Building a Basement

The big hole started to transform into a basement in mid-July. Once the team started setting up forms, the footprint of the basement was visible.

Setting Forms

Getting Ready to Pour Walls

Space is tight and there is no room for concrete trucks on the lot.  Check out the big contraption used to pour the concrete into the forms.  That is one long arm!

Window Wells on East Side

West Wall and Garage on the North

With the forms removed, it looked more like a basement.  While we are not specifically in a floodplain, the city's location at the mouth of Boulder Canyon makes it vulnerable to floods.  Knowing how rapid snow melt and rainstorms can raise the water table in the area, we upgraded the waterproofing material to Tuff-N-Dry.  Rob suggested a system of French drains under our basement with two sump pumps and a battery backup to insure that we would be able to withstand an elevated water table. 

Waterproofing Exterior Walls

French Drain System

Once the French Drain system is in place, it is covered with a layer of gravel and fill dirt.  A moisture barrier is placed over the top layer of dirt before the concrete floor is poured.

Moisture Barrier

They backfilled around the excavation and poured the floor.  Wallah!  We have a basement!

Our Basement

The Dig

The old garage was torn down to make way for the excavation of the basement. Jessica’s garage remains and its south wall will be restored. The party wall separating the garages was constructed of thin planks of wood and further insulated with newspaper. Sheet plastic was used to weatherproof the garage until it is rebuilt.

The Garage is Gone

Bits of flagstone foundation on the west wall of the old cellar were carefully removed to be reused.

Salvaging the Flagstone Foundation

To add support to the foundation of the existing structure, helical piers were installed. This is done with a powerful torque driver machine that sent vibrations through the neighborhood and left Sugar cowering in the house next door.

Driving in the Helical Piers

More Support for the House

Once the house was stable, digging began in earnest. The basement of the old house was small, just large enough to house the furnace and water heater. The new basement will be 515 square feet – the space available just under the new construction.

Footprint of the Old Cellar

Digging Begins

Even with the garage removed, space was limited for the equipment needed to excavate the basement. Sadly, we had to remove the old apple tree. It was a difficult decision to make, but its roots were being compromised by the excavation and its branches were taking a beating. We’ll plant a new one.

Too Much Equipment - Too Little Space

The Big Hole

What Lies Beneath

By the beginning of July, demolition was in full swing. All of the yellow pine floor boards were removed from the house exposing what was underneath. I had hoped to find some little treasure left there by the builder of the house – maybe an old bottle or two, an odd tool or a scrap of paper – but we were surprised to find it remarkably clean. What was interesting is the materials used to support the floor.

Removing the Pine Flooring Exposed What Lies Beneath

Tree Trunks and Piles of Brick

The structure needed to be supported and the north side of the house removed to begin work on the addition at the rear. It was a precarious job and just watching the demolition team at work made me nervous. When they were done taking down the back of the house, it looked like it was being held together with toothpicks. And of course, there was a storm on the horizon.

Stage 1 - Removing the Siding

Stage 2 - Removing the Roof and Wall

The distortion you see in the picture was created by shooting through the security fence. I wasn't about to get too close to the house. The demo guys told me that one good gust of wind would send the structure flying off like a kite. Pretty descriptive, don't you think?

This is the Old Back Porch

The Cellar

This dramatic shot shows what is left of the back porch. No one was hurt taking this shot (no broken legs) and the photographer was able to remove himself from harm's way before anything came crashing down.

Demolition

It's June and the Apple Tree is in Bloom

It's mid-June and after such a long wait, it was exciting to see activity at the house. The flagstone that was salvaged from the sidewalks when the city replaced it with concrete was removed and set aside to be reused in the new landscaping.

Salvaged Flagstone

Lead-based paint and asbestos is an issue in old houses so a team was brought in to safely remove all of the materials affected.  The carpeting and vinyl was stripped from the floors revealing old yellow pine flooring that will be reused on the exposed beam master bedroom ceiling. Lathe and plaster was pulled from the walls stripping the house to its bare bones.

Yellow Pine Floors

Cross Section of Materials Used in Old Construction

As layers were peeled away, various materials were exposed including vinyl on the walls, layers of wallpaper and paint, tar paper and old newspaper used as insulation, and the lathe and plaster.

Front Portion of House Stripped Down

The house feels like a clean slate now.  The old interior walls will be removed and new supports will be put in place.  At that point, we'll have a sense of how large the new living space will be.

Ready to Roll

Fence is Up - Signs in Place - Ready to Roll

We spent the balance of 2009 refining our plans for the remodel and addition and by the end of the year, we were ready to apply for our permits. While we were waiting for the city to issue our building permits, we began looking for a builder.

After talking to contractors and reviewing proposals, we selected Rob Luckett Builders. Rob has been in the construction business in Boulder for 30 years, starting as a framer and moving into general contracting. We liked that about Rob and were impressed with the complex remodel jobs he has undertaken. He builds a quality product. He is a problem solver. He keeps us informed through regular, detailed, written reports. He maintains a clean job site (love that) and offers ways to reduce costs (love that more).

Over the years, we have built three previous houses and remodeled one other. We’ve learned a few lessons, and boy, do I have stories to tell! Maybe one of these days I’ll dish on our Prescott remodel. With Rob running this project, I seriously doubt that I’ll have anything as colorful to report.

Stay tuned . . . . .

I ♥ ♥ ♥ Eric Smith and Associates

In 1988, Boulder’s Landmark Board surveyed the buildings in the Whittier neighborhood and identified properties of historical significance. 1937 Spruce Street was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. We knew the city’s interest in preserving the house would restrict what could be done with the property and we needed to find an architectural firm with experience remodeling historic properties and dealing with the various committees, boards, departments and councils that would have to approve our plans.

We felt fortunate to have found Eric Smith of Eric Smith and Associates. With offices located in an historic church that he remodeled to meet the needs of his practice, Eric had firsthand knowledge of the challenges we would face in remodeling and expanding an historic structure. We hired Eric and his team in early ’09 and began to design our home.

Historic Church Converted into Offices
by Eric Smith and Associates

The first challenge we faced was the size of our lot. Most of the lots in the Whittier neighborhood are 140’ deep x 50’ wide. Our lot had been divided in 1919 and its 95’ x 50’ dimension is considered “substandard” by the city. A corner lot, the city required a 25’ front yard setback, a 25’ rear yard setback, a 25’ east side yard setback, and a 5’ west side yard. Do the math – that left a building envelope of just 45’ x 20'! The existing building was bigger than that!

It was clear that we would need to be granted a variance from the Planning and Zoning Department to do anything to the property. ESA knew what needed to be done. They worked with us to develop a plan that would be acceptable to the Landmark Board’s Design Review Committee. Without the Landmarks Board approval, there would be no variance and we would not be able to move forward.

The Committee required us to preserve the entire existing roof as well as three sides of the original building and keep the scale of an addition appropriate to the size of the lot. With a limited building footprint, how could we possibly get three bedrooms, three baths and a single car garage into an area that did not compromise the original structure?

ESA worked tirelessly with the Landmark Design Review Committee and we were able to come up with a house plan that met our needs while adhering to the committee’s guidelines. The neighbors were introduced to the planned improvements and, with their overwhelming support, the issue was brought before the City Council in August, 2009. We got our variance and spent the rest of the year finalizing our building plans.

I must say that there were times during this stage of the project when we seriously questioned whether we wanted to continue. Going into this project, we had no clue what was involved in restoring an historic home. At times we thought, “Wouldn’t it just be better to sell the property and purchase something that was already finished?” ESA kept us on track and their positive energy throughout the design process and negotiations eased our doubts. We knew we had made the right choice to restore this house.

Winter 2009

The house had been sitting vacant for over a year while we were working with an architect to develop plans that would meet the requirements of the City of Boulder. These pictures were taken during the winter of 2009.  I'm sure that the neighbors were wondering what was going to happen to the house.

1937 Spruce Street

The Front Porch

We've kept the old metal chairs that have been sitting on the porch for decades.  The trellises added to the front and sides of the porch are not original to the house and will be removed.

The Living Room

Edna's organ sits illuminated by light from the living room window.  It has found a new home with a neighbor and is singing once again.

The Parlor

The parlor adjoins the living room and was used as a guest bedroom and office in the past.  We have salvaged the fretwork transom and plan to use it in another part of the house.

The Dining Room Window

The dining room window is a beautiful feature of the house.  It extends a bit beyond the wall and has a nice deep ledge.  While it looks like there is only a single window, there are actually two windows here letting in lots of light and a view of the beautiful neighboring property and Whittier School.  It will be nice to see the children walking to school in the mornings.

Ray's Handiwork

This is the pot-bellied stove and the flagstone surround that was added by Ray Calabrese.  The stove has been relocated to the yard of a neighbor and we are looking forward to gathering around it some chilly evening.  You build the fire, Ben, and I'll bring the Italian coffee!

Bedroom Door

This is the door to the bedroom and off to the right you can see the door to the the closet – the only one in the house.  The doors were in pretty bad condition so we decided not to reuse them; however, we did keep the transoms and hope to use them in some way. 

The Bathroom

The bathroom was barely wide enough to accommodate the toilet and the narrow claw foot tub.  Linoleum tiles were used to tile the bathroom walls as well as the walls in the kitchen.

The Claw Foot Tub

The old bathtub was unique.  It was very narrow compared to most tubs.  It was in relatively good condition and I thought with a thorough cleaning, I could use it in the remodel.  Unfortunately, (and to everyone else's  relief) it turned out to be too long!

The Other Side of the Bathroom

Opposite the bathtub was the little sink.  The door to the right goes into the bedroom and the door to the left goes into the kitchen.  There was actually less than a foot between the sink and the bedroom door casing so it was necessary to enter the bathroom at an angle.

The Kitchen

The kitchen had no built-in cabinetry and, as a result, no counter tops.  Can you imagine cooking in this kitchen? What a challenge!  The ceilings in the kitchen, as in the rest of the house, are quite high and you can see the old flu above where the original cook stove must have been. 

The Kitchen Sink

This Youngstown kitchen sink and over-counter mirrored cabinet is a real jewel.  With a little sanding and a fresh coat of paint, it will be fabulous in Kate's kitchen.  I'm voting for orange enamel!

The Back Door

Originally, I believe this door opened to a porch, that was enclosed sometime later. 

The Pantry

This is the pantry, complete with stove pipe piercing up through the floor and through the ceiling. 

So there you have it.  The entire house – all 965 square feet of it.  While much has happened in the house, very little has happened to the house.  All that is about to change.

Opening the Curtains

The house on Spruce Street had been in the Chinberg/Calabrese family for 63 years. The last 14 years following Edna’s death, Ray had been alone in the house. The house was dark with layers of curtains on the windows. Tacks were used to secure the sides of the curtains to the wall and clothespins were used to keep the draperies closed tight. No light was allowed in.

On the dressing table in the bedroom were all of Edna’s things – her brushes, her cosmetics, her perfumes, her dentures. Her clothes were in the closet and in the chest of drawers; her personal items were in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Nothing had been moved and was covered with a thick layer of dust.

The refrigerator was empty except for condiments and cans of soda; the freezer was full of TV dinners and individual ice cream cups. The stove sat unused and inaccessible with a table and chair pushed up against it. A microwave sat on a little cart next to the sink.

There was a potted hibiscus plant sitting on the window ledge of the dining room. A single stem rose nearly six feet from the pot and at its end, just four leaves remained. Beside it sat a pitcher of water.

Opening the curtains to let in the light exposed the condition of the house. The curtains were stiff and dusty with that fuzzