Our History New Albany

Posting to Resume

2010-04-10T16:45:00.001-04:00

I have not posted since October? Wow. Posting will resume.

Some catch up. I still hate squirrels. I’m still working on my house. I still think tossing old windows is horribly wrong. I still think living in New Albany rocks. I have some news to report on the Market Street Brewery history I’d done in past years (I went underground).

See you soon.

Growing Power Inc. Community Leadership Institute, the Power of Urban Farming

2009-10-24T09:38:00.007-04:00

One day 1 of the CLI (last Thursday) the team visited Growing Power Inc. in Milwaukee. It was amazing. From the Growing Power website:

Growing Power transforms communities by supporting people from diverse backgrounds and the environments in which they live through the development of Community Food Systems. These systems provide high-quality, safe, healthy, affordable food for all residents in the community. Growing Power develops Community Food Centers, as a key component of Community Food Systems, through training, active demonstration, outreach, and technical assistance.

It's hard to describe what we saw. So watch the video instead. The simplicity and common sense of the systems in place left me in awe. The fish blew me away too. The word sustainability means much more to me after this trip.

Check out the Louisville growing initiative, Breaking New Grounds. They turn "waste to wealth". They're composting on a large scale using Heine Brothers' coffee grounds. Field trip anyone?

Enjoy a few more images from the trip by watching this slide show.

Good News for New Albany Neighborhoods

2009-10-11T11:44:00.003-04:00

Great news for residents of East Spring Street and S. Ellen Jones neighborhoods. Members from each respective neighborhood have been invited to attend the Community Leadership Institute in Milwaukee, Oct 15-18. This is an invitation only training event that aims to strengthen the voices and skills of community, resident, and volunteer leaders.

The New Albany Team: Ted Fulmore, Susan Kaempfer, Andy Terrell, Pastor Allen Colwell, Mike Ladd, Jeff Gillenwater, Lisa Thompson, and Tom Johnson

Here's a sampling of training courses being taken by team members: Using Art as community building tool, Fundraising for small organizations, How to design successful community workshops, Getting and keeping people involved in urban areas, Strategies for creating great neighborhoods

This team will be responsible for forming an action plan to implement upon completion of the CLI. We'll also receive funding of $2,000 to facilitate the action plan! Additionally, we were notified that Neighborworks awarded us an additional Community Building and Organizing/Community Stabilization grant of $5,000, specifically to help in the image/rebranding campaign our neighborhoods have agreed to pursue. New Directions Housing Corporation, a chartered Neighborworks member, will administer the grant.

The job of team members will be to return, share information, and implement strategies. Even if you don't live in ESNA or SEJ, we want to share our work and training. For anyone interested in learning more please contact me or Lisa Thompson (lisat@ndhc.org).

New Albany is very lucky to have this opportunity. Training like this is important as we all work to make the neighborhoods of New Albany "neighborhoods of choice" in the Metro area.

The CLI is a Neighborworks America sponsored training event. Learn more by visiting thier website or connecting to them on Facebook. Check back here or to my Facebook account between Oct 15 and 18 for on-the-fly updates and news from the team during our training. Get updates in person by attending the monthly meeting of the S. Ellen Jones Association, Tuesday Oct 20, 6:30 pm at the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace, 1218 E. Oak Street.

New Albany a fun place to be? YES it is.

2009-09-13T20:17:00.004-04:00

For several weekends in a row, there's been no reason to leave New Albany for entertainment. We're on a roll and I love it. Yesterday we had perfect weather for the Fourth Annual Historic Home Tour. I'm not sure what's up next weekend but I have no doubt there will be something.

In recent Ted news, I've acquired a video camera. I'm not putting away the Nikon quite yet, but you can expect to see more videos of people having fun and doing good stuff in New Albany.

The acquisition was a strategic one. Video is a great way to tell the story of a place. We have great neighborhoods in New Albany. We need to work on telling the positive stories taking place here for prospective homebuyers, renters, and investors.

My first contribution is a short clip of highlights from the Home Tour. Sadly, I couldn't hit all the homes.

The 2009 Celtic Fest in New Albany

2009-08-23T11:57:00.002-04:00

It was a magical evening in New Albany last night. As if by magic, it was a damp, cloudy, chilly evening which set the perfect mood for a Celtic Festival. Hard to imagine a more perfect setting. If you missed the event or want to relive it, click this link to view photographs.

Won’t you be my neighbor?

2009-08-09T13:55:00.003-04:00

That’s right. You could be my neighbor if you act quickly. The Charles E. Richards House, 844 Cedar Bough Place, is for sale. I’m bummed that my buddy Mary Anne Tonini is moving, but change happens and I’m excited about having a new neighbor.

Mary Anne has worked her butt off bringing this house back to where it is now. The new roof (metal shingles) is amazing. The new paint scheme, landscaping and the refinished hardwood floors are also fantastic. If you are in the market, or just thinking about jumping in the market, you owe it to yourself to come take a look at the house. Remember that the $8,000 federal tax credit is still available.

Additionally, for a nominal contribution to my beer inventory or my humidor, you could have your grass cut regularly. That’s just one of the perks of being a neighbor of Ted.

Check out her listing on Historic New Albany.com. For more information or to arrange a showing, call Mary Anne at 812/941-8887. You can also see the home during the New Albany Historic Home Tour on September 12. Visit Develop New Albany.com for more information on the tour and how to purchase tickets.

The Bough is a pretty special place. It should be your next home.

It’s Home “Tur” Time in New Albany – Saturday, September 12

2009-08-05T22:01:00.003-04:00

I took a recent trip deep into the Indiana interior recently. It was a fun trip, with a celebration of historic preservation at the core. The trip included a guided walking tour and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I only dozed off once, so it had to be good.

Locals in the interior kept talking about the “tur” (say the word turn, without the n). I enjoy local dialects bunches. I picked up on the “tur” thing and just can’t let it go.

Y’all can bet we got ourselves the best Home Tur yet this year. This would be the 4th Annual Home Tur. So come to New Albany and Tur it up. Tur until you drop, then Tur some more. Buy your Tur ticket at the Develop New Albany website. Or buy your Tur ticket at the Gallery on Pearl. Just please do buy a Tur ticket cause this here Tur is gonna be a good'in.

View the Home Tur homes at this link or at the Develop New Albany website.

New Albany Farmers Market

2009-07-26T09:52:00.002-04:00

There was an impressive crowd at the Farmers Market yesterday despite the intermittent downpours. If you are not a regular visitor to the New Albany Famers Market, you should be. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning (or Wednesday evening). Buy local fresh produce. Listen to local musicians. Meander around downtown New Albany.

You can follow the Market on Facebook too and get up to the minute details on new vendors and special events.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

2009-07-12T10:16:00.003-04:00

That’s what Repair Affair is all about. Neighbors helping neighbors.

Members of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association are committed to reaching out and helping others. Taking on a Repair Affair home was a great project and we plan to make this type of effort a regular occurrence.

Why is Repair Affair so important? Qualifying low-income, elderly or disabled homeowners get home repair assistance. Residents are “hands on” in fulfilling a primary objective of maintaining and improving housing conditions of area homes. And it feels good helping those who need it.

Here’s a small slide show of progress at the SEJ Repair Affair home. We underestimated the work needed and will be back at the house on Saturday, July 18. Painters are needed. Contact me at fulmore_runner@msn.com if you want to volunteer time next weekend to finish out the project.

Thank you Stephen, Suzanne, Mary Anne, Dave and Nora for all your help this week.

Learn More, Further Reading:
Tribune article about Repair Affair
New Directions Housing Corporation website
Learn more about New Directions Housing Corporation

The wonderfully unstructured guerilla campaign to promote New Albany

2009-07-05T11:51:00.002-04:00

I like things to be structured. It’s how I’m wired. I guess it’s some sort of herding instinct that I have inherited. Get the game plan together and execute it. Measure progress. Celebrate the progress. Finish the project. Start the next project. And so on…

I’ve even recently mused about progress in New Albany and lamented about the unstructured and uncoordinated approach. But I realized that despite that, progress had been made. A comment by Randy Smith (All4word) on that posting emphasized a critical point:

100 people 100 miles away from it can see the top of the mountain. And if they all head that way, from time to time their paths will cross. Some will make it to the top and others will not.That's not a "coordinated" strategy, but perhaps the guerilla campaign is more coordinated than you might think. Perhaps not everything has to be coordinated. In fact, what you call coordination has, in past years, seemed to be counterproductive in many ways, undemocratic, and more Astroturf than grass roots.

Thanks Randy. I get it. I really do. In fact, I’ve been part of the guerilla campaign without really knowing it. To further emphasize the point, here is part of some text from a Facebook message I received recently:

Hello, Ted - I've been reading your blog for a few months now. Your blog combined with Historic New Albany and NA Confidential managed to pull another Louisville Resident to the sunny side.

Just wanted to say hello and let you that your efforts to revitalize New Albany aren't going unnoticed. Matt.

No, I did not coordinate with other bloggers or the webmaster at Historic New Albany.com when I launched my blog in 2006. I simply wanted a place to promote a positive image of New Albany, its history and to share the trials and tribulations of my house restoration (32,189 page views later, I think that I can call the effort a reasonable success).

The guerilla campaign is working. If you’ve ever talked to a friend or co-worker about good stuff in New Albany, you’ve been part of it. If you’ve forwarded the link to Historic New Albany.com to someone house shopping, you’ve been part of it. If you’ve ever rigged voting on another website to promote New Albany as the best neighborhood in the region, you’ve been part of it.

Yes, I can see the top of the mountain. And many others can too. I get it. But damn it, I want to measure something!

Actually, I can measure and report something:
224,683 = number of site visits to Historic New Albany.com since November 2006
7,021 = average number of monthly site visits to Historic New Albany.com

Those are nice numbers. Let's keep the guerilla campaign going.

To view site data and a graph, click this link.

Gonna get me Shotgun and... Rehab it!

2009-06-22T21:22:00.002-04:00

Reinventing the Shotgun House for Contemporary Living: A Workshop for Fans and Friends of the Shotgun

"I love shotgun houses. But I don't want to walk from the front to the back without going through all of the rooms!"

