizations, the higher education and business communities, city government and neighborhood leaders. "

"Historic Preservation districts have had the largest increase in property values."

"Much of the success in Newport is the result of steady and consistent leadership of Mayor Thomas Guidugli, who will complete his third and final term and 16 years in office as mayor at the end of 2008. This consistency has enabled the mayor and his staff to set goals and implement a common sense strategy for revitalizing Newport by aggressively pursuing property acquisition on the riverfront for the Newport on the Levee development and the Newport Aquarium."

If you live in New Albany and need inspiration you just found it. Sleepy little river towns can be revitalized. All it takes is leadership, common sense strategies, collaboration and effective partnerships. Let's get it on. Or move to Newport...

Festive New Albany Photographs

Some festive photographs from New Albany's historic neighborhoods. They might look familiar as they are a couple years old. Hope you enjoy nonetheless. A Happy Holiday to all!

As my box gutters gently weep…

It seems in life - at least mine - that some decisions made come back to haunt me again and again. I can make the right call a thousand times but there can be one bad call that just won’t let go and it taints everything.

Box gutters (aka Built-in Gutters) were my bad call.

To understand the true depth of my anguish you have to realize the effort that I, personally, put in to restoration work on my home. It’s work that I really didn’t want to do in the first place, having been stiffed by a contractor whom I’d given money (that’s a sad recurring theme for me). I scrape, I sand, I paint, I do all the little things and I’m really good about attention to detail. Yes, I’m slow. But the job gets done right.

I can’t do everything. Lord knows I wish I could. I paid someone to re-line my gutters. They’ve all failed – letting water creep into places where water should not be. The decision to be made now?

Option 1. Abandon the box gutters completely replacing with a modern gutter system. This includes altering the roofline to cover the box gutters and tacking on gutters where the crown molding currently resides. The same crown molding I gently removed layers of paint from and restored to near pristine status.

Option 2(Preferred). Find a roofer/contractor to redo the work correctly. Easier said than done. I’ve been working this angle for a while. Keep in mind, I have the cash on hand to pay for this stinking work thanks in part to getting screwed by past contractors. They don’t show, I keep the money. I just want to give my cash to someone that will do the work right. Am I asking for too much?

If you know a reliable roofer that wants my money please email me contact information.

All I want for Christmas is to not have to walk around the house looking for water stains when it rains or snows. And I've been a good boy all year long.

A Christmas Past and the Preservationist label

Christmas 1938 on Bank Street in the Portland (KY) neighborhood.

That’s not a bad haul for my Mom, age one at the time, especially considering the tough economic times the nation was facing. The country was struggling to emerge from the Great Depression. Unemployment was 19%. The family was also resettling after the 1937 flood. In the next year War would erupt in Europe. Lives would be changed drastically.

The connections with Christmas 2008, seventy years later? We’re dealing with extraordinary economic issues, war and even recovering from our own climate calamities.

My personal connection is a material one with the Christmas tree. Nestled in my tree are many of the same ornaments from that 1938 tree.
They’ve had quite journey. They represent much more than glass balls hung on a tree. They are my connection to that time. They are worth the time and effort I invest to preserve them. They are irreplaceable.

Protecting and appreciating history and heritage is important to me. It doesn’t matter what it is - ornaments, family history, architecture, houses and structures, community identity - the connections to our past matter.

That’s what being a preservationist means to me and I carry the label proudly.

Are you a preservationist?

New Albany Heritage Poster Series Unveiling Today

This is so cool. My friends and neighbors William and Laurie Arbaugh are two creative and dedicated people. This poster series, available exclusively at Destinations Booksellers, is a fabulous concept and I look forward to future releases.

A Life Lived

My Grandmother, Virginia Tuell Kraft, passed away early Saturday morning. Family will be gathering over the next couple of days and we will grieve the loss of a loved one together.

However, there’s nothing sad about a life lived. The family is what she helped make it. And she’s been able to be a part of so much of it.

I’ll share a favorite image of mine, which in my eyes says all there is to say. A resolute Mom with her children in a time of war while her husband fights on the other side of the world. Dignity, maternal strength, holding a family together - all qualities that defined her life and legacy.

