Rescue & Preservation Archives - Page 3 of 5

MLK’s Birthplace = Great Victorian!

January 19, 2009 RH

On January 15th, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr was born at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, GA. His grandfather purchased the 1894 Queen Anne Victorian for $3500 in 1909.

By 1941, the King family moved out of the home and it was converted into a two family dwelling. They kept the house in the family and rented it out. Dr. King’s brother, also a reverend, lived on the second floor with his family into the early 60’s.

The home was restored in the 70’s and is now maintained by the National Park Service. Period furniture was brought in to replicate how the family lived during the 1930’s. Tours are limited so the home can be preserved for future generations.

Photos are not allowed in the home, which is probably why I couldn’t find any interior shots online.

Official Site

Tour the neighborhood

Wiki

All Hail Eddie: Brooklyn’s Salvage King!

September 12, 2008 RH 13 Comments

**Archive. Originally posted October 2, 2007.

His prices are insane!

Stripping Paint

Eddie Hibbert is famous in Brooklyn. At least amongst those of us struggling to restore our 100 year old homes. Located on Greene and Grande in Clinton Hill, Eddie doesn’t have a website. He doesn’t answer his phone. He opens at noon and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. And yet…he can’t handle all the business he gets.

An ex firefighter and member of the Vulcan Society, Eddie found his way into the salvage business some 30 years ago while living in Harlem. A guy who was salvaging brownstone details told him that the artisans who built these fine homes wouldn’t be around forever and the value was bound to go up. Eddie listened. He studied up on antiques and volunteered to help “mentors”. He started out by selling to the antique shops on Atlantic Avenue. His 2 original stores were on Myrtle Avenue.

Apart from the usual Brownstoner crowd, Eddie’s customers range from Williamsburg artists to folks looking for unique headboards such as doors or mantles. He gives work to guys who need it, but has to be careful about whom he takes with him into people’s homes. A long time customer who was there the day I was interviewing Eddie chimed in “He’s too kind hearted for his own good!” Eddie just says “I’m a simple guy.”

What you’ll find: Everything. Dig for it or ask. Doors, Mantles, Fireplace Inserts, Shutters, Newell Posts, Fretwork, Stained Glass…..if it came out of a brownstone, it’s here.

What LEEDS Really Stands For

June 3, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Donald Rypkema, the President of Place Economics says that LEEDS stands for “Lunatic Environmentalists Enthusiastically Demolishing”. He’s an advocate for restoring historic buildings rather than tearing them down to build new “green” construction. And that’s cool with me! According to Rypkema, renovation uses twice as much labor and half as much material as new construction. No surprise there.

Victorian Speaking Tube: Deja Vu

May 13, 2008 RH 53 Comments

The following is a post from April which I’m bumping up to the front page. Previously, I had just cut and pasted a reader’s question. Now that there are answers (see comments), I must get the word out. Apparently, there are some lost souls wandering the earth in search of Victorian speaking tube parts. They won’t rest until they get their hands on them.

A reader sent the following email. I haven’t got a clue. Anyone?

“My wife and I have a Victorian house that was built in 1895 and for the past two years we’ve been in the process of rehabbing it. During the course of demo in the kitchen we found the remnants of the old speaking tube system that ran from the kitchen up to the 2nd floor hall. The tubes were intact but the mouthpiece openings had been patched over and the mouthpieces were nowhere to be found.

I have looked far and wide trying to locate some replacement mouthpieces and have come up empty-handed. We were wondering if you know of any companies and/or salvage yards that might possess parts for our system? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve included a pic of what I believe was originally installed in my house. The mouth piece has no electric parts. It operates by means of using the thumb to rotate the lever (in order to move the disc out of the way) and then blowing into the tube. The other end also has a disc that acts as a whistle to alert the person on the other end that someone wishes to speak on the “intercom”. I think that the mouthpieces were made out of nickel-plated brass and/or porcelain.”

New on the Forum!

May 6, 2008 RH

Gorgeous Eastlake Parlor Set for $1100. Located in Ulster County. It’s been reupholstered. Seems like a good deal to me. That Eastlake stuff is pricey! I should know….I love it and but can’t afford it. Possible delivery available.

Anthony: 845-591-4974

Howard Hall Farm has their class schedule all worked out for the season. Among “must knows” for any period homeowner….paint stripping and reading your period home. Full schedule at Howard Hall Farm.

Located in Athens, NY. Make a weekend out of it!

The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

April 2, 2008 RH 9 Comments

My family did the Catskills well into the 80’s. During the 70’s, they left me at a bungalow colony with my grandmother summer weekdays while all my Goyishe friends were at camp. We had family reunions at the big hotels until that whole generation moved down to Florida.The first year of my marriage (1988), the in-laws were invited to one of these reunions. They’re probably still haunted by the memory of it. Proper Dubliners integrating with a bunch of loud mouth New York Jews for the entire weekend. It wasn’t pretty. My immediate family alone is enough to scare anyone off, but the cousins make us look GOOD!

20 years later, we’re still married and you know what? At least my family realizes they’re nuts. I’d rather wear it on my sleeve than sweep it under a rug.