Ron Stiller, local architect with special interest in historic buildings says a shotgun's interior can be changed to accommodate today's living styles. And on Tuesday, June 30, if you attend our workshop, you can learn to redesign the interior of a shotgun house for contemporary living while leaving the exterior in tact. Attend "Reinventing the Shotgun House for Contemporary Living" at Carnegie Center, 201 E Spring Street, New Albany, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.

Ron Stiller, himself a shotgun house owner, explains how room additions can sensitively accommodate today’s living styles without sacrificing architectural character. Ron shows examples of designs for installing stairs to a second floor, solving problems of privacy, the cost of changing the interior design, and how modifications can conserve energy.

Real estate broker Ed Clere discusses from a real estate appreciation and sale perspective how to evaluate a shotgun house and its renovation to maximize its value.

The workshop -- free and open to the public – requires reservations by calling Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana – 812 284- 4534. Sponsors: Historic Landmarks Foundation and Develop New Albany.

Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, the largest statewide or local preservation group in the U.S., saves, restores, and protects places of architectural and historical significance. From its ten offices, Historic Landmarks leads and assists others in rescuing endangered landmarks and preserving buildings and districts. Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana is a private, not-for-profit organization. For more information, call Historic Landmarks, 317-639-4534/800-450-4534 or visit www.historiclandmarks.org.

Develop New Albany, Inc., a non-profit organization composed of businesses and community volunteers commits its resources to the economic revitalization and historic preservation of Downtown New Albany. For more information, call Develop New Albany, 812-941-0018 or 812-949-4900, or visit www.developna.org.

Submitted by Judy Martin, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana

Seeing Green. Touring Green. Contemplating Green.

2009-06-20T11:53:00.005-04:00

There’s been much discussion recently about Adaptive Reuse. I’m pleased. And not just because I like the topic. I’m pleased because the discussion is taking place here in New Albany and there has been something rare in these parts – consensus.

I’m speaking of the historic Coyle building of course. Click below to start a slideshow of the current building.

I commend all involved in the potential project and look forward to this historic building and large block being reused and contributing to the continued revitalization of New Albany.

Good Timing

Call it a stroke of planning genius (or dumb luck) but back in May a visit had been planned to The Green Building in Louisville. A group of interested New Albanians, including city representatives, wanted to see this historic and LEED certified building. The tour was yesterday. Click below to view the slide show.

It was an inspiring tour. The Green Building sets a standard in the area. There’s much to learn and take away from the project. Perhaps one day soon we’ll be giving tours of our own standard setting project at the Coyle site?

Don’t Be Afraid of the Friendly Street

2009-06-14T22:33:00.002-04:00

There has been a posting hiatus here at Our History because of recent travels. The hiatus is now over.

One of my recent destinations was Germany. The most amazing thing about the visit, besides the breweries in and around Bamberg, was how easy it was to move around town without a car.

Which leads me to this question:

Is there anything scary in this photograph?

That street is walkable and bike accessible. It’s a friendly street. Why are some New Albanians so afraid of this photograph? Why is there fear-mongering about traffic calming, bike lanes and converting one-way drag strips to two-way streets?

Can anyone honestly tell me that an investment to upgrade an existing street in New Albany to look like this would be a bad investment? Would this not be an improvement to “quality of life” in the area?

Perhaps it is just “change” that frightens some. Unfortunately the world is changing. The future that is coming includes streets that look like this one.

Done. Again. The End of the Box Gutter Saga.

2009-05-21T07:30:00.004-04:00

Done. Again.
It has been a ride to hell and back. The box gutter war is over. I’ve lost many of my battles with them. But the war has been won. I danced in the street last night.

We’ve gone from poorly restored and leaking gutters to gutters lined with gold (actually, it’s copper but the check I wrote felt like it was gold). Water now pours into my house only in my nightmares. That musty smell is starting to fade. Plaster repair and painting of water damage will be underway soon.

Amazingly, from the time the work began in late April to completion yesterday, we’ve received over 7 inches of rain. That’s nuts. It made it difficult for the contractor, Patina Copper & Slate, and extremely stressful for me. A couple Fridays ago, we got a storm that a meteorologist called an “inland hurricane”. I’d never heard the term. I cursed him. But it is all over now.

It’s time to move on and make more stupid restoration decisions that will cost me thousands :-)

Here are more photographs of work in progress taken by Kurtis Hord, owner of Patina Copper & Slate.

Windows, Windows, Windows - Workshop this Tuesday

2009-05-17T19:21:00.004-04:00

Even I'm getting a little tired of my continued ranting on not destroying historic wood windows.

So just don't do it.

Instead, learn how to repair them at our Preservation Workshop this Tuesday, May 19. Learn more here. Bring a receipt from a dining establishment downtown and be entered to win a prize!

On the topic of windows, have you heard about the tax credit being offered for replacing your windows? I’m not giving you a link because I’m pissed off. I'm firmly in the Obama camp, but this is completely irresponsible. I can only assume a plastic peddling scumbag lobbyist has gotten a nice fat bonus. I hope he/she chokes on it.

There is nothing "green" about destroying existing resources. There is nothing "green" about failing to maintain your windows. There is nothing "green" about replacing historic wood windows with an inferior product that will fail and have to be replaced again. That's irresponsible.

Get your butt to the workshop and learn something. Or buy a damn book. Or Google until you find instructions. Or visit one of the links below. Just don’t give in to the scare tactic sales pitches from hot chicks or some greasy looking salesman on TV telling you that you need new windows.

Green Home Tips
Historic Wood Window Tip Sheet
Window Repair Video

Save the Windows!

Perspective from 2005, Downtown New Albany

2009-05-09T08:23:00.005-04:00

I’m lucky. Every May I work with some extremely dedicated preservationists to help plan Preservation Month events in New Albany. We’ve been doing this for several years. We’ve even expanded the operation to include events outside of May – Newport forum and Windows Workshop.

Fellow planner, David Barksdale, made a great point the other day. In 2005 the situation downtown was much different than what we have today (2009). Sixteen properties were available along the Pearl and Market Street corridors. Large swaths of blocks were unoccupied. Today, in the same area, there are only 4 properties available.

The weakness, and one I’ll take my share of the blame for, is the lack of tracking of important data like this. Local activists focus on the current and in many cases the ugly issues. Seldom do we take the time to look back and appreciate just how much progress has been made. We don’t do a good job of defining the outcomes desired either. I will endeavor to help change that.

As I related to a large group of people recently, the quality of life here has improved here. While I have no data to support this, I do believe the image for the area is changing in a positive way. And this is being done without any coordinated strategy whatsoever. Just imagine if we tried?

I have to go now because it’s the opening day for the Farmers Market. I also have to stop at our local bookstore, Destinations Booksellers, to do some shopping. At 11:00 I’ll be attending a walking tour downtown with dozens of visitors, touring buildings downtown that are in progress of being restored. Then I have to hit River City Winery to pick up two bottles of wine for my Dad’s birthday. I’ll have to grab lunch somewhere along the way, probably at Studio's. Then a stop at the Gallery on Pearl for a Mothers Day gift and a welcome gift for a gal from California who is buying a house on my street. A workout at the YMCA may get squeezed in there or maybe a run along the Greenway (workouts will need to increase, as Wicks Pizza opens in July). And I’m really looking forward to dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse this evening.

Best of all, it’s going to be a “no car” weekend, as I can do all the above walking.

Indeed, 2005 sure seems like a longtime ago.

Get out this Saturday and Do Stuff in New Albany

2009-05-06T21:49:00.003-04:00

Gym, Gems, and “Guice” seen together only on a walking tour of historic downtown New Albany

On May 9, 11 AM, meet at the new YMCA, 33 State Street, New Albany, to participate in a tour of the “Gems” of Pearl Street. This exclusive tour, based on the year-old guide to historic downtown New Albany, not only browses the facades of the wonderful buildings.

Participants explore the inside of the old Fashion Shop at 213 Pearl, the White House Centre at 222 Pearl, and the old Kresge Building at the corner of Pearl and Market. It’s the opportunity for the curious to see how the Fashion Shop and the Kresge Building have evolved since they’ve been closed to the public. The tour ends at River City Winery, the historic Baer Building, where participants sample “Guice,” exclusively named for this event.

With the tour ending at noon, participants can visit the Farmers Market, open 8 AM–1 PM, at the corner of Bank and Market, and downtown merchants during the First Saturday event, 10 AM–5 PM.) Floyd County Historian David Barksdale, leads the tour.

Free and open to the public. This event is co-sponsored by New Albany Historic Preservation Commission, Develop New Albany, and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.

Submitted by: Judy Martin, Program Assistant
Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana
812-284-5434

New Albany Kicks Off Preservation Month with Preservation Conversation

2009-05-03T13:27:00.004-04:00

Connecting preservation of historic buildings with the green movement, Steve Wiser, Louisville architect, shares his visualization as far into the future as 2035 of how preserving the built environment can influence southern Indiana communities.

Tuesday - May 5, 2009
Cornerstone Evangelical Methodist Church
418 East Spring Street, New Albany
7:00 – 8:30 PM

Join the conversation on how restoring a building rather than tearing down and building new significantly reduces landfill waste and increases the need for human labor, while the neighborhood and its community stay in tact. Potentially, choices to rehabilitate, restore, and repair our inherited structures influence the lives of the community’s residents and visitors well beyond our own lives.

This event is free and open to the public. The co-sponsors include New Albany Historic Preservation Commission, Develop New Albany, and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.

What’s my motivation?

2009-05-02T08:36:00.008-04:00

Motivation to get going on the exterior rehabilitation work has been hard to come by lately. I’ve found it entirely too easy to get caught up in the whirlwind and be tossed about.

In case you are new to the Our History experience, my house has undergone a rebirth in recent years, being removed from the “plastic baggie” so to speak:

The plan this spring and summer (and I don’t do much without a plan) is to start small. Windows will get much needed attention. I’ve had a tendency to move along the house leaving them for later and later is now. Nice weather last weekend and about 6 hours of work resulted in this:

The dreaded box gutters are being relined by a professional. That alone, when done, will help me sleep at nights. Then there’s a ton of detail work to do as I return to areas of the house to apply the final coat of paint. And yes, the devil really is in the details. And then there’s the rear of the house. It’s untouched and pristine but will get hit hard with the goal being to complete before cold weather hits.

It’s an ambitious work plan. I’ll keep you posted on progress.

