This week’s photos were gathered on a sunny Saturday and a rather bleak Sunday.
204 N. Bayview
This week’s snooping included peeking into a small outbuilding at the back of the house. What I saw generated a lot of wild speculation. Plantation homes usually had the kitchen in a separate building to reduce the risk to the main house from kitchen fires, but one wouldn’t expect to see a detached kitchen in this day and age. Still, these appliances and cabinets (including a sink to the left of the door through which this photo was shot) appeared to be solidly fixed in place.
The view through a window, however, reinforces the more rational assumption that these fixtures are merely being temporarily stored here.
308 N. Bayview
I’d been curious about the projecting roof struts (seen untrimmed at the far left in the photo below) and wondered if something like a rain porch was planned. As can be seen in this photo, sure enough, the eaves are being extended.
This photo shows that the veranda has been roofed, and the window at the far right shows the style of framing that will be used.
While I was taking photos in the back of the house, the owners came in through the front, and we chatted briefly. They told me that they had hoped to preserve more of the original structure, but, as construction progressed, more and more portions were discovered that had to be replaced in order to bring the structure up to code. In the dismantling process, however, many treasures had been discovered, including the parquet flooring and beadboard ceiling in the entrance hall, as well as some of the four layers of wallpaper used there. Although new doors are being made for the front and back of this hall, they will emulate the look of the original doors, and some of the original doors have been salvaged for interior use.
351 N. Summit
A closer inspection makes it obvious that this concrete block wall cannot be a foundation—not so close to the property line. I ran into a neighbor while walking Saturday, and he shared my assumption that this will be a retaining wall. The lot slopes down from the front to the back, and it appears to be the developer’s intent to level the grade before building.
112 N. Summit
The activity this week again focused on utilities, with a backhoe in the front yard and City trucks blocking the street. From the red plastic tubing, I’m guessing that this has to do with burying the electric and other cables as part of the City’s continuing effort to move to underground service for all utilities.
111 Magnolia Avenue
Inside, this week’s progress was in electrical wiring, and the opening for a door into a small attic area has been reduced to a more reasonable size.
Outside, the area where the garage used to be has been graded and laid out for a new garage.
WalkThoughts 