Installment 13: Progress Report on the House - Painting is fun

There haven’t been many updates on the house because there’s not been much going on. Finally, the weather has gotten somewhat normal. Some vacation time will be spent soon doing something I don’t really do that often – paint.

So much time goes into prepping an area that painting can be quite the anitclimax. It’s the easiest thing to do in regards to the restoration work. It's easy and I find it relaxing and enjoyable.

One interesting tidbit that I can share is a connection with the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace, which is two blocks down the road from my house. Earlier this summer I was desperate to find crown molding for the exterior of my house. I had some small areas that had rotted and were not salvageable.

The crown is not stock stuff and I could not find a match anywhere. Weeks went by. Enter Greg Sekula of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. During work on the Ritter house, they’d removed some of the exterior crown molding. He’d told me I was welcome to what they had if it was the right style.

It was. So I grabbed two six foot sections. A small part of the Ritter house is now permanently attached to mine. This section of crown (what is white in the photo) is from the Ritter house. It’s a little beat up and dented. I could have spent time filling in the divots, making it look like new. But instead I left it exactly as is.

I’m pleased with it and will make sure I bore everyone who comes by with the story of my piece of the Ritter house.

2nd Annual New Albany Historic Home Tour Concluded

It was a terrific day. We (tour coordinators) and homeowners were thankful for no rain. The forecast was not a promising one. We were fretting. In the end we fretted for nothing as the rain never arrived.

We were definitely on the north side of 250 tour goers. Foot traffic downtown was high. Jazzy tunes filled the air. Eateries were full at lunch time.

While selling tickets, we met folks from all over, including some that had flown in from out of town. We got a lot of direct feedback and it was all good.

Thanks homeowners and volunteers. It’s a lot of work but well worth the effort.

Mark your calendar now for September 13th, 2008 for the third Annual New Albany Historic Home Tour.

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Sadly, although I had my camera with me, not a single photograph was taken.

Dedication of The Floyd County Historical Society Padgett Museum

Seating for 150 people wasn’t enough for the dedication of the FCHS Padgett Museum. It was standing room only this Saturday.


The dedication committee of the Historical Society did a fantastic job. There were a lot of highlights – an energizing speech by Society Vice President Vic Megenity, accolades for Beverly and James Padgett and their generosity and a resounding group singing of New Albany’s official song “Indiana, My Home Sweet Home” led by the local singing group the Silvertones.

Did you know we had a song? I sure didn’t.

My Indiana, my home sweet home
I’m always dreaming day and night of you
The old Ohio, your silv’ry moon
Your hills that seem to kiss the skies so blue,
Your gorgeous autumn I’ll always love
No matter where it’s mine to roam
The place that I love is New Albany;It will always be my dear old home sweet home

View the entire gallery of photographs here: Floyd County Historical Society Dedication

Picking the wrong week to live without AC – Exposure for New Albany

Occasionally I take stock during my home restoration because not everything has gone wrong. For example, at least my air conditioner has worked well. I’d been able to work hard on hot days and have comfort in the fact that I’d have refuge in a cool home.

It worked swell until last Friday, when it stopped working. It’s been hot. A part was in transit. It was Wednesday at 7:30 before we had cold air flowing again.

I can’t complain too much. Thanks to a lot of travel during past jobs, I’d accumulated massive reward points for Marriott hotels. For a couple evenings I made the short drive to downtown Louisville and slept comfortably in a “chilly” hotel room.

I was downtown Sunday as Ironman triathelete’s were finishing the punishing day of swimming, biking and running. It was an electrifying experience. I even had trouble sleeping that night. I wanted to start training for something immediately. Another marathon may be in my future. And to think I have my broken AC to thank for it.

Back to the house – I’m running out of things to be thankful for. I guess I can be thankful the refrigerator has continued to perform well. It keeps my beer cold. Beer has never let me down.

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Pick up a LEO this week and you’ll see a spread on New Albany eateries on page 26. Flip to the back page and you’ll see an ad for HistoricNewAlbany.com. That’s some darn good exposure for our sleepy little river town.

HistoricNewAlbany.com hits its stride

It’s been a while since the numbers have been shared. Visits have leveled out and are consistent. Preservation events sponsored by Develop New Albany have helped raise money to place ads in the LEO and print two thousand post cards promoting the website.
It’s working. That fact has been slammed home to me in the last two weeks. 844 Cedar Bough Place was recently listed on the site (the home is next door to me). It’s a HUD foreclosure. The home has been vacant for well over a year.