And speaking of windows, you really need to check out this website. The Kansas State Historical Society has posted several videos giving great detail about window rehab. From the site:

For decades, consumers have been led to believe that replacing their old wood windows with new vinyl, metal or clad windows will improve their home. Replacement windows have been marketed as energy efficient, and therefore environmentally friendly, and economical, by saving the homeowner money over the lifespan of the window. In reality, properly repaired wood windows can be equally energy efficient, are more environmentally friendly, are a better financial investment, and preserve one of the most important character-defining features of a historic home.

Vinyl siding and a good deal on real estate in Florida

2009-04-27T21:40:00.005-04:00

The justification is easy. No more painting. You can put plastic on your house and “never have to paint your house again.” It's maintenance free!

Yeah. Right. And I’ve got some swampland down in Florida to sell you too.

Here’s an example of maintenance free vinyl.

This is a home not far from mine in New Albany. The resident did not apply the vinyl. He only has to clean up the mess as a result. Water was getting behind the vinyl and the homeowner had no idea.

The application of vinyl to a home, on top of the original surface, covers up original architectural detail. It diminishes the character of not just the individual home, but also the surrounding neighborhood. It also leads to hidden maintenance issues like this that could result in major structural damage.

Plastic has many great uses (like Wiffle balls and bats!). Keep the integrity of your historic home intact and keep the plastic off of it. Thanks.

New Albany Weird - The Reno Brothers Short Visit in 1868

2009-04-23T21:11:00.005-04:00

A friend has inspired me to dig up and recount some of the weirdest history and people of New Albany. We’re an old river town after all, and we had characters aplenty coming and going as often as a train pulled in or a steamboat tied up. Some put roots down here and went to procreating, providing us with a healthy dose of distinctiveness that carries through to today.

So begin several posts in which New Albany’s strange and little-known history will be shared and discussed.

The Night the Reno Brothers Hung Out in New Albany

Think of the wild American West and it’s doubtful that New Albany, or even Indiana, would be in your thoughts. Train robberies and shootouts just don’t seem to fit. However, if you are familiar with the Reno Brothers Gang then you know that would be a mistake.

You can read about the Reno Gang at their Wikipedia page. They were troublemakers, and damn good at it. They relished swindling travelers in shady card games and swindling the U.S. government by enlisting in the Army during the Civil War under multiple names, collecting enlistment bounties and then bolting. These scoundrels (from the Seymour area) are also credited with the first three peacetime train robberies in the United States.

My focus will be on the Reno Gang members who visited New Albany. It was the last place they visited.

The Gang appears to have robbed one train too many. They’d taken $96,000 in cash and bonds from a train in May 1868 and soon after had attempted to sell some of the bonds in Syracuse, New York. The railroad company was alerted and arrests were made. Gang members Frank Reno and Charles Anderson were tracked down across the border, in Canada. Simeon and William Reno were arrested in Indiana shortly thereafter. All were brought to New Albany, which was known to have the sturdiest jail in the region. A photograph of the jail is below – it was located at the northeast corner of State and Spring (current location of the PNC Bank).

Previous law enforcement failures to stop the Reno Gang had given rise to some vigilante justice in and around the Seymour area. A group calling itself the “Southern Indiana Vigilance Committee” had had some success in tracking other gang members down. Lynching was the justice they dispensed.

Having four Reno Gang members in New Albany was a juicy target the Committee could not pass up. At 3:30 am, December 12, 1868, about 70 members of the Committee arrived by train from Seymour. This was a business trip and their business was hanging the Renos.

Upon arrival, the Committee stormed the jail and shot Sherriff Thomas Fullenlove (not fatally) in the shoulder and got the cell keys. They were in and out in twenty minutes. The engraving below depicts how they dispersed around the jail while the deed was done.

The Reno Gang was hanged from the jail catwalk, one at a time. Frank Reno was first. Charles Anderson last. The mob then made their way down to the train station at the base of State Street and headed off back to Seymour. No charges were ever filed.

After the hangings, this simply delicious proclamation was issued by the “Southern Indiana Vigilance Committee.” Click the link to read the entire thing.

Do not trifle with us, for if you do we will follow you to the bitter end and give you a short shrift and a hempen collar. As to this our action in the past will be a guarantee for our conduct in the future.

So there you have it. The first train robbers in the United States had their butts hanged right here in New Albany, at the current location of the bank where I do my business. It’s some damn strange history and enough to give me the shivers when I visit the bank.

Good Stuff at S. Ellen Jones Elementary

2009-04-11T07:30:00.000-04:00

Role models are important. Not everyone has the benefit of having a good one. However, the kids at S. Ellen Jones Elementary do: Officer Chad Armenta of the New Albany Police Department. Last year the Horseshoe Foundation awarded a grant to the school that pays for Officer Armenta to work 2 hours a day to perform liaison/truancy duties.

Attendance at the school has improved – that was the goal. Friendships have also been formed, as well as a positive respect for law enforcement. The daily presence in the neighborhood has also helped bring an improved sense of safety and stability.

Yesterday the school staff, children and the S. Ellen Jones neighborhood got the chance to thank Officer Armenta and the Horseshoe Foundation. It was a fun program that was followed by popsicles for everyone.

Call me a softy if you want, but hearing a choir of 1st graders sing tugs mightily at the heartstrings. It was also moving to see the hugs Officer Armenta got at the end of the ceremony. It was an inspiring afternoon and a bit of good news I wanted to share.

Repeating the Message Again, Again, Again....

2009-04-07T08:52:00.004-04:00

The message may get repetitive, but it will continue to be delivered. The world can’t build its way to sustainability. We’ve got to work with what we’ve got and make it more efficient.

Please take a minute to read this entire Op-Ed piece (by Richard Moe) from the New York Times.

“Experience has shown that virtually any older or historic house can become more energy-efficient without losing its character. Restoring the original features of older houses — like porches, awnings and shutters — can maximize shade and insulation. Older wooden windows perform very well when properly weatherized — this includes caulking, insulation and weather stripping — and assisted by the addition of a good storm window. Weatherizing leaky windows in most cases is much cheaper than installing replacements.”

Save the Windows!

To Preserve is to Sustain - Let’s get Green together

2009-03-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is better to reuse than to toss out. That applies to just about everything, except maybe old toothbrushes.

It is most applicable to our building stock. To emphasize this point, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is walking the walk and talking the talk. The Trust has launched a Sustainability Program. If you care about the environment and our climate problems, the Trust website should be a regular stop for you. You should also consider giving them some of your money. They do and have always done great work.

The Trust has recently launched Preservation Green Lab, headquartered in Seattle. Here’s an excerpt from the Trust website:

As a key component of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Sustainability Program, the Preservation Green Lab will focus on these three goals:

Good Policy, Green Results: The greenest building is often the one that is already built, which is precisely why the Preservation Green Lab will work in various cities and states to develop and implement policies that support green retrofits and adaptive reuse, as well as reinvestment in existing communities.

Greening by Example: To demonstrate that older and historic buildings can, in fact, be retrofitted to achieve high levels of energy efficiency, the Preservation Green Lab will launch a number of green retrofit projects in pilot cities across the country.

The Go-To for Going Green: The Preservation Green Lab will lead the conversation on best practices and model policies for greening our country's prized older and historic buildings, functioning as the go-to resource for those navigating the intersection of historic preservation and sustainability.

We just might have to coordinate a visit from these folks. Or maybe we need our own New Albany Green Lab?

The Riverfront of Today and Yesterday

2009-03-24T21:28:00.004-04:00

I know the New Albany riverfront as a place where joggers roam, skateboarders litter and an amphitheatre sits silently. I also know it had a life before the flood wall severed it from the day to day life of New Albany. New Albany was a river town. And nobody can take us back to that time and set the scene of river town life like Mark Twain.

From Life on the Mississippi, Chapter 6, page 30-31

“After all these years I can picture that old time to myself now, just as it was then; the white town was drowsing in the sunshine of a summer’s morning; the streets empty, or pretty nearly so; one or two clerks sitting in front of the Water Street stores, with their split-bottomed chairs tilted back against the wall, chins on breast, hats slouched over their faces, asleep-with shingle shavings enough around to show what broke them down; a sow and a litter of pigs loafing along the sidewalk, doing a good business in watermelon rinds and seeds; two or three lonely little freight piles scattered about the levee; a pile of skids on the slope of the stone-paved wharf, and the fragrant town drunkard asleep in the shadow of them; two or three wood flats at the head of the wharf, but nobody to listen to the peaceful lapping of the wavelets against them…"

He wasn’t writing about New Albany, but he could have been. The following image, provided by the Floyd County Historical Society, is an appropriate companion to the marvelously crafted description of Mr. Twain.

You’d probably think that physical evidence of that time in New Albany would be long gone. You’d be wrong. Fellow shutterbug Stephen Pacciano snapped the below images during a recent drought. The first is of our own stone-paved wharf and the second of a still intact mooring ring awaiting the next steamboat to tie off.

Thank you Stephen. I will look at the riverfront with a new appreciation thanks to these material connections with the past.

This Place Matters – Preservation Month May 2009

2009-03-21T09:52:00.006-04:00

Here's a preview of events coming in May. More details will follow here and at Develop New Albany. We've also got a return of our popular "Shotgun" home event planned for June.

The theme this year is This Place Matters. And it really does matter. See you in May.

May 5
Preservation Forum - “Going Green”. Forum presenter Steve Wiser (AIA) - Author and Architect.

May 9
Downtown event: “Gym, Gems & Juice – A Historic Downtown Walking Tour”

May 12
House Histories Workshop

May 19
Window Restoration Workshop

May 20
Facelift Awards Presentation

May 26
Floyd County Historical Society, “Cardinal Joseph Ritter, A 20th Century Religious Leader.”

May 30
Scribner House Open House & Walking Tour of Historic Mansion Row

Making the point – Of Adaptive Reuse, Beer and Progress

2009-03-15T09:59:00.005-04:00

It goes without saying that I’m tickled pink that downtown New Albany is the new home of the New Albanian Brewing Company Bank Street Brewhouse. The Brewhouse will bring more people downtown. Some will figure out they can avoid the drive to get here by moving here. It will happen. Beer, good beer, is a big reason I moved to New Albany 7 years ago. Trust me, I’m not the only one who has the same appreciation.

This addition to our downtown contributes to a recent winning streak that includes a downtown YMCA, rehabilitation of the Whitehouse, an impressive reuse of a bank building by Schad & Palmer at 223 East Spring, the pending opening of the River City Winery, the arrival of Toast on Market and more. I don’t have access to balance sheets for these projects, but we’re talking millions of dollars of investment.