Connections

Much of my passion for preservation and history is derived from making direct connections to the past. Here are some fun Ted connections.

My historic home was built by Dr. A. N. Coleman (c.1913).
I’m restoring the home to its original condition.

Dr. Coleman was a dentist.
My father is a dentist.

Dr. Coleman’s office was at 319 Pearl Street, rooms 1 and 2, on the 2nd floor of the Baer Building. I was walking the same stairs Dr. Coleman did about 90 years ago and hanging out in rooms 1 and 2 during our recent Window Restoration workshop at the Baer Building (and future home of the River City Winery).

A relative of Dr. Coleman has informed me he loved cigars and I can only assume he purchased them right across the street from his office at Kaiser’s Tobacco.
I share his passion for cigars and make frequent trips to Kaiser’s Tobacco.

I’m feeling quite connected.

Here’s a dental invoice from Dr. Coleman from 1919. Not that it matters today, but note that it was paid a year late by Miss Graf. It was still stamped with a smiley face. The Doc must have been a good guy.

We ate, we drank, we learned about historic windows, in a not so sleepy downtown

A preview of what downtown can and should be? That’s what I saw last night. An event at the YMCA, an event at the Grand and our educational window restoration workshop at the historic Baer Building (future home to the River City Winery).

For a period of time we actually had a legitimate parking problem downtown. Pedestrians moved briskly up and down the streets. Some, in the case of our workshop, visiting New Albany for the first time.

There was hustle and there was bustle, exactly as there should be.

Our head count topped 40. We drank locally crafted wine. We ate food provided by a downtown eatery. We sat in a historic building, being exquisitely restored, that will be home to a winery, business offices and restaurant. We were educated about sustaining important resources – historic wooden windows. And we contributed to a vibrant downtown scene. It was a fun night.

Bloomington Road Trip! – The Cornelius O'Brien Conference on Historic Preservation

It’s good to get out of town every now and then. Last Thursday and Friday I attended the Cornelius O'Brien Conference on Historic Preservation in Bloomington which was hosted by Indiana University and sponsored by the DHPA and Indiana Main Street Program.

It was my first extended stay in Bloomington. You can color me impressed.

The economic engine of 37,000 college students has dramatic impact to the city (I can only imagine what our downtown would look like were the IUS campus a bit closer).

Here are two of my highlights from the visit, which oddly aren’t directly related to preservation.

Walking Tour of New Construction*:


I thought these were three good examples of new construction in a downtown setting. This tour drew my attention, as I’m certain that more new construction is on the way to New Albany. Your thoughts on the designs?

*The Von Lee is a hybrid new construction – a lot of what you see on the first floor is from an older structure. The upper stories are new.

Indiana Artisan Program

If you are an artist interested in expanding your market you need to get a hold of Eric Freeman, Project Manager for the Indiana Artisan program. I’m serious - he wants to hear from you. Email him at Artisan@iac.in.gov or call 317-607-8715.

The program will promote handcrafted art, provide grant funding for business development, as well as help develop tourism related artisan related trails and outlets throughout the state.

Check it out.

How Ted Spends a Rare Vacation

It’s been a rarity this year but, I’ve got some time off. The “to do” list is monstrous and hopelessly unachievable given the time allotted for completion (one week). So I should probably get off of the computer and get to work.

A slide show summary of progress after three good weather days is below. The north side of the home had been the primary goal for 2008. It’s coming along nicely. Everything is primed, caulked and ready for paint.

The last couple slides are of a single window which got my attention all of today. I had some surprises: missing chunks of wood, some rot in the window sill and a lucky number 13. The number 13 has some significance and I found it altogether fitting that I’d find it under a dozen coats of paint today.

It was there because back in the day numbered stamps were placed in windows sills that matched numbered storm windows which were normally removed during warm weather months. The stamped numbers made it easy to keep track of what storm went with each window.

Why it was fitting that I found 13 will be a post topic in the near future.

Preserve This: Wine and Windows - Restoring Historic Windows Workshop

Regular readers should be familiar with activities that are organized during May – Preservation Month. Local organizers plan workshops, walking tours, forums and other events to celebrate and educate about the benefits of preservation.

