The Imperial Block

Sunday, July 22, 2007

West Park Duplex Facade Project

Beginning demolition

Rocky helping out

Using Mill to cut copper plate into shapes for lamp

West Park Street Duplex Facade Before & After Photos

Before Front

Almost after, still need to add the Custom Copper stained glass light fixtures & find a matching front door.

Before Kitchen & Dining space

After

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Wrought Iron gates

Wrought iron security Robert Edwards and Max Detjens secure a wrought iron gate in the 400 block of West Granite Street. They belong to the all-volunteer Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization, which stepped into action after a rash of wrought iron gate thefts earlier this year. For details on the protect-a-gate program, visit www.buttecpr.org.

http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2007/05/09/opinion_top/20070509_opinion_top.txt

This past week has also brought some positive developments at the local level — most notably Butte-Silver Bow’s newfound common-sense approach to the Corette Memorial Pool and Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization’s proactive response to recent thefts of historic wrought-iron gates.

As for the antique gates, leave it to the creative members of Butte CPR to devise a plan to help stop these insidious thefts. The community owes them a big thank-you, and probably the best way to say thanks is for Uptown homeowners to accept nonprofit’s offer of chains and bolts to make these gates harder to steal.Many of these ornate gates and fences were installed on the Butte Hill more than a century ago, and you’d think people would have the decency to leave them alone where they belong.Since that doesn’t seem to be the case, anyone with a historic gate should at least make it as difficult as possible to remove. For help, call the good folks at CPR at 723-2174.

http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2007/05/06/butte/hjjcjejdjjfjha.txt

Gate savers: Historical preservationists offer chains, welding to prevent theft in Butte
By John Grant Emeigh of The Montana Standard - 05/06/2007
A historical preservation group wants to make stealing antique gates a thing of the past.After a rash of thefts of wrought iron gates, the Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization decided to help property owners protect their valuable gates.The group will give away free chains or will weld a bolt to the hinge to prevent the gate from being removed.Mitzi Rossillon, a Butte CPR board member, said the service will be provided on a “first come, first serve basis.” Last month, Butte-Silver Bow police received four separate theft reports of antique, wrought iron gates. Sheriff John Walsh said gates and fences are among antique thieves’ favorite targets.Rossillon wants to help people save their property because of the historical significance of these gates.“We want to enhance and preserve the historic heritage of Uptown Butte and wrought iron fences are part of that heritage,” she said.

Many of these fences on the Butte Hill were placed there more than a century ago.Preservationist Jim Warner said he and CPR member Robert Edwards will gladly do their part to save these historical gates.“We just can’t stand to see all this thievery,” he said.For details, call Butte CPR at 723-2174.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Third floor attic, into a master bedroom

Insulated, wired for phone, cable TV.

Flush mount can lights with copper trim bezels.

Then sheet rocked, Fir floor was sanded & finnished in dark mohogany stain. Trimmed out & painted.

Living room on 2nd floor, large picture window with a great view of Highlands, Arts Chateu, & Motherload Theater.

Stripping paint from metal parts

1950's Forced air grills, with a basecoat-powder coat, glossy oil based layer, & a top coat of semi gloss latex.

I use a propane fired turkey fryer pot, the aluminum eventually degrades from this process, also the pot will never be the same so don't plan on cooking in it afterwards.

Water laced with baking soda & old paint goo, will foam up & spew out of the pot, place your pot somewhere where this foul evecuation wont make mess. Top up water as needed. time elapse 2-3 hours.

Scuff up parts, & repeat with fresh water & baking soda until part is clean.