While some bemoan the lack of revitalization downtown, I’m reminded of a saying about not being able to see the forest for the trees. It’s quite possible that we’ve been wishing for revitalization for so long that we’re not able to see it as it occurs.

And now for the preservationist take on the Brewhouse. This unassuming building where discount bread was once made is flanked by two parking lots. It was a strong candidate for demolition, adding to our supply of ample parking.

The building is not historic. It is not protected by a local historic district. It is admittedly an “ugly duckling” of a building. But thankfully in this case, a precious few had the vision and the imagination to look beyond the ugliness. Reuse was the first option. The streetscape is now maintained and enhanced. Valuable resources have been reused instead of being sent to a landfill. Vibrancy has been added to our downtown.

This is precisely the creativity and imagination we need for our building stock downtown. And while I’m thankful for the beer, I’m much more thankful for the example this sets for the future developments that will be spurred as a result of this project.

Newport Forum this Tuesday: It's good to learn from others, right?

2009-03-08T09:37:00.004-04:00

It was several weeks ago when a letter to the CJ about the success of Newport, KY caught my attention. After a couple phone calls and emails, we found a good spokesperson (Robert Yoder) that could come and share the story of Newport with us.

It promises to be time well spent learning how another river community has turned itself around. We’ll hear the depths that Newport had sunk to and then learn how decades of work, leadership and vision have made it a tourist destination and a community with a strong housing market.

Come on by the YMCA (corner of State & Main) Tuesday evening at 7:00pm for this important educational lecture and public forum. Visit the Develop New Albany website for more information on this and other upcoming events downtown.

And sign up for the e-news group so you don’t have to learn about this stuff by reading my blog.

Worst Window Replacement Ever?

2009-02-28T21:43:00.009-05:00

Worst window replacement ever? It gets my vote. That's an abomination. It's wrong on so many levels.

If you want some new pearly whites, please go to the dentist to get them not the local discount big box hardware mega-store.
Below are some web resources to help provide guidance for would be destroyers of historic wood windows. As you'll read, your home likely has bigger issues than windows. Insulate your attic. Plug up your foundation. Weatherstrip your doors.

Replacing windows doesn't make economic sense. Put the crowbar down and please slowly step away from the windows.

I Need An Energy Audit Stat, by Jane Koncius, Washington Post

The Must Read Tip Sheet from the National Trust

Tips to Make Your Home Green, from PreservationNation.org

PreservationNation blog posting by Rebecca Williams

New Albany Historic Preservation Commission, Window Design Guidelines

This Old House - on the Bough

2009-02-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

My buddy and neighbor, Nora, had a birthday party for her house when it turned 100. This Old House magazine thought that was a swell idea and featured her on page 14 of the March edition.

This Old House sent Dan Dry to take a few photographs. And of course I took photographs of him taking photographs.
Thank you Nora for what you did to feature your home and bring attention to our little river town. I’m proud to be your neighbor.

The 100K house – get small, get cheap, get green

2009-02-08T09:08:00.006-05:00

Despite carrying the “preservationist” label (which seems to carry a load of negative stereotyped baggage along with it in these parts) I’m also a huge fan of modern architecture. New construction design that mimics or replicates an earlier architectural style looks fine if you are walking down Main Street at Disney, but looks absolutely ridiculous in the real world. Design has been a topic covered before on this blog. New Construction needs to look new.

Our focus in these parts should be our existing housing stock. Building reuse is an absolute no-brainer. It is not rational to destroy resources that can be adapted and reused. This is true for entire structures and the elements that make up the structures (yes, even windows which are filling up our landfills at an alarming rate).

There is, however, plenty of room in our center city neighborhoods for new construction. This project (The 100K House) caught my attention recently. The project leaders have a conviction that "green" and "affordable" can go hand-in-hand. They are actually building that conviction.

The design is modern. It’s green. It’s LEED Platinum certified. It’s affordable.

How about we do it here?

ICE Storm 2009 - New Albany

2009-01-28T13:02:00.003-05:00

I like history. But sometimes living through historic events can really suck.

Click below to see photographs of the Ice Storm impact on Cedar Bough Place.

The day that Squirrels tried to take over Indianapolis and the Hoosier hero that saved the city and possibly the world

2009-01-03T09:12:00.009-05:00

I don’t like squirrels. That fact must be understood before reading further. I’ve discussed this before.

So as I’m reading this article in the CJ this morning, Hoosier squirrels going nuts over acorns' absence, by Will Higgins, you can imagine that I was amused and pleased. Squirrels are running short of nuts. “If the squirrels are going to die, they’d better go ahead and do it and decrease the surplus population”, I thought to myself happily.

But then my heart, already full of glee, nearly exploded with glee upon reading this excerpt:

In the fall of 1822, a horde of squirrels ran rampant through Indianapolis.

The rodents came "swarming through the town," according to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. The region's corn crop was "literally destroyed."

Calvin Fletcher, one of Indianapolis' leading citizens at the time, claimed that during the mayhem, a single farmer killed 248 squirrels in three days.

A nameless squirrel killing machine and American (and Hoosier) Hero. This guy killed an average of 3.4 squirrels per hour for three days. Bravo nameless Hoosier squirrel killing machine! Did he shoot them all? Use a big stick? Sword? Was he some sort of Hoosier ninja? You just know I’ll be doing more research on this.

Surely there must a statue of this guy somewhere in Indy. Had the dirty little rodents succeeded and taken Indy, the crossroads of America no less, what would have stopped them from taking the rest of the country and then the world?

God bless brave Hoosiers with crazy rodent killing skills.

For more anti-squirrel reading visit Dead Squirrel.com.

A River Town on the Rise - Newport, KY

2008-12-29T18:49:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-23T10:10:00.004-05:00

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…

2008-12-20T09:22:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-13T07:10:00.001-05:00

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

2008-12-06T06:59:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-16T09:39:00.000-05:00

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

2008-11-06T21:16:00.009-05:00

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

2008-10-24T06:34:00.006-04:00

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

2008-10-19T22:45:00.006-04:00

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

2008-10-13T20:12:00.005-04:00

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

2008-09-29T19:02:00.007-04:00

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

2008-09-21T21:25:00.003-04:00

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

2008-09-14T19:52:00.004-04:00

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

2008-09-13T06:23:00.002-04:00

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...

2008-09-07T10:25:00.003-04:00

New Albany Historic Home Tour – 2008 – September 13th

2008-09-04T06:17:00.005-04:00

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

2008-08-24T20:50:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-17T09:30:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-12T22:50:00.004-04:00

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...

2008-08-09T21:38:00.002-04:00

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.

Everyone Likes a Good Comeback Story

2008-08-03T22:59:00.004-04:00

It’s quite a contrast. There’s significant time invested in doing this, but the end result makes it worth while.
This old growth poplar continues to surprise me with its resiliency. The faults I find and fix are man made. Drilling holes for insulation causing splits. Maintenance failure leading to gaps in caulk and resulting in wood rot. Rot issues around down spouts due to further maintenance failure. Split boards due to thousands of nail holes from the past vinyl installation.

Yet the wood still comes back strong. It’s inspiring. Homes like mine, and many in New Albany, can absorb decades of neglect and abuse and still be salvaged.

A Cool Interlude During the Stifling Heat of July

2008-07-30T23:01:00.003-04:00

It really wasn't that long ago - early March 2008. We had about eight inches of the white stuff. I spent most of that day on ladders trying to thaw out a damn downspout that had frozen. Water was filling up in my soffit and then trickling down an interior wall. I love to reminisce about good times.

My house is on the right.

Photo credit - my neighbor Suzanne

Vitality and Preservation in the Metro Area

2008-07-26T07:57:00.003-04:00

The following appeared in the Courier Journal yesterday. It's worth a read.

Vital city needs vital preservation movement, by Steve Wiser.

"There is much to like about Louisville: enjoyable Olmsted parks, attractive riverfront, and quality neighborhoods. By preserving our existing landmarks as well as building new landmarks, Louisville can become an even better place in which to live."

The same is true for New Albany of course.

I've met the author, Steve Wiser, a couple times. He's written several books, including "Louisivlle 2035", which I found to be a good read and a tempting look at our potential future in the metro area. Check out the Louisville Historical League website too. Steve is on the board and assisted in getting a Louisville contingent over to New Albany during recent Preservation Month events.

Preservationist Gathering in Franklin - What New Albany Needs

2008-07-20T07:51:00.004-04:00

I took a trip up north Saturday to Franklin, Indiana. It’s a town of about 24,000 just south of Indianapolis. The occasion for the trip was the Preservation Roundup and Idea Exchange sponsored by the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA). About forty preservationist from all over the state gathered to discuss successes and challenges.

I’d never been to Franklin. It was charming. Like many Indiana towns, it has a town square with a city court house in center. It has recently been restored. The details were impressive.
We met at the Artcraft Theatre, which is currently being renovated by the local preservation non-profit Franklin Heritage, Inc. Rob Shilts, Executive Director, was very proud to show off their most recent acquisition. A capital campaign to raise $500,000 to complete restoration is expected to end successfully next week. Franklin Heritage has also purchased, restored and resold seven historic homes.

What did I take away from the visit? New Albany desperately needs a local preservation organization with an emphasis on our vast housing stock. Many structures are at risk and being lost. Thousands of tax dollars are spent to demolish instead of preserving.

I believe that it will take an assertive non-profit to intervene and break the cycle of ambivilance that is perpetuated in New Albany. The Southern Regional office of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana has had success here in facilitating home restorations, but their fourteen county area of responsibility means they can not focus only on New Albany.

We need focused advocacy, education and bricks and mortar work full-time. If Franklin can do seven homes, we should be able to do fifty seven. I feel strongly enough about this need that I've recently purchased the domain name of PreserveNewAlbany.org. Do you like the name Preserve New Albany? Feel free to toss out other suggestions.

Fix it - Don't Replace It - Wood on Your Historic Home

2008-07-11T23:05:00.012-04:00

To a preservation novice like myself, a split board or rotted wood can be quite an obstacle. But armed with the motivation to learn and preserve, anyone can learn the techniques to maintain their historic homes.

