The Many, Many Small Repairs

This is just an example of the many repairs that I don’t usually mention on this blog. Below is a picture of the stairs that connect the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor. Once the stairs are painted, most people won’t realize the extra work that had to be done to the staircase. It’s this level of repair that will make this home a seamless combination of historic and new high-quality materials.

Fresh Paint, New Walls, New Steps, and an Added Window

While I haven’t posted in the last couple weeks about 512 Cherokee, that doesn’t mean the work’s stopped! I think the pictures speak loud enough, so I’ll keep quiet for now.

Before (Windowless) and After

Before:

After:

Before and After:

Before and After:

Historic Porch Railing

When the houses on Cherokee Street were originally built, the railings were all designed to be similar. Of course, not all of these original railings still exist—like many older neighborhoods you can find a variety of railing styles on the street. Our home on 512 Cherokee had lost its original railing and was in a state of disrepair. This provided an opportunity. 512 Cherokee is now getting a new, durable railing that mirrors one of the original designs. In designing this railing, the carpenter went to a neighbor with the original railing to get the measurements. This seemingly small change has made a big impact on the appearance of the home. I can’t wait to see it once it’s painted!

The house that provided the measurements.

Looking Good!

After weeks of work, this home is starting to come together. The walls have been insulated, the drywall’s been installed, the windows are in, and about half of the exterior paint is finished. This home is nearing completion!

First, the insulation…

Drywall…

View of the home from the backyard, during construction…

After…

Windows in place, new gutters installed, and painting begun!

The Disappearing Door

Mysteriously, this house on Cherokee Street had a 3rd-floor door on the back of the house. It had been boarded-up and painted on the outside.

On the inside, paneling covered it up entirely.

Ashwood Enterprises—the general contractor on this house—is removing the door and installing a window. As with every other wall in the house, insulation (R-19) is being installed in the process. You can also note the new wiring and electric outlets.

New Columns on the Back Porch

The porch isn’t quite finished, but the new columns make a big difference…

Finding The Floor

There was a small addition on the back of 512 Cherokee Street. While the rest of the house was built of brick, the addition was constructed with wood. You had to step up into the room from the kitchen and it was almost a foot higher than the rest of the 1st floor. The contractor found extensive rot when he opened up this room. He had to dig his way down to the floor! The flooring had to be discarded all the way down to the concrete slab, which was level with the kitchen floor.



Needless to say, this addition is being extensively rebuilt. It’s being converted into a pantry and half bath. The doorway is being opened up and a larger window is being installed. It’s really a joy getting to watch this room come together. It’s the sort of improvement that really needs to happen in many of these older homes. Too often landlords simply add another layer of flooring and a fresh coat of paint.

Repointing Brick

Over the years the mortar had worn away from the brick on the side of the house. Like the stone wall, this was a project that needed to be done in the past, but the building had been left to deteriorate. The brick is finally receiving some long overdue repair.

Before:




Freshly Repointed:

Rebuilding the Stone Wall

Built up on a hill, this beautiful, historic home is fronted by an impressive stone wall. Unfortunately, the water that drained from the roof had, over many years, pushed against the stones, breaking the mortar. When LVCLT purchased the property, the stone wall was bulging into the neighbor’s property. Below are some pictures of the stone mason's work. The wall had to be taken apart and put back together. While rebuilding the wall, the stonemason corrected the source of the problem by adding an outlet for the roof's rainwater.

Before:

During:




After:

Our First Home

This home, located in South Bethlehem, will be the first home that LVCLT renovates. It's located between St. Luke's Hospital and Wyanodotte Street. Check back in late September to watch this home as it blooms into a beauty!