However, once a year is just not good enough. We’ve got a quarterly series we’re kicking off. The first event is described below.

From Workshop Photos

That's right. There will be wine samples from River City Winery as part of the workshop. Getting liquored up at a window restoration workshop – now that’s what I call fun. Make your reservation today by calling Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana at 812-284-4534.

Get more information by visiting these websites - New Albany Preservation and Develop New Albany.

Another Window Reclamation at Ted's House

This window was fun to work on. The stained glass is not original to the house but it sure does add to the character of the home. Amazingly, when the glass was originally set, there was no window glazing used. That window was just sitting in the frame with a few glazing points.

That makes for a drafty room, especially considering that’s a bathroom. In old house speak we call that good ventilation.

I picked the window and surrounding trim work clean. Important draft eliminating glazing and caulk is applied. A new storm window is on the way.

It will be as efficient as a new window. To make it so cost me nothing but a few hours of time, my own labor, minimal cost of a new storm and some supplies I already had on hand.

Getting slapped by Ike

I’m sure Tina didn’t like it, nor did New Albany. Thankfully Cedar Bough Place faired well. In fact, it’s an event like this that seems to bring residents out and together. We had a team that hit the entire street. We even talked about and agreed a street cookout was in order. That will be happening soon.

I took a few shots early during the wind storm, but will admit to be frightened and getting my butt back inside quickly. The first shot is of large branch (still there, I might add) that is perched precariously above two homes.

New Albany Historic Home Tour today - Go, See, Enjoy

Don’t forget about the New Albany Historic Home Tour that starts today at 10:00am.

Many of us spend huge amounts of time addressing issues with our housing stock in New Albany and it is easy to forget about the jewels we have. It’s fun to take a day to celebrate the big, the small, the restored, the preserved, the Bungalow, the Queen Anne, the Victorian and everything in between.

Best of all is the chance to meet proud homeowners who have worked so hard and who all have a story to tell that concludes today – when 400 people stop by for a visit.

Get your tour book at the Farmers Market this morning. The tour goes from 10am to 5pm. Enjoy what New Albany has to offer.

Get Your Speedos Ready - The Y is Coming...

New Albany Historic Home Tour – 2008 – September 13th

The 3rd Annual New Albany Historic Home Tour is right around the corner. It’s a great chance to wander New Albany’s center city neighborhoods and downtown to discover and appreciate the housing jewels we have. Heck, you might even decide to buy a home and join in on the fun.

Visit the Develop New Albany website for more information (and to buy a ticket online) or visit New Albany Preservation.com, the official site of the New Albany Historic Preservation Commission.

They Still Work and Are Better than Plastic

Does this look bad to you?

I didn’t call the Wide Wide World of Windows for replacement windows (starting from as low as $29.99!). Instead, I actually performed maintenance that needed to be done to 100 year old windows. This one should be good for another 15 or 20. And after I apply a new storm window, they’ll be as efficient as any plastic double paned replacement.
I care about the environment. Discarding perfectly good resources is wrong. Look for more ranting on this topic soon.

SEJ Festival Recap

We could not have ordered up a more perfect day for the first annual SEJ Neighborhood Festival. It took a lot of people make this event happen. There will be a ton of thank you notes in the mail soon. Special thanks to St. John Presbyterian – who graciously supplied all the tables and chairs and the bulk of the muscle power to get everything set up.

The Tribune covered the event – select this link to view.

Some photographs from the day:

S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Festival - Saturday, August 16th - 11am to 3pm

Approximately 25 organizations will be represented. Lot's of fun kid stuff. Music. All around general merriment. It could also easily be called a health fair. There will be free health screenings provided by the Presbyterian Church Health Van and Norton Healthcare is providing bone density testing.

Parks deserve an occasional festival. The SEJ Park will get its first one this weekend thanks to a lot of work and donations from many people. Please make plans to stop by if you are in the neighborhood.

I'd Vote for Him...

Sometimes when you carry the camera around you get lucky.

Yes, I’d cast a vote for Eli. Read this Tribune article to get the background.

Bye Bye Black Building. Hopefully forever.