As I alluded to in the previous post, I repair wood first and replace as a last resort. This is the stuff I use – from a company called Abatron – LiquidWood® and WoodEpox®.
There are other manufacturers of wood consolidant and filler, which I’m sure work well, but these are the only products I’ve used.

I gained the knowledge of how to use these products by visiting this website HistoricHomeWorks, watching instructional video on the site and purchasing the how to preservation reports Saver Your Wood Windows and Wood-Epoxy Repairs. John Leeke, American Preservationeer, hosts the website and authors these educational materials.

I’ve corresponded with John recently and New Albany may be lucky enough to get a visit from him next May during preservation month.

Application Examples from recent weekends on the job ----

First is a whopper of a nail hole with rot all around it.

I whip out some wood consolidant (LiquidWood®) to apply to the area of a decaying wood.

This stuff penetrates and regenerates the wood. It’s a two part liquid epoxy product – mix equal parts and apply with a brush or pour on the area of need. In one to six hours, the wood is hard as rock and the hole is ready to be filled.

Next I had to address a chunk of missing wood in the crown molding (thanks a lot vinyl siding installers).

This gets filled with WoodEpox®, a two part epoxy. It’s the same concept as the consolidant – combine the two parts in equal volume, mix and apply.

It’s the consistency of play-doh and easy to work with. It also smells like a biscuit when mixed.
The wood epoxy is not your normal wood filler. It’s shrink free and can be used to replace, repair, fill cracks, cast and sculpted into shapes and machined just like wood when it hardens. It has saved my butt many times.

Next was a gapping hole in the trim of a window. It was fixed with my hammer never leaving the tool belt.

Please visit John’s site for more detailed instruction and don’t hesitate to take on that preservation project you want to do.

Ted's Exterior Wood - Repair vs. Replace

2008-06-29T21:47:00.003-04:00

June has just about been a wash for exterior work. Vacation time and bad weather means not much has been done. But today was a good day.

During my weekend crusades to restore my home exterior (previously clad in vinyl) I’ve become quite talented in one respect - my ability to make nasty looking wood look decent again.

Insulation holes, split clapboards and rotted wood don’t stand a chance. Very rarely do I replace wood. The primary reason for my conservation is that my carpentry skills suck. I’ll avoid getting out the saw at all costs. Besides, the wood that’s there, old growth lumber, is far superior than anything I could buy and replace it with. So a clapboard must be really bad before I’ll resort to the saw and hammer or calling a real carpenter to do the job.

Here are two examples of patch work. Both were the result of blown in insulation and the resulting damage. The first example is a series of bad splits and two holes and probably a good candidate for replacement. But the splits were stable (not growing) and the holes could be filled.

I’m pleased with the results after my first coat of primer. Holes be there. Holes be gone.
From the “how not to do stuff” department – do not use car body filler on wood. It may be quick and easy but it won’t last. Wood moves. Body filler doesn’t. It cracks. Paint doesn’t stick to it well either. I’ve had to redo a couple of spots that have already failed. Some lessons get taught best when you have to go back and do it again. I do so love redoing work.

I use wood consolidant and epoxy for repairs. I’ll talk more about the products I use soon.

“Serenity Now, Serenity Now” – or at least for a week

2008-06-22T09:42:00.003-04:00

Took the obligatory week off and attempted to forget everything that had transpired during the previous 51 weeks. I was successful. I’d like to do it again.
On the long drive home I’d fantasized about an extreme home makeover team attacking my home and finishing all the restoration work while I was gone. It didn’t happen. But the best neighbors anyone could ask for had cut my grass and even trimmed shrubbery.

I do love where I live and was thankful to be home.

Musings from a Wonderfully Diverse Neighborhood - Let Your Engine do the Talking --- Peter Frampton Comes Alive in my Alley

2008-06-07T07:33:00.002-04:00

Life on my street, Cedar Bough, is very peaceful the majority of the time. You might say it’s perfectly charming. However, a recent stint on the front porch was interrupted several times by a motorcycle passing nearby at a high rate of speed with the engine wide open. That thing had to be turning about a million rpm’s.

I’ll not pretend to understand this act, especially the need to try to blow up an engine. Is it an attempt to impress? Is there a hormone imbalance involved? Is it a way to channel rage?

Regardless, this event combined with seeing Peter Frampton in a GIECO commercial triggered the memory of another event from spring 2007. I’d written the below back then and never posted it. Here it is:

I live in close proximity to an apartment complex. It’s right behind my home, across the alley. 99.9% of the time it’s fine by me. Folks back there are typically downright friendly. But, as is inevitable in any neighborhood anywhere, you get the occasional bad apples.

A recent Saturday night on the Bough was a good example. Sometimes the bliss that we all typically enjoy in our personal relationships can suddenly turn ugly. If it’s a really bad turn you may even end up in my alley at 11pm screaming at the top of your lungs at your partner.

This is exactly what happened to some of the residents behind my home – their domestic discourse just could not be contained by the walls of their apartment. Out to the alley they rolled. I won’t bore you with the chatter they exchanged but suffice to say it was a rather uninspired expletive laden exchange.

If you’ve been in my position you can probably identify with my thought process. The phone is in the hand. The numbers 9-1-1 are about to be pushed. But deep down, I’m thinking that the last f-bomb may signify they’ve run out of steam and will call it a night.

And it appeared my wish had come true. There was silence for a while. But then there was a new sound. Was that a car door? Then I heard the engine. Oh dear God, was it the guy who drives the heavily modified late 80’s Trans Am who had been doing the arguing?

I believe that every time this guys fires up that monster, the temperature rises ever so slightly in my alley and across the planet and pieces of the artic ice shelf crash into the ocean.

It was him. This guy was mad and yelling just wasn’t good enough to get his point across. So he decided to let his V8 do the yelling for him. And he had a lot say. I’d never imagined the use of an engine as a communication tool. But here he was, sitting idle but shoving his foot on the accelerator time after time. He was yelling at his mate with his engine. Was this guy a Peter Frampton* fan?

There were a couple of spins around the block for him. At least that’s what I remember. It wasn’t long after this episode that the lovely couple moved out.

Life on the Bough went back to being perfectly charming.

*Reference is to his album “Peter Frampton Comes Alive” and the use of a talk box in several songs. It’s hard to imagine why the talk box didn’t gain more popularity and wide use.

Summer Arrives and I Sweat a Lot

2008-06-01T23:26:00.005-04:00

Hello Summer! Gee whiz. Another week or two of moderate temperature would have been nice. It was toasty out there.

The Flying Wallendas routine continued as I some how manage to avoid serious injury traversing scaffolding high above the ground. Prep work progressed and some priming was done. Photographs show the progress. Some more detailed “how to” stuff on the way later in the week.

Progress is progress & Death to Squirrels Update

2008-05-26T15:45:00.008-04:00

Progress is progress. Some sanding was done over the weekend but the intermittent rain today has prohibited me from putting any primer on. And in case you are wondering, that does piss me off.

Continuing the theme from the last house update, here’s more detail on the work. After removing failing paint, I use a standard five inch orbital sander. I usually start with 80-grit sandpaper and finish with 100. I use 60 on the really nasty stuff but must careful with it because it can chew up wood quickly.
There’s hand sanding involved too, especially on the crown molding which really cleans up nicely. The goal is to get a smooth surface to paint on.
If the weather had cooperated I would have primed everything I’d sanded, but only after giving it a good cleaning.

Squirrel update – from atop my neighbors roof, a tree rat mocks me by apparently dry humping the roof. He knows I don’t have a high powered rifle with which to end his pathetic existence. At least not yet. To refresh your memory on why all squirrels must die, read this past posting or visit this website.

Not the smartest thing I've ever done - Another Update of Work on Ted's House

2008-05-17T18:05:00.004-04:00

Busy weekends, and rainy ones, have prohibited much progress lately. I did spend about 7 hours hitting it today (Saturday). It took 1 hour to set up this elaborate system of scaffolding, walk boards and ladders. This certainly does not qualify as the smartest thing I've ever done. But I had to hit this gable somehow. If my Mom knew I was up there she'd be really upset. The second photograph, a rare Ted action shot, was contributed by neighbor Mary Ann Tonini.

Incremental to Irreversible – Downtown New Albany – May 2008

2008-05-11T09:31:00.005-04:00

Preservation Month (each May) is a good time to be reflective and assess “progress” in downtown. Incremental progress seems to me to best describe the situation. Four years ago there was a sense of desperation in just getting visitors and prospective investors to show up. We toured shells and had to ask everyone to use their imagination.

Now we see actual projects and it’s not so hard to imagine the evolution because examples can be observed.

It’s still not the realm for the impatient but our incremental progress is slowly turning into irreversible progress.

We had a lot going on yesterday. Below is a summary of the events and various projects that were highlighted.

The Fashion Shop – the official unveiling took place along with inspiring and emotional words from owner Mark Bobo.

Want to see more? Click Here

River City Winery – Opening Summer 2008. The expansive basement (where wine will be crafted) stole the show.

Want to see more? Click Here

Baptist Tabernacle – Recently purchased by the city of New Albany. The possibilities are intriguing. See also this previous post.

Want to see more? Click Here

Scribner Place – Opening Fall 2008. The first photo is from Fall 2007. The second is from last week.

Want to see more? Click Here

Got Googie? Appreciating the Recent Past

2008-05-07T19:01:00.005-04:00

I subscribe to Preservation, the magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. I highly recommend it. The recent issue focus was modern architecture. This article caught my attention – “Gaga Over Googie?”, by Krista Walton.

This Newsweek article also explores the same topic, "Is Googie Good?", by Sarah Kliff.

A debate is stirring in Seattle, Washington. Is this building a landmark? Is it worth preserving? Read and then weigh in yourself.

photo credits - Grace Architects (middle); Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times (right)

I know what my answer is. What about you?

Its architecture is described as being Googie. Features of Googie include upswept roofs, curvaceous, geometric shapes, and bold use of glass, steel and neon. Do we have some Googie in New Albany? Maybe not, but we do have some quality recent past buildings.

One of my favorites? A model Valentine Diner, serial number 2031. Location – 147 E. Market Street. Name – “Little Chef Diner”. It's been operating since 1957. Does this look familiar?

From the Kansas State Historical Society Website:

Valentines were small eight- to twelve-seat diners with a limited menu, making them ideal for a one-person operation. It provided an opportunity to operate a profitable business with very little capital.