Anyway, The Borscht Belt….yeah, I’m getting to that! I was all set to do a post on the abandoned hotels, but now it looks as if some of them are reopening.Continue reading The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

UK Kicks Buttocks in the Salvage Dept.

April 2, 2008 RH

Feeding my toilet fetish.

I’m so tired of doing a salvage search and coming up with UK sites. We need to get our acts together on this continent. What does England have that we don’t have? An interest in preserving historic detail, that’s what!

I’m only speaking of Britain. I visit Ireland often and it’s a damn shame what’s happening there. McMansions scattered around the countryside. Yuck! On a recent visit, I schlepped the hubby all over Dublin looking for salvage shops I had researched online before the visit. Every one of them was gone. Guess I should have called beforehand. D’uh!

Anyway, check out some of these British resources if you want to get depressed that we’re stuck here in Toll Brothers Country. I know we have some great salvage places across the states, but our homes just aren’t as old as they are there.

Period Living magazine is just chock full of ideas and resources.

Salvo Web. I did a post on them before, because they do have a smattering of US listings.

Salvo Fair 2008 takes place in June.

Cox’s Architectural Salvage

Monger’s

DIY: Polishing Brass

April 1, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Before

After

Oh, you’re probably thinking “That’s easy. Why would I need brass cleaning tips?” Well, let me tell you, Sweetie, it’s not as easy as you think. I’ve been working on some tarnished antique light fixtures and I found out that it’s not a 5 minute job.

I think I’ve got a good system now, but I learned by trial and error.

Two things to consider before you even start:

1. Is it really brass? A magnet will NOT stick to brass. If it’s only brass plated, tread lightly.

2. Does it have a coat of lacquer on it? If so, you’ll have to remove that before polishing. Soak the piece in warm, soapy water first to determine whether or not it’s sealed. If the tarnish doesn’t wipe away, it’s coated. You can try to soak it in hot water or boil it if it’s small enough, but you may need lacquer thinner to remove it.

Ok, so now you’re ready to begin. This is for completely tarnished pieces. If it’s just alittle dull, by all means, skip the first few steps and just polish it.

Soak the item in warm soapy water for about a half hour. Gently “scrub” away the black with the rough end of a sponge or 000/0000 steel wool. I said gently!

You’ll need gallons and gallons of vinegar if you have large pieces. I used the slop sink for my fixtures. Make a solution of 3/1 vinegar/water. Add some salt. Maybe a pinch of lemon. And even some dish soap. I throw it all in there because, hey, ya never know. But it’s really the vinegar that does the trick. Soak for oh, another half hour. Again, gently “scrub”. Alternatively, you can add flour and make a paste.

After this step, your piece is probably bright pink. Not what you had in mind? Don’t freak out. Now clean with Brasso, Never Dull or Wright’s Brass Polish. That will get the pink out. Now the problem is getting rid of that nasty polish. Soak yet again in soapy water or wipe away with boiled linseed oil.

Brass tarnishes when exposed to air, so it should be re-coated when you’re finished.

Some other tips people swear by:

Ketchup. Yes, it works! But that ketchup smell will linger forever!!

Apply a verrry thick coat of Brasso so it doesn’t dry out. Leave on for 30 minutes.

Sulfuric and Hydrochloric acid. Never tried it, it seems pretty harsh.

Kool Aid. I have no idea why.

Planet Reuse

March 3, 2008 RH

Newly launched Planet Reuse is a global community that connects buyers and sellers of reused and reclaimed construction materials and equipment and allows them to purchase products online.

Anyone can use the site but hopefully it’s the contractors and demolition services who will take advantage of this as they are the ones taking materials out of the buildings. It’s shocking how many perfectly good fixtures go into NYC dumpsters.

You can sign up to create listings or just browse and shop. Check back with them frequently as the site is brand spanking new and will need some time to catch on.

via Materialicious

DIY: More Wood Stripping Tips

February 20, 2008 RH

This is a follow up to last week’s wood stripping post. One reader is having a hard time with the SPR and asked for some tips. As I responded in the comments, it’s not perfect, but it is, IMHO, the fastest thing out there.

The reader commented that their SPR only heats up the middle section. I thought it may be possible that this is a faulty unit or the power source isn’t strong enough. The SPR should be used on a 20 amp circuit with a heavy duty extension cord. Anything less may cause the tool to work inefficiently or trip your circuit breaker.Continue reading DIY: More Wood Stripping Tips

Stan The Junk Man

February 14, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Zaborski Emporium in Kingston is the megastore of salvage. 25,000 square feet of old house parts. You could get lost in that place! No seriously, I get lost in there.

Although Stan has been in the salvage business since 1976, the building on Hoffman Street was completely empty when he purchased it 10 years ago. He managed to fill it up quite nicely in that time. He used to know every piece of inventory, but jokes that he can’t remember now because of his drinking. Yeah, you’d have to be friggen Rain Man to know every artifact in that place!

Stan’s father, Stan, a Brooklyn native, owned a bakery until the early 60’s when supermarkets started to sell baked goods. His business began to suffer. To add insult to injury, the bakery was next door to an auction house. At the end of the day, Stan Sr. would be walking out with $48 compared to the auctioneer’s $15k.

The salvage business actually started with toys. Little Stanley Jr. (That’s present day Stan. Are you still with me?) would bring home toy trains and small objects that they would display for sale at the bakery. Eventually, the toys sold better than the pastries and so a new family business was born.

These days Stan has to be more selective with what he takes in, because apparently, that 25,000 square feet of space is not enough. They get their pieces from other dealers, house clean-outs and people phoning in. Customers include renovators from NYC, CT and MA. They do a decent business with the movie industry. They will only sell outright, no prop rentals. Zaborski furnishings and fixtures have been featured in films such as “American Gangster”, “The Manchurian Candidate”, “Charlotte’s Web” and “Revolutionary Road”.

When I asked if he has seen more business since the whole green building movement took off, he informed me that building salvage was the original green. I agree.

Business had slowed down for Stan during the holiday season this year. But they’re having a good February even with the tanking economy and housing market.

Zaborski Emporium is a family run business. If you’ve ever been, that’s wife Sandy sitting behind the desk in the warm office. And sons Steve and Devlin, who work there, will take over the business when Stan has had enough.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering….that’s brother Gary at the Stan’z on Ulster Avenue.

If you’re planning a visit, call first and dress warm!

Victorian Mansion Now a B&B

February 7, 2008 RH 2 Comments

The first time we looked at our turreted Queen Anne Victorian in Beacon we asked “Where are they moving TO?”. I mean, this was our dream home. What could be better than this?

And then we saw it. The sellers moved to a mansion across the river in Newburgh. After visiting them we returned to our dream house, which seemed so….so….rinky dink.

When Karen and Jose first purchased the 1860 Andrew Jackson Downing home it was in bad disrepair. The previous owners had been drug addicts and trashed the place looking for hidden treasure in the walls. They had ripped out mantles, light fixtures and other detail to sell. There was water damage from a leaky roof which had been ignored for years. You get the picture.

The home is still a work in progress, but Karen’s goal is to get it going as a B&B. She started taking in guests and is now working on finishing the “Pickerel Rush” website, which has been under construction along with the house. I was asked to go over and photograph the home for the site last week.

This is a big house for just two people (and 4 dogs and tenants and B&B guests). Karen and Jose both drive gas guzzlers. I don’t even think they recycle. But here’s what makes this a green renovation even if it was not their intention: They are in the salvage business. People PAY THEM to haul materials away, which they use in the restoration of Pickerel Rush.

I’ll be focusing on some of the details Karen has restored in the upcoming weeks.

But for now: Enjoy the house porn.

Save the Arizona Eliphante!

February 6, 2008 RH

Artist Michael Kahn passed on the 2007 Winter Solstice. His wife Leda still resides at the residence they built with their own hands near Sedona, AZ. But the non profit arts organization, Eliphante, is in need of repairs.

The 3 acre property was donated to the struggling artist couple in 1979. The series of buildings is a work in progress, not unlike Wings Castle or Broken Angel. It took 5 years to make the home habitable, during which time the couple lived in a small shack with no plumbing or electric. They did have a wood burning stove and Leda refers to the shack as “Winter Palace”, the best home she has ever lived in.

Building materials included found objects such as driftwood, glass and broken pottery. Eliphante is listed on the Smithsonian’s “Save Outdoor Sculpture” list and welcomes visitors on a limited basis.

Redwood Counter

Solar Bath House

Via NY Times

Howard Hall’s Shop Green Fundraiser

February 6, 2008 RH

I received an email from my buddies at Howard Hall Farm stating that they have joined forces with Let’s Go Green for a fund raising extravaganza. Let’s Go Green will donate 25% of every online purchase to the restoration project. Just don’t forget to specify Howard Hall at check out!

Howard Hall Farm is a 1780’s stone structure in Athens, NY which acts as a vehicle for educating people in historic preservation and green restoration techniques.

Let’s Go Green sells everything from cleaners to lightbulbs to water conservation products. All at pretty good prices!

Past Post on Howard Hall Farm

Research The History Of Your Home

January 16, 2008 RH 8 Comments

It’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to do but never got around to. I got goosebumps when we found old letters from the war in our Bed Stuy house. And I was equally excited when we found crack vials from the 80’s. It’s all part of the history!

If you’re not lucky enough to have found time capsules in your walls, there are some ways to figure out who was there before you.

Talk to the previous owners, tenants and neighbors. Local shopkeepers could be a good source if they’ve been there awhile. The guy at my local hardware store knows everyone and everything.

Public records include deeds, taxes and building permits. You’ll probably need to go to the County Clerk’s office and hit the library and historical society as well. Property Shark and ACRIS will get you started, but you won’t get very far.

The links below go into much more detail than I ever could. If all else fails, you can always hire a house genealogist.

Photo: Wally Gobetz

Wiki How
Hunt Down Your Home’s History: CNN
Old House History
House Genealogy
Cyndi’s List

reclaimedhome.com

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