There has been flood of interest. I’ve witnessed a dozen showings, and I’m not at home that much. I’m certain there have been dozens more. When I see people looking at the house I usually run out to introduce myself. I’ve met folks from the Knobs, Jeffersonville and Clarksville. Most have been aware of HistoricNewAlbany.com. It’s how they found out the home was for sale.

What’s the point? The home didn’t move through the foreclosure process in obscurity. It wasn’t only questionable investors, ready to pounce on another old home and make minimum investment, who had interest it. We’ve got a process in place that I assure you is envied by many other communities.

Thanks to Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, Halo Applications, Develop New Albany and the New Albany Historic Preservation Commission. The site requires a lot of maintenance and attention. The work is paying off.

Learning more lessons the hard way

Why aren’t you supposed to paint in direct sunlight? This is why:

That’s my finger pointing to a blister. When painting in the sun, the paint dry’s fast on top while it still wet underneath. That can lead to puffy little air blisters. I’ve got a couple to fix.

I can imagine myself in the future as a one of those know it all old guys giving unwanted advice to a novice home restorer; “Hey young fella, you shouldn’t be painting in the sun like that, you’ll get paint blisters. Why I remember way back in 2007 when I was restoring a house on Cedar Bough and it was hotter than the dickens, blah, blah, blah…”.

I don't want to play anymore

This posting contains language that may offend some. If you are one of those people, don’t read it.

Restoring an old home is not easy. That’s not new territory for me to cover on this web log. I know that most people reading this have probably had experiences much worse than mine. Feel free to share. I’m sure sharing in your misery will make me feel better.

Interior waterfalls. Broken windows. Falling off ladders. Smacking my head on things. Getting stood up by contractors. It’s all par for the course. I know this now. I knew this when I got started.

But there’s only so much that I can just shrug off. Everyone has a breaking point.

I think I hit mine this morning at 4:00am.

The Breaking Point Setup:

Removing artificial siding from a home is no simple undertaking. You just don’t know what you’re going to get until you take it off. When mine came off there were issues. Trim had been hacked off. Crown molding had been removed. Wood was rotted in places.

To be frank, the house was full of holes. Because of this, I’ve been battling birds and squirrels constantly in my attic. But there’s only so much I could do. The approach to my restoration has been slow but steady. One section at a time.

The Meltdown:

Fast forward two years after removing the vinyl. Progress has been made. I’m generally pleased. The end really is in sight but there are still many miles to travel. I’ll admit getting a little tired. The bank account is getting lower. There are second thoughts being thought.

Then it’s 4:00am Thursday morning August 2nd. I’m sleeping soundly but suddenly startled by a fluttering sound. I think, “Is there something wrong with my ceiling fan?”. “What the hell is that sound?”. “What’s that dark object doing laps around my bedroom ceiling?”.

It’s a f-king bat. In the absence of coherent thought (remember it’s 4am) I pull the covers over my head.

What am I thinking then? I just don’t want to play anymore. I’m done. I just want all this to stop. What’s the starting price for a home at Norton Commons?

Long story short, I get up. Open the front door. I think he flew out. I’m not really sure. At the time, it really didn’t matter. I just started slamming coffee and watched news about the bridge coming down in Minnesota.

I went to work and the day sucked. But as the day wore on, settling took place. I’ll not be deterred by one flying mammal in my bedroom. In fact, I love f-king bats. They eat a ton of bugs. That's great.

Based on research I did on the internet, I’m prepared to live with bats in my attic until September, when the young ones are able fly. Only then will I take steps to remove them.

I broke, temporarily, but now I’m back. And tonight, if a bat buzzes my head, I’ll smile knowingly that his residence is temporary and I’ll have a great conversation starter the next time I get together with friends.

Installment 12 – progress report on Ted’s house – Doing battle with a gable - update on 1746 Ekin Ave

The gable on the south side of the house is finally getting some attention. It started last weekend, when my carpenter replaced clapboards that were unsalvageable.

My job? Make it look pretty.

It takes time. Removing failing paint. Repairing damage. Sanding. That’s how I spent a large part of this weekend. We’re almost ready for priming.


If you’d read my previous update on the house, I had said I’d be working on windows next. In case you haven’t noticed I tend to get sidetracked easily. So the windows will wait. They’re not going anywhere.

Update on 1746 Ekin Ave:
I just had to share an updated photograph of 1746 Ekin Avenue. The exterior looks great. Click here for the rest of the story originally posted in June.

Here was the starting point:

Historic Marker Dedication – Ritter Birthplace

A perfect day was ordered up for the historic marker dedication at the Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter Birthplace. Over a hundred guests were in attendance.

In case you missed it make sure to peruse the gallery of photographs at Ted's photo website.

The Marker

Pictures just for the heck of it in downtown New Albany

Here are few photographs taken on a recent stroll around downtown New Albany.

Why?

Why not?

Installment 11: Flat roof and box gutters “dried in”. And this time they’re dry.

It was the Sunday before last when the tear off of the flat over the front porch took place. It was probably 15 to 20 years old. Flat roof’s can be problematic, especially when maintenance is deferred. I had two trouble spots that had leaked at various times over the last four years.

There are no leaks now. In fact, you could say it’s “dried in”.

The last box gutter got lined this weekend. As far as the roof and gutters are concerned – Ted is happy.

The dumpster has departed. It will be missed. I’ve rather enjoyed having it around for the last couple weeks. It comes in handy for purging unwanted items. I’ve purged quite a bit.

Some window work is next on the task list. It’ll be a miracle if I don’t break one.

Installment 10: Pandora's Box Gutters - progress report on Ted's house

No tack on aluminum gutters for me anymore. The project for the last the couple weeks has been to restore the original box gutters (aka “built in” gutters). This has involved:

*Tearing out the section of roofing that had been covering them
*Removing the old metal that had lined the gutters
*Replacing rotted wood
*Relining the gutters

This task is the last of what I consider “major” work that needs to be done. Once the roof and guttering are done, the remaining work is purely cosmetic – scrapping, repairing, sanding, priming and painting clapboards. There’ll also be window reconditioning to do. And then there’s the pending new driveway and grading around the home to remedy water issues in the basement. And of course there’s the new landscaping that will be done and a courtyard/deck area in the back of the house. Oh, and I can’t forget about the ceiling repairs that need to be done after the recent water damage.

I just need another decade or two and it’ll be perfect!

Progress on 11th Street - revitalization ain't easy

Last week I visited 1746 Ekin Ave as work is getting underway for the restoration there. This week I strolled a couple blocks from my home to see the progress at 921 E. 11th Street. Here are the before and current shots:

The story is the same here as it was at 1746 Ekin – steady decline, upset neighbors and a home scheduled for demolition. But Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana intervened, worked with the owner and helped find a buyer ready to start work immediately to stabilize the home. Mr. Greg Doty purchased the home and the work is underway.

Residents of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association are pleased that the home will not become another vacant lot.

This sign of progress was tempered with an act of senseless vandalism at the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace. One of the large storefront windows was broken this week.

This act occurred the same week that the original, restored front door was added back to the home.

In the short term, the broken window means nothing. In the long term, the steady reclamation of the Ritter home is what is most important. Perseverance is a quality Cardinal Ritter was known for and a quality the neighborhood is going to need.

Nobody said revitalization was easy.

Installment 9: Cascading waterfalls in my living room

Each new weekend (rehabilitating my home) brings me delightful experiences that broaden my know-how relating to house restorations.

I’m peppered with new terms and phrases continuously. Here’s the phrase from this past weekend – “dry in a roof”. It sounds simple enough. If a roof is “dried in”, it implies that no water will get into your home. It will not leak.

Here’s an example used in conversation:
Homeowner: “Is my roof dried in?”
Roofer: “Yes sir, your roof is dried in”.

My roof replacement began last Wednesday. It’s the first time in my life as a homeowner that I’ve ever had a roof replaced. I was excited. The excitement didn’t last.

I was told the roof was “dried in” on Friday. On Saturday I discovered it was not. I love waterfalls, but not in my house. No homeowner horror compares to seeing water cascading down an interior plaster wall.

The damage was not that bad due to some quick action and a thankfully short rain storm. I’ve learned, in great detail, how to “dry in” a roof. I’ve also learned that no matter how good it would have felt in the short term to apply a hammer to another persons head, the long term consequence of that action would not have been beneficial to Ted.

Life and the work on the house go on. I’ll share some pictures of the roof another time. Despite the problems, I really love it.

The Sweet Sounds Rehabs and Restorations - 1746 Ekin Ave

This summer, the sound of hammers and saws can be heard all over the city. Over the next couple weeks I plan to visit and feature rehabs in progress around the area.