The diners were manufactured in Wichita from the late 1930s into the mid-1970s. Sales of the buildings expanded nationwide, and Valentines soon were all over the United States. The diners often were located along major highways, and many of them are still in use today

It’s a building I’ve taken for granted. I’ll be honest and say that it’s been almost invisible to me, sandwiched between the Fair Store and the Odd Fellows building. And no, I’ve never been inside. They are not smoke free so a visit, in that small of a space, will be difficult for me. But I do resolve to get in there for a visit soon.

Additional Art Deco and Moderne architecture in downtown New Albany: 1. 601 E. Spring Street, Dental office of Dr. John Sisk, DDS. 2. Mike Smith Firestone at 227 State Street. 3. 130 E. Main Street

Architectural relevance certainly did not end in 19th century. My own appreciation of modern architecture has changed greatly over the last few years. These buildings are just as significant as any Victorian, Italianate or Queen Anne structures in our community. They contribute to the fabric of our history, telling the complete, unique and up to the minute story of our place.

Have a recent history architectural favorite in the area? Please share.

Additional Reading:

During my internet browsing, I stumbled upon an interesting website called the American Roadside - there was a feature on our own Little Chef Diner.

Googie Architecture Online

Recent Past Preservation Network

One Strange Day - the rollercoaster that was Monday, May 5th

2008-05-05T21:44:00.004-04:00

First the good news. Take the trip down to the 200 block of Pearl Street and get ready for a surprise. Someone had a really big can opener out there today.

I wet myself when I saw it.

The kick-off event for Preservation Month went great - head count was 51.
Hillary and a few thousand of her friends were exactly one block away at the same time (no photographs of that).

We lost Steinert's - a New Albany landmark.

And it all happened in one day. I can't wait until tomorrow.

The 5th Running of the Preservation Month Derby!

2008-05-03T08:49:00.003-04:00

It’s May and that means many things for the Louisville Metro and Southern Indiana area – Kentucky Derby, corresponding invasion of B-list and below stars, Derby drunkenness, non-stop local TV coverage of Derby B-list stars and Derby drunkenness and front page news stories on hat’s that resemble sombreros which are highly coveted by women and cost hundreds of dollars.

It’s also Preservation Month. Check the right side bar for information on upcoming events. Visit HistoricNewAlbany.com for more information. We’ve got educational and fun events on the way throughout the month.

And we promise that Larry Birkhead will not be at any of the functions and anyone wearing a sombrero will be promptly roughed up and removed by security.

“Cute squirrel. Is it dead yet?”

2008-04-27T09:19:00.007-04:00

Do I hate squirrels? They bark at me. They scurry atop my roof. They try to invade my home. And I swear they’ve tossed nuts at me on occasion. Squirrels and I have some history. It’s not pleasant.

I’m sure there are those of you who treasure the little creatures and would take offense to anyone harming them. How sweet. You should form a tree rat appreciation club. Build yourself a big tree house and commune with the pests. Think of me when you are getting your rabies shots.

In the meantime, I take the role of being the apex predator in New Albany neighborhoods very seriously. Furry vermin are in the cross-hairs. I’m wondering how many it would take to make myself a fur lined winter coat. Fifty? A hundred? Some fur lined house slippers sound nice too.

The source for this rant? Upon taking a seat after a very long day of cleaning up New Albany ("who really needs trash cans when you have an alley", another rant coming soon) I heard a strange sound at the front door. This is what I saw.

A cat apparently had chased this guy up on my front porch. He wanted in badly. After taking these shots I sprinted to the garage looking for some tool to end this vermin’s life. Shovel? Whacking stick? I settled on a broom, mostly concerned about collateral damage to the house.

He’d vacated the porch by the time I got there. I can only hope the cat did its job.

Of course I don’t really hate anything. But I do have an extreme dislike for these furry tree vermin. For more reading on why all squirrels must die visit the website – All Squirrels Must Die!

It begins again – the next seasonal installment of Ted’s never ending quest to finish his exterior restoration

2008-04-20T18:47:00.006-04:00

Today I kicked off another season of work on the exterior of the house. It felt good. I probably won’t be saying that when July and August roll around.

Progress will be tracked here, same as last year. In addition, I will share more of the “how to” stuff and some of the “how not to do” stuff. If someone else learns from my screw ups it will make them a little easier to stomach.

I set up on the north side of the house today to start stripping paint.

Here are the tools of the trade for removing paint. That’s just part of my growing collection of scraper’s. Some are big, some are small, some are pointy, some are flat. But they each serve a specific purpose when called upon.

The device at the back is my secret weapon – the Speedheater. Two infrared light bulbs heat the paint and separate it from the wood.

Here’s how it works. To the right is a section of peeling, alligatored, and failing paint. After I remove the loose stuff, I the turn the Speedheater loose on it. You hold the device over one spot about 45 seconds and the paint starts to bubble, separating from the wood.

A scraper then can easily remove the paint. And in case you are wondering, this is lead paint and not stuff you want to mess with. This is why I’m a big fan of the Speedheater. The paint comes off in large, gooey masses like this.

There’s very little “dry scraping” which puts dangerous dust in the air. A plastic tarp below captures everything that falls. Hit the Speedheater website for more information on the advantages of this type of paint removal.

This is what the wood looks like after the paint is removed. It will get sanded next, cleaned and then painted.

The north side of the house will take me a while to clean up. If anyone out there has an interest in seeing the Speedheater in use please feel free to email me and we’ll schedule some time together for a demo. I’ve even been know to loan it out on occasion when I’m not planning to use it.

New Albany Shotgun homes – They’re Loaded

2008-04-12T09:07:00.005-04:00

Reference “New Albany” and “Shotgun” in the same sentence and most will assume you are talking about New Year’s Eve or the 4th of July, when shotguns fired in the air double for fireworks.

But I’m not talking about the New Albany celebratory salute now. The historic neighborhoods of New Albany contain approximately 500 Shotgun style homes. These homes are typically narrow, one-story with each room placed behind the other. Often, the doors in each room line up. So if you opened all the doors and fired your shot gun through the front door – the shot would pass through the house. Hence the name, “Shotgun” home.

The home style is experiencing a renaissance in many parts of the country. It has always been celebrated and loved in many Louisville neighborhoods, especially the German Paristown neighborhood (they even have an annual Shotgun festival).

In the resource and green conscience world we now live in, smaller has tremendous advantages. Less space to heat and cool is the obvious benefit. And, let’s be honest, the homes are dirt cheap. Baby boomers are aging and downsizing their housing. A modernized Shotgun has appeal.

In an effort to bring attention to New Albany Shotgun homes, Preservation Month organizers have coordinated an exciting forum and workshop in May.

From the Preservation Month media advisory –
Monday, May 5th - Preservation Conversation #1: Reinventing the Shotgun House for Contemporary Living, Cornerstone Evangelical Methodist Church, 418 East Spring Street, New Albany, 7:00 – 8:30 PM.

As a kick-off to the focus on shotgun style homes during National Preservation Month 2008, Patricia Gaye, Executive Director, Preservation Resource Center, New Orleans, presents stories of her experiences with shotguns in New Orleans and the results of efforts to increase awareness of their value to the New Orleans culture. Since many New Albany neighborhoods feature (approximately 500) shotgun style houses, what value is its cultural contribution to the City? What efforts can the City implement to strengthen awareness of their value and affordable, modern livability? Free and Open to the Public.

Tuesday, May 6th - Pizza and Preservation: Reinventing the Shotgun House for Contemporary Living, shotgun house of Ron Stiller, architect and presenter, 2112 Elm Street, New Albany, 6:15 PM – 8:30 PM.

Ron Stiller explains the shotgun’s strengths as modern living space and demonstrates the interior changes that maintain the character, as well as the potential, for responsible modern needs.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Pizza and beverage will be served. Reservations required by calling Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana - 284 4534.

More shotgun related reading ---

Architectural Descriptions, Floor Plans and Photographs

Recent posting by Bluegill over at NAC

The Shotgun House Project in New Orleans

Brett Zamore Design LLC - A Modern Update of a Shotgun

Open me, walk on me, jog on me, bike on me, use me

2008-04-06T21:24:00.006-04:00

It’s tantalizing. I see it every day on my way back and forth from work. I can see it from my office in downtown Louisville. A bridge connection between Indiana and Kentucky. A connection between New Albany and Portland. It is, of course, the Kentucky & Indiana Railroad Bridge. And if I could get across it on bike or foot, I’d have to travel a measly four miles to get to work.

I have no details or timelines, but I do understand the process is underway to get the K&I Bridge open for pedestrian traffic. It can’t happen soon enough for me.

Those new to the area may not realize the bridge is even there or that it was used for vehicle traffic until 1979. The steel gridwork roadways are still there.

I never traveled over the bridge by car. And of course walking on the bridge now would be trespassing on railroad property – which I’d never condone (wink, wink, nod, nod). But I can imagine the views are breathtaking of the river, the Sherman Minton Bridge, the Louisville skyline and of the McAlpine Locks and Dam.

Multi-billion dollar bridge projects? Let’s use the one that’s already there. How much would it cost? How much does a bolt cutter cost? Maybe they could charge a toll to cover the cost?

Sharing the Numbers - HistoricNewAlbany.com

2008-03-29T08:49:00.009-04:00

It’s time for another update on the numbers for HistoricNewAlbany.com, a website sponsored by Develop New Albany. About 8,000 people per month are looking for their place in history in New Albany. Monthly averages for visits over the last two years are up by 30%:

This graph shows the monthly visits over the last six months. Visits are steady, with anticipated dips during cold weather months:

This currently free service is making a difference. Two homes have been sold as a direct result of the site and there's no doubt it has contributed indirectly to the sale of a dozen others. The number of communities offering this type of website are limited, especially locally. As communities work to attract new residents, there’s no doubt this type of website provides New Albany a competitive advantage.

Volunteers can spend up to five hours per week each on maintenance which includes house research, touring homes, taking photographs, uploading listings to the site and much more. David Barksdale does the house research and Laura Renwick and Judy Martin (both representatives of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana) tour homes and perform maintenance. Thanks guys.

If anyone out there would be interested in helping with the site please email me.

