Yard Trash

The past couple of weekends we've spent out in the backyard cleaning up the trash thrown over the fence or left behind by people who probably enter the yard for nights of drinking and carousing. Who knows what went on in that place before we bought it!?  Even the deer were winking!

We took out about 10 large trash bags full of all sorts of junk: beer cans, red bull cans, bottles, cigarette packs, softballs, handballs, nerf balls, soccer balls, footballs, fabric remnants, candy wrappers, and a wheel with tire - not to mention a couple engine blocks that were too heavy to move.

Another thing that was too heavy to move was the the old roofing material dumped onto the property when the roof was resurfaced, probably about 5-10 years ago.  The whole roof was back there!  We weren't able to see it before because moss had grown on top of it.  The problem with this stuff was that it creates an impenetrable barrier on top of the ground, preventing the growth of stabilizing shrubs.  Here's a picture after we removed some of the scrub covering the roofing material.

As told by one of the neighbors, around three years ago a huge rainstorm hit and the runoff, instead of being absorbed into the soil, ran down on top of this material, undermining and washing away several of the largest trees on the property.  We're now planning to remove this old roofing material, install retaining walls, and restore the plantings.

Hunting the Loan

The past month we’ve been searching for a mortgage loan.  While we’ve already closed on the place with a temporary loan held by the seller, known as “holding paper”, within one year we have to replace this with a bank mortgage.  We’ve started the search with a half dozen sources, only to find that lenders, particularly mortgage brokers, shy away from loans on mixed use buildings.

Recently we learned of Housing and Urban Development's 203(k) loan program.  It's designed to encourage the creation of housing units as well as renovations of existing buildings.  The 203(k) is flexible enough for our situation, allowing us to convert the building from straight commercial to mixed use, which will include retail and offices as well as our apartment.

The main drawback of this approach is we’ll need another, albeit smaller, loan to cover the renovation costs of the commercial part of the building.  This portion wouldn't require as much money and will hopefully be affordable if we tighten our belts - not a bad compromise for getting this building fixed up and usable.

The next steps will be to start on the loan submission documents and see where that takes us.  In the meantime, here are sketches of a couple versions of the preliminary design.

Tanked

Fortunately winter in the northeast has been mild this year because the fuel tanks that feed the heating system don't have much life left.  We're considering several options for updating the heating system, including natural gas and biodiesel.

The fuel oil sits in the sub-basement in two inter-connected 275-gallon tanks.  The tanks must have been here for a long time because they look in sad shape and there's kitty litter underneath to collect leaks.  

I can't wait to remove these tanks because they're stinky and unsightly!

The Original Architect

When we bought the place, the previous owner gave us copies of the original plans for the building.  A quick internet search of the architect, John C. MacKenzie, Jr.,  revealed that he did some major buildings in the New York area.  Also, we found that the Columbia University Architecture Library archives some of his work.  

We contacted the library and found that the collection consists of photographs and drawings for only a few buildings, including the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, the Watson house in Biltmore Forest, NC, and the Greene House in Houston.   

We went to the Avery Drawings and Archives yesterday to view the collection.  

John C. MacKenzie, Jr. is most known for the Harlem YMCA building...

 ... and the Reader's Digest Building in Pleasantville, NY.

I was most impressed by his penciled drawings, which showed such beautiful craftsmanship.

We also found the AIA letter showing his induction as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

John C. MacKenzie, Jr. studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, which focused on classical styles.  In his later work, it appeared as if the world of architecture was changing in the 1940-1950's and that the classical styles he studies were being supplanted by the beginnings of the International style and other modern movements.  It seemed that his work during this period was an attempt to keep up with these changing patterns.  However, he didn't seem at home with the new style and the pieces he produced took on the stripped down character of the modernist movement but seemed to lack a true understanding of the new expressions of space and minimalism that were antithetical to the expressive and florid classical style that he was most comfortable with.

Existing Walls

I want to document the existing wall conditions before we renovate because they tell a story.

The front retail space walls, which were visible to the public, are generally pretty boring. 

In the upper floor work room, where the female staff spent most of their days sewing, there are vintage travel posters from all over the world.  One imagines that the previous owner, who told us that she hadn't taken a vacation in over 60 years, must have enjoyed these.

There are also ideas, doodles, and calculations written directly on the walls.  I guess if paper isn't handy...

On the way downstairs stenciled letters, partially covered, read "FED...ACH CO".  Could it be "FEDERAL MACH CO"?

A black arrow points downstairs to more wall surfaces.

Why 5/8ths?

While the women were upstairs sewing, the men were downstairs repairing the furniture.  Vintage pin-up images, like Norma Jean, Betty Page and others, cover the back corner walls here.

Closed on the Place Yesterday!

It's been a roller coaster of a ride arriving to this point, but we have the keys and can roll up our sleeves to start the real work.  The bones are solid brick; it's the infrastructure, skin, and grounds that need investment and care.

Our first priority is to fix up and rent out the retail and commercial spaces before we begin work on our new home.  The electrical system will be the first fix in the order of things.

Maybe by this time next year we'll be living in our new home?

Refurbished desk

This is the desk that Rick found in the garbage the other day and refinished it as a replacement for my old desk.  It's beautiful solid mahogany.  What a find!