The home at 1746 Ekin Avenue – in the Uptown Neighborhood Association – was my first stop. The work is moving right along.

New owner Greg Doty has had crews at the house working hard. The improvement is striking. Mr. Doty acquired the home from Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana (HLFI). It was HLFI who worked with the previous troubled homeowner to save the home from demolition.

The home had been in steady decline over the last two decades. Neighbors were fed up. The home had hit the city demolition list but thankfully the Building Commission had the patience and foresight to allow the time needed for HLFI to facilitate the transfer of the home to a preservation minded buyer. This tale appears to be on the way to a happy ending for all.

Installment 8: Progress report on Ted’s house – 1/39th of the way done! Cause for celebration

We got ourselves a final coat of paint on another part of the house. I’ll have an extra brew this evening to celebrate. The following slide show tells the tale better than my babbling.

One step forward typically means a step backwards somewhere else. We found more rotted wood here than was anticipated. It’s going to be a long hot summer…

Installment 7 - Work Continues after a week long Siesta

I took a week off. I spent a little time at the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It was a great trip. However, there was a little bit of house work done before and after the trip.

We’ve got some trim work back on the porch which I’m really happy about.
Box gutters have been gutted and returned.


It’s progress.

Installment 6 – You just can’t rush this stuff

I ran out of gas Monday. Three days of manual labor in a row? I'm pooped. But I did manage to finish stripping the south and west side of the porch and get a coat of primer on it. Next will be: replacing the trim work ripped off when the vinyl went on, soffit replacement where needed and then a top coat of paint.

Of note, I did not hit my head on anything and "soffit" does not appear to be a word that spell checker recognizes.

David Barksdale receives National Preservation Award

David Barksdale is the face of preservation and history in New Albany. It’s his passion. To know Dave is to know he shares many characteristics with the Energizer bunny – he just keeps going and going.

If there’s anything going on in New Albany concerning preservation or history, Dave most likely organized it, promoted it, ran it and then starts planning to do it again.

Prior to yesterday’s Mansion Row Walking Tour (the last local event of Preservation Month) the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution recognized this fact by awarding him their Historic Preservation Medal. The Painkeshaw Chapter of the DAR are caretakers of Scribner House, which was the perfect location for the award presentation.

The national award is presented to individuals or groups whose study and/or promotion of some aspect of American history-on the regional or national level-has significantly advanced the understanding of America’s past.

Good job Dave!

Installment 5 – (Progress report on Ted’s House) “If one more G—Damn thing hits me on the head….” & Lofty Ideas Downtown Walking Tour

I have a solid memory of the first time I heard my father curse. Dad piddled around a lot in the garage and yard (he still does). I was 8 or 9 at the time and was in his shadow most of the time.

Setting the scene - He was in the garage. I was asking goofy questions about what he was doing, why he was doing it, what was for lunch, why is the sky blue, etc.

I know he was looking for something but I don’t recall what. He was pulling stuff off a shelf and a hammer fell on his head. I imagine it must have been rather painful, but the piddling went on unabated. A few minutes later, I’ll be darned if a box of junk didn’t fall off another shelf and land square on top of his head.

The pain must have been pretty bad, because I remember him opening the overhead garage door and heading outside in an obvious effort to “walk it off” and not blurt the inevitable expletive that was to come. At that moment, the garage door came off its hinges and, you guessed it, hit him on the head.

It was then that he said, “If one more G—Damned thing hits me on the head....”.
It was one of those opened ended statements that we’ve all made at one time or another. I didn’t stick around to see what would happen if one more thing did hit him the head.

Even at that young age, I had an appreciation of good slapstick humor which I probably obtained from reruns of the Three Stooges. I laughed long and hard then and I’m laughing long and hard now.

What’s this got to do with work on my house? I hit my head three times when walking under the scaffolding set up on the front of my house. It hurt badly each time. However, I didn’t use an expletive but did chuckle to myself because of that memory.
Time was short this weekend (I sure say that a lot lately). But I did get some paint stripped. My painter did some work too. Progress is progress I suppose. And besides, I’ve got a three day weekend coming up! Yippee!

The Downtown Walking Tour was a huge success

The head count was 52 attendees for the “Lofty Ideas” Downtown walking tour this past Saturday – a National Preservation Month event. The weather was great. The tours were great. See a full spread of photographs here: Preservation Month Photographs - Lofty Ideas