Baptist Tabernacle - Shrader Stables - Opportunities in New Albany

2008-03-21T18:39:00.006-04:00

The City of New Albany purchased the Baptist Tabernacle (318 E. Fourth Street, c. 1879) at tax sale last week. Above is a vintage photograph of the building, courtesy of the Floyd County Historical Society. Below is a current photo from the website HistoricNewAlbany.com.
I’m pleased to see reported that a committee has been formed quickly to seek reuse options and funding for the rehabilitation. The purchase was an assertive move and one I commend.

On a related topic, a request for proposal (RFP) is on the way for another prominent property owned by the city - the Shrader Stables at 118 W. Main Street (c. 1870). Its location, across the street from the YMCA currently under construction, makes this an interesting property for development.

Below is a rendering completed by the Ball State Universities Center for Historic Preservation. The rendering project was completed as part of a partnership with the city of New Albany and Develop New Albany. Revitalization is an incremental process. The reuse of these structures will contribute to the momentum of the current renaissance underway in New Albany.

Creating Neighborhoods of Hope

2008-03-08T09:56:00.003-05:00

It’s a snowy weekend. Other than shoveling the white stuff, and making French toast with all the bread and milk you bought, why not do some reading?

A spirited discussion was sparked by friend Bluegill over at New Albany Confidential this week regarding the true emphasis of strengthening code enforcement efforts. It’s about children and preparing them for life – and that starts with providing them a safe and secure place to live. There’s really nothing else to say about the importance of code enforcement.

As revitalization strategies are defined and put into action, there’ll undoubtedly be attention given to the physical environment we live in. We spend a lot of time focused on the physical environment – housing conditions, cleaning up trash, etc. No less important will be the strategies for the most important resources we have – the people and specifically the children that live here.

I’m excited about the possibility that, while developing neighborhoods of choice, we also create neighborhoods of hope. Places that actually enable people. For me, this means education opportunities. And here are some examples of how this could be made a reality.

The Kalamazoo Promise. “The Kalamazoo Promise is a scholarship offered to every Kalamazoo Public School student. The Kalamazoo Promise is much more than a scholarship program; it is a catalyst to making the Greater Kalamazoo Community an even greater community.”

Just imagine what a program like this would do for our community.

Schools and Neighborhood Revitalization: An Invitation to New Thinking
By Michael Schubert (mfscds@aol.com)

“The path that connects schools and neighborhood revitalization is not as well traveled as it could be. As community development has become more sophisticated and project-driven, the idea of strengthening and connecting to local institutions has sometimes been moved back in importance – relegated to the “soft” side of the work. But if neighborhoods are going to succeed and be competitive as places, schools have to be part of the mix.”

Please read this short essay by revitalization professional Michael Schubert. It is full of realistic strategies that would link schools and neighborhood revitalization efforts.

And lastly is this article from the Courier Journal yesterday. It’s an interview with Cathe Dykstra, Executive Director of Project Women. I was not familiar with the group before reading this article. This is an amazing organization that I hope to learn more about. They had me after I read the headline of the article – “Cathe Dykstra says one way to lift up children is to get their mothers back into school”.

Making it Harder on the Neighborhood Killers - Changes to Indiana Code from 2006

2008-03-02T21:48:00.008-05:00

In March 2006, Public Law No. 169-2006 (HEA 1102) was signed into law. It amended the Unsafe Building Law (Indiana Code 36-7-9), property tax collection and enforcement, and redevelopment law. In the broadest of overviews, “it improves the ability of county executives and redevelopment commissions to effectively deal with abandoned properties in their jurisdictions.”

A technical guide is available that introduces and summarizes the statutory changes. It’s a rather dry read but it’s certainly worth the effort if you are involved with a community organization in New Albany, Floyd County or in any county in Indiana.

As described on page 6 of the guide, some of the new legal tools are:
Increase the carrying cost of abandoned and vacant properties – increasing civil penalties allowed and allowing for performance bonds to be issued to bring a property into compliance.

Improving the efficiency of the tax sale process – shortening the tax sale process and if not sold, transferring properties to the county executive.

Expanding the range of property redevelopment options – allowing the creation of Land Banks and increasing disposition options.

My favorite new legal tool is the exclusion of any Unsafe Building Law violators from participating in tax sales. That’s a pesky little change that, if enforced, would certainly prohibit a habitual devaluator of our neighborhoods from spreading their cancer further.

I have a couple hard copies of the guide and will forward to anyone interested.

The Ripple Effect - Targeting Community Investments

2008-02-23T11:37:00.003-05:00

The S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association had a significant meeting this week. Deputy Mayor, Carl Malysz, was the guest speaker at our monthly meeting. What transpired was over two hours of productive discussion. The event was covered by the Tribune and the full story can be read here.

Getting quoted in the paper is always an interesting experience for me. Context is quite important when only one or two sentences are put in print. While I believe that reporter Daniel Suddeath did a fine job, I do want to add clarification to a couple of my quotes.

“Fulmore said a concentrated strategy is the best way to deal with code issues and it has been proven to work in other cities.”

If you have limited resources – money and manpower – then yes, concentrating on specific areas is a good idea. When I referenced other cities, I was referring to Richmond, Virginia and their Neighborhoods in Bloom policy – “directing public and nonprofit funds investments to specific neighborhoods with the aim of attracting and sustaining additional private capital.”

Click and read this document for the full story. It lays out how Targeted Community Investment has worked and been successful there.

“I believe that if everyone is patient and we set realistic expectations, we can accomplish much through this new collaboration,” Fulmore said.

My point is that code enforcement is but one part of the effort to revitalize a neighborhood. There should be no expectation that by itself, it will create a neighborhood of choice. If we are going to target code enforcement in one area, then developing complementary strategies is crucial.

Additional strategies were bounced around during the meeting including a program to acquire blighted properties, rehab and sell homes. Creating an image building campaign, branding New Albany as “Insert your catchy phrase here”. Focusing emergency home repair funds (a project already being planned). And there was more.

I’ll be revisiting these topics frequently in the coming weeks. There’s some momentum being gained and reason for optimism.

Further Reading and Reference:

Neighborhoods in Bloom website

The Ripple Effect – Economic Impacts of Targeted Community Investments

Slavery Program at Farmington Historic Plantation Saturday February 23rd

2008-02-17T09:45:00.006-05:00

The history of slavery in the region has always interested me. Luckily, local author Pam Peters has documented much of that history in her book, "The Underground Railroad In Floyd County, Indiana". It describes the plight of those seeking freedom and the people that helped them in that quest.

If the topic is one you'd like to learn more about then mark you calendar for Saturday, February 23rd. The Farmingtion Historic Plantation is presenting what promises to be a very educational program - Faces of Slavery. Details are below.

The Greenway and Riverfront in New Albany

2008-02-09T08:50:00.000-05:00

Our riverfront has always been a favorite destination of mine on walks and runs around town. During the pleasant weather last weekend, I got the camera out and took a few shots. Progress on the Greenway is moving right along. And I love it.

I wasn’t the only one out that morning. At least a dozen other visitors were strolling and enjoying the views. Not to bad for a February morning.

The Foreclosure Crisis

2008-02-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

Updated 2/4/2008, 2:08pm

In January the Metropolitan Housing Coalition released a study of foreclosures in Louisville Metro. It’s scary. And it’s not just a problem in older, historic neighborhoods.

The numbers are stunning:
1996 – 437 foreclosures
2007 – 3,187 foreclosures

Most reading this web log know the impact of a vacant home in the neighborhood. They destabilize the area, becoming flashpoints for trouble. Some foreclosures will result in properties sitting vacant for extended periods of time. And if properties are sold, there’s the possibility they will fall into the hands of unsavory investors common in the New Albany area.

It’s an ugly cycle. And sometimes the cycle ends with a bulldozer, funded by our tax dollars, demolishing a home and sending it to the landfill. As a side note, our city council is being asked to appropriate $53,000* to our Unsafe Building fund this Monday. It’s a way of addressing the symptom. It clearly does not address the cause.

One way to counteract the cycle is through resident education. If you can, you should attend the Silver Grove Neighborhood Association meeting on February 7th. A spokesperson from National City bank will be the featured speaker and the topic will be “Protecting Yourself from Abusive Lenders”. It’s an important message also delivered to the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood last fall.

Also in February, Carl Malysz, Deputy Mayor and Director of Community Development, will be speaking to the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood (Tuesday, February 19th). We expect a spirited discussion of strategies addressing the stabilization of our neighborhoods. Join us if you can.

*Clarification: The appropriation of $53,000 is not new money being requested for the Unsafe Building Fund (for the purpose of demolition), it is a funding request that was not approved last year.

The image says it all

2008-01-19T08:31:00.000-05:00

This image from the National Trust for Historic Preservation website says it all. Invest in an existing community today. It makes more sense now than ever before.

We already have roads and utilities. We've got museums. We've got a library. We've got schools your kids can walk to. We've got a great bookstore. We can walk to trendy new restaurants as well as old trusted ones. The Y will be here in less than a year.

Move closer to work and put that SUV up for sale now while you can still get some money for it. There's probably a small commune that could really use that 6000 sq foot house you built, sell it now...

Come on. You know you want to.

Longing for Quality Design of New Construction in Our Historic Neighborhoods

2008-01-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

drawing by Nathan Fuchs, Architect, nfuchs@Luckett-Farley.com

Walk down any neighborhood street in and around downtown New Albany and you are likely to see homes representing various architectural styles: Victorian, Queen Anne, Bungalow, Federal, etc. Shotgun’s sit next to mansions. Variety abounds. It’s a housing buffet. Each building style representative of the time it was built and making a statement about the workmanship of that time period. It all works nicely together.

And then we have the more recent vinyl boxes that have been built. I suppose they are representative of our time as well. And the message they will send to future generations? That this was a time of minimum investment for maximum gain? That the same material used for Wiffle balls was used to sheath homes?

I’m not going to start a rant on vinyl. I don’t have to. It’s not a good building material. Period. At least that’s what U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) says in a report released in February 2007. From the USGBC Technical Advisory Committee final report, page 88, “When we add end-of-life with accidental fire landfill fire and backyard burning, the additional risk of dioxin emissions put PVC consistently among the worst materials for human health impacts…”. It’s dangerous stuff.

You can get the other side of the story by visiting the Vinyl Institute.

But back to my original message. The notion that new construction in old neighborhoods should conform to older styles is one I strongly disagree with. Take the walk I suggest above and you’ll see first hand that is not how our neighborhoods evolved. If it was, we’d all be living in homes that resemble the Scribner house.

Will we see contemporary designs in New Albany soon?

Thanks to connections made by Jeff Gillenwater, discussions have taken place with the New Albany Community Housing Development Organization and architect Nathan Fuchs, of Lucket & Farley Architets, with a focus on “green” and contemporary affordable housing designs. While the timing may not be right to proceed with a CHDO project now, at least the connections have been made and the seed has been planted.

In the meantime, I would challenge any developer or builder to push the design envelope when building in our downtown neighborhoods. It is understood that plastic is cheap and easy to use but the list of alternative building materials and methods is long and offers many other choices.

Besides, if the suburban sprawl engine truly is breaking down, then an investment in a core neighborhood could have a nice return on investment in the long-term. Whether for rental or ownership, build with respect for the quality of workmanship and design of what is already here. Buyers and renters will, and should currently, demand that.

And with respect to the compatibility of contemporary design in historic neighborhoods, I believe the debate could be a lively one. But it’s a debate I sure would enjoy New Albanians having to confront.

Further reading:
Three interesting articles from Dwell magazine -

The Green Approach

Green affordable housing and modern design

A Lot for a Little

I borrowed heavily in the above from another article written in the Summer 2007 edition of the Forum Journal, “Obey the Imperatives of Our Own Moment: A Call for Quality Contemporary Design in Historic Districts”, by de Teel Patterson Tiller. The article is not available online but you can purchase it here: Link to Preservation Books - National Trust

Go Green. Be Green. Green this. Green that. Green, Green, Green.....

2008-01-06T09:56:00.000-05:00

Everybody and everything is “going green”. I’d be surprised if there’s anyone out there who is not aware of the phrase or who has not been exposed to the concept during the last year. You’d have to have been living in a cave to have not been bombarded with the environmentalist messages (living in a cave, by the way, would be a very green thing to do).

My mailbox has been the recipient of great reading material on the topic, especially related to the connection between preservation and environmentalism. It couldn’t be more obvious – reusing existing building stock is as green as you can get. Every built structure represents an energy expenditure. Lose a structure and you lose the embodied energy stored in it.

Below are links to some great reading on the topic.

As architect Carl Elefante pointed out in an essay written for the Forum Journal last summer, we can’t build our way to sustainability. The role of preservation will need to expand in scope. Make sure you read, “The Greenest Building Is…One That is Already Built”.

The January 2008 Preservation Magazine (the magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) has been dedicated the Green Issue. Point, click and read.

A New Year and a New Look – Farewell to an Extreme Year

2007-12-29T19:21:00.000-05:00

I’ve been making a few format changes recently and will continue to make more. The menu down the right side of the site will have links to older posts that I enjoyed. Links to other websites have also been updated. Suggestions are welcome.

Farewell 2007

What a strange year it has been. I must admit that I’ll not miss it one bit. Elections have come and gone. Great progress on my house restoration. My new roof leaking like a son of a b#tch. Lawsuits. Silvercrest saved. The Daisy Medical Building saved. Another county landmark (the County Annex) whose days are numbered. Losing the Bistro. Gaining a Winery downtown and Scribner Place on the rise. The Ritter house gets a healthy grant from Caesars. Vandals destroy windows at the Ritter house, twice. Greenway progress. Punks breaking the glass of the sidewalk lighting. Heat and drought. Massive amounts of rain.

A year of extremes indeed.

However, there’s reason for optimism for 2008. I’m looking forward to a year of focus, collaboration and moving forward for New Albany.

Happy New Year

It's the Holiday Season in New Albany

2007-12-08T07:42:00.000-05:00

Here are some seasonal photographs I snapped during a stroll last year. Hope you enjoy.

DAR to have holiday tea Sunday at Scribner House - Adjust your schedule and go

2007-11-30T06:58:00.000-05:00

From the Courier Journal:

The Piankeshaw Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution will hold its annual Victorian Tea and Scribner House tour from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the house, 1606 E. Main St. in New Albany.

There will be tours every half-hour. Tea and refreshments will be served, and The Underhill Trio will perform. Proceeds go to providing resources for prizes for history projects and essay contests and the patriotic activities of the chapter.

Admission is free but donations will be accepted. For more information, call kkessinger@juno.com or call 987-2132.

Installment: # I've lost track of the numbers - Don't Fear the Windows

2007-11-19T07:47:00.000-05:00

The folks in the replacement window industry hate me. They spend millions annually to try and trick me into replacing “my old drafty windows”. They're wasting money on me because I know the truth.

The reality is my 100 year old windows are much higher in quality than plastic replacements and nearly equal in efficiency (in conjunction with an effective storm window).

If all goes well today, I’ll share some photographs with finish coats of paint. I’ll also provide some helpful links for window restoration information.

Twas a night about 10 days after Halloween

2007-11-10T02:44:00.000-05:00

It’s Saturday, 1am in the morning and I’m sleeping well, when from the front porch there arose a clatter, I sprang from bed to see what was the matter. What to my wondering eyes should appear? It sure as hell wasn’t Santa Claus….

Pretty Plump Pumpkin Pulverized

It was stupid of me to leave it out past Halloween. I was tempting fate and I knew it. It was such a nice, plump pumpkin. I’d seen the looks on the faces of punks walking past my house. They wanted it. It was the Siren pumpkin, singing to them to be smashed. They could not resist.

This episode took me back in time, to October 2002, when I first moved to New Albany. As a proud new homeowner, I’d purchased a pumpkin and placed it on my front porch. Twenty four hours later, I was shoveling pumpkin innards from the middle of the street.

After five years of intense counseling, I had decided to take the plunge again. I’ve matured in the past five years. I will handle this loss better. That pumpkin had a good run on the porch. It was just his time. It’s just part of the circle of life for a pumpkin.

My porch - a place of comfort for me and skinny inebriated women

In what appears to be an unrelated event (and the reason I noticed my pumpkin was missing) a drunken woman was pounding on my front door at 1am. That’s actually what the clatter on the front porch was.

Police were called. The little lady has been removed.*

Oddly, the skinny drunk chick had initially started pounding on the door and then took a rest in one of my comfy porch chairs. Stunned, I simply gawked out the window for a few moments. But then she started pounding again. By that time, the police had arrived.

It’s been an unusual night on the Bough.

*Note: It was only a couple months ago when my sister, who lives in the suburban mecca of Plainview, relayed a very similar story to me. A distressed woman had awoken her entire family one night banging on her front door. I only mention this because stuff like this happens every where, not just urban neighborhoods.

Haunted Houses are Historic

2007-10-31T11:10:00.000-04:00

At work I get teased a bit about my passion for preservation and historic homes. It’s playful stuff. Like anytime I take a vacation day, the assumption is I’m going to chain myself to a building. It’s amazing how much funnier that joke gets every time I hear it (not!).

So it was no surprise when I came in to work this Halloween and saw this:

I thought it was hilarious.

Input for Preservation Month Requested

2007-10-25T12:47:00.000-04:00

Each May communities across the country celebrate preservation and history. It’s a national effort, led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The New Albany Historic Preservation Commission and local preservation partners have been organizers of many events in the past few years.

*Walking Tours
*Workshops for Window Repair, Painting, Masonry Repair, Researching Historic Homes, etc.
*Public Forums for discussing issues in our historic neighborhoods
*Nationally recognized speakers discussing preservation related topics

Planning for these events is a year round job and it really heats up in November. Now is your chance to provide input and suggestions.

Are there topics you’d like addressed? Issues in our historic neighborhoods you’d like to discuss in a public forum? A particular workshop you’d like repeated or a new one to add?

Post your comment here or email me directly at the address listed in my profile.

Does this house look familiar to you?

2007-10-10T18:01:00.000-04:00

A friend sent this to me about a year ago wondering if I knew the location of this home. The photograph was purchased in an Antique shop near New Albany.

It sure looks like it could be New Albany to me. But I've not been able to locate it. Email me or post a comment if you can identify.

Installment 14: Long hot Summer and long hot Fall

2007-10-08T19:25:00.000-04:00

This has been quite a gap in postings. When I last reported in, I talked about how fun painting can be. After painting five days in a row, it wasn’t so much fun anymore.

I’m a really slow painter and freely admit to driving myself a little bonkers. But I’m usually pleased with the result. The front of the home (porch, columns, foundation, entire façade) is done. If all goes well it will be 10 to 12 years before it needs painting again. The exception is the concrete porch floor – which will probably get a touch up every couple years.

At the end of a long hot summer I can reflect about significant events and plan for the future. Roof and box gutters are done. The verdict is still out on their ability to repel water since it only rains once every five weeks now. It’s going to take some hard rain for me to gain confidence.

Roughly one third of the house remains untouched – in the original condition it was in when the vinyl came off two years ago. The entire south side of the home needs some final prep work and then the finish coat of paint. Just about all the windows require some TLC. So there’s still plenty of work to do.

I’ll also admit to feeling a just a tiny bit of listlessness and even occasional annoyance as the summer has ended. The listlessness is the result of being tired. The annoyance is the result of my poor organizational skills. For example – over the span of two years I’ve purchased four tape measurers. Every time I need one it seems the tape measurer black hole has swallowed it up.

The need for one usually results in the search, which can range from five minutes to thirty minutes if I’m feeling really stubborn. It usually starts in the garage, where any sensible person would store their tools. I check in boxes, on shelves, under the lawnmower, etc.

Can’t find it in the garage? Did I take it inside the house for some reason? The search turns to kitchen drawers, the basement, the attic, etc.

Sometimes the search is successful. On four occurrences the search has failed and I’ve made the short trip to ACE and/or Home Depot and just bought another one.

There’s a reason for this painful routine. It’s all in how my work day normally ends. I get tired and all I want to do is take a shower and drink a beer. Whatever I’m doing at that particular moment ends. All the stuff I’ve taken out of the garage during the day gets taken back in as few trips as possible. It gets dumped in the first empty spot I can find.

It’s a problem and I am working on it.

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

2007-09-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

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

2007-09-08T21:25:00.000-04:00

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.

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

Dedication of The Floyd County Historical Society Padgett Museum

2007-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

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

2007-08-30T22:21:00.000-04:00

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.

****************
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

2007-08-17T21:20:00.000-04:00

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

2007-08-11T19:46:00.001-04:00

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

2007-08-02T21:38:00.000-04:00

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

2007-07-29T18:34:00.000-04:00

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: