Decision Time

Things are really starting to move again.  With the last of inspections passed, the crew has begun drywalling.  It's exciting to see walls go up and to start bringing over paint samples.  It's also time to start making real choices about which of our "daydream" time plans actually get done in this phase, which have to be put off until "phase two" (or three...or forteen) and what turns out to just not be realistic enough to do (the "phase three" plan of rebuilding the tower that burned down about thirty years ago remains in tact!)  Mago's determined to have us in move in by the end of October and at the pace he's been working - he certainly deserves it!  Case in point:  at the time of this writing it is 10 p.m., he just finished teaching classes at the studio and called to let me know he's headed over to the "church house" to put in an hour of work before bed.

The kitchen cabinets were delivered today and it took quite a bit of restraint for me to not open all the boxes to look at them!  We're going to have to put the hurry on getting the kitchen mudded, textured and painted so we can install the cabinets and get the giant pile of boxes now in the sanctuary out of the way so they can finish the ceiling.

There was also a quick kitchen table meeting at home this afternoon to sketch out the design for the staircase.  Back in June, Mago and I stumbled on a retailer in Boulder who was selling salvage from 100-200 year old Thai temples.  The weathered, handcarved wood was so beautiful we couldn't resist buying several pieces even though we were uncertain at the time exactly what we'd do with them. We're planning on using the wood in the stair rail.

Dirty Work

I should have been posting more often...but it was hard because every time I went over to the church - it looked the same. Funny how much work plumbing and wiring is without much apparent change to the property. The last big change was when Mago and Tripp took down the old ceiling to reveal a beautiful pattern of old beams - and created about three feet deep of debris throughout the building. It still amazes me that we ever got all the old lath and plaster and ceiling tiles all packed out. It looked like a bomb had gone off in the sanctuary. Check out the photo of Mago coming home after a day of clean up (clean up took a whole week and another 30 cubic yard trash bin.)

The new windows arrived and were installed throughout the main floor. It's still on the long term plan for me to take a stained glass class and do stained glass in the transoms and in the two new windows we're adding to the back of the sanctuary.

And the best news is that Mago passed the plumbing inspection. Just electrical, hvac, and framing to go and the we can start finish work.

Stairway to...heaven!

Lots of "underground" work this week. Two new furnances installed, plumbing drain/vent system begun, and another round of visits to the Pikes Peak Regional Building department to have our plans reviewed. The most exciting progress was to see the framing for the loft finished and the stairway go in. We were pleased to end up with over 8' of headroom in the loft (which is to be the future home of comfy couches and big TV - it will also serve as balcony seating for the stage...I've even found a theater spotlight online that I plan to keep up there.) Framing around the entry to the kitchen, the family bathroom, and the half bath under the staircase was also finished. HVAC should finish up this week. We hope to have all our permits pulled (cross fingers here) and Mago's goal is to complete electrical this week.

A good time to explain some of the vision: The building is almost 6000 sq. ft. divided between a main floor and basement. The main floor was originally the sanctuary with a raised stage for the pulpit. With the pews removed, the sanctuary is divided to become great room and master suite with a loft above. 25 ft ceilings and the stage will stay in the great room. The former nursery becomes the kitchen, two classrooms behind beautiful wood accordion doors become two additional bedrooms. We also add a family bathroom and half bath beneath the loft stairs and laundry room in the basement. The first round of renovations cover the upstairs interior only. The exterior and basement are on somewhere in the long view.

Oh...and the pews have been sold.

Furnace and Framing

With demo mostly complete, the removal and installation of the new furnace and water heater as well as the framing began last week. Removing the old furnace was no small task. The steel beast was the size of a small car and had originally been lowered into the building with a crane. It took Mago and our good friend Kevin three days weilding a demo saw to cut the thing into pieces and send it off to the scrap yard.

It was even more exciting to see the framing for the master bedroom, closet, and bathroom go up. The floor for the loft was also installed.

Going Green

It's the hip thing to do nowadays, right? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I learned just a couple of weeks ago that those three "r"s are in order of importance. So Mago and I submit in the "reuse" category: The Church!

Last Monday we closed on a 1894 church in Old Colorado City. The next six months will be dedicated to turning this historic property into the worlds coolest house.


Anyone need 20 Wooden Pews?