Atop the Dumas Brothel

Friday, February 23, 2007

Big news day for the Mai Wah

Check out the side show on yahoo news about the Chinese new year parade.

http://news.yahoo.com/page/chinese_new_year;_ylt=AhZ3jyitB0v0BaE4PA_F41.s0NUE

Also a MT Standard article about the Mai Wah

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2007/02/23/butte/hjjcjhhgjjejgj.txt

Archaeological dig among Mai Wah museum plans
By Leslie McCartney, The Montana Standard - 02/23/2007

The Mai Wah society building is shown here at 17 W. Mercury St. Standard File Photo. The Mai Wah Society has big plans for the coming year, including upgrading its museum’s infrastructure and conducting an archaeological dig on an adjacent vacant lot.The society has applied for a cultural trust grant for $17,500 which is working its way through the Legislature. The match requires $3 for every $1 of the grant so the society must raise $52,000 to secure the money.“We are working toward making some major improvements,” said Jim Griffin, president of the all-volunteer organization.The money will be used to bring much-needed water and sewer service to the historic building at 17 W. Mercury St., as well as brickwork, facade repair and window replacement.Griffith said one of the best things about the Mai Wah museum is that it is historically intact because there have been no significant upgrades and remodels in past decades.But it also means that the most basic infrastructure needs, except for a new roof put on 15 years ago, were ignored.
“It’s just amazing to go in and see nothing has changed,” he said.If the grant is given and the money raised, the group is hoping to start improvements this year.Another project is a collaboration with the county and the Urban Revitalization Agency.The groups hope to excavate a vacant lot across from the Mai Wah as part of a summer archaeological dig to obtain Chinese artifacts.With a renewed interest in vacant Uptown land, the county wants to sell the property.But first, the Mai Wah would like to search for artifacts since the site was home to Chinese homes and businesses. The Mai Wah’s will handle the educational component of the dig and be the keeper of any artifacts found there.“We have a lot going on,” Griffin said.

Monday, February 05, 2007

New Toy

Millermatic 210 MIG welder (worth every penny)

Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization help to save the Dumas Brothel

(Photo from front page of the MT Standard of me standing in a brothel, I'm sure my mother is proud.)

CPR members Dick Gibson, left, and Robert Edwards tour the historic Dumas brothel on East Mercury Street in Uptown Butte Thursday morning. The Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization have been making repairs to the roof to stop water damage in the 117-year-old building. Walter Hinick photos / The Montana Standard .

link to article
http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2007/02/02/butte/hjjcjhjhjiibjd.txt

The Dumas revisited
By Justin Post, of The Montana Standard - 02/02/2007

A Butte landmark built for sex recently had some tender loving care of its own.

A team of volunteers from the Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization recently converged on the 117-year-old Dumas Brothel to make temporary repairs on its roof.

Armed with blow torches and 45 gallons of roof patch, the group sealed cracks where water was entering the historic bordello and destroying its interior.

“It’s a job getting up there,” joked Robert Edwards of CPR during a Thursday tour of the brothel, 45 E. Mercury St. “It’s one of the scariest things I have done.” The brothel closed in 1982 and was turned into a museum to preserve the bawdy history of the city’s busy red light district.

Rudy Giecek owned the building for 15 years before closing it in the spring of 2005 because of safety concerns. He said he also suffered two strokes and could no longer conduct routine maintenance.

“It just broke my heart that I couldn’t keep it going,” he said.

Edwards toured the building at the time and noticed water seeping through the roof. He returned the next year to find the building rapidly deteriorating.

“The water was really bad,” he said. “You could see where it was tearing out all the plaster on the inside. Water was just gushing into it.” CPR agreed to earmark about $500 from its grant program, and seven volunteers participated in the repairs, Edwards said.

This spring or summer, the group plans to complete additional roof repairs to protect the building until Giecek or a new owner can begin restoration.

“I think it’s an amazing piece of history,” Edwards said. “I think it’s one of the more important buildings in Uptown Butte.” The building nearly fell into the county’s hands after Giecek said he fell behind on his property taxes. A majority of the bill was recently paid, however, and Giecek said he wants to restore the Dumas.

Giecek, who purchased the building 17 years ago, said he is seeking investors to assist in the project.

“We’re going to fix it up,” he said.

The project may also qualify for grant money through the county’s urban revitalization program after the remaining taxes, $768, are paid, said Karen Byrnes, director of community development.

The renovation will be an effort of major undertaking, but Giecek said the building is an integral part of Butte.

“It’s too important of a piece of history to lose,” he said. “It can be fixed.” — Reporter Justin Post may be reached via e-mail at justin.post@lee.net or by telephone, 496-5572

link to Butte CPR website detailing our work.
http://www.buttecpr.org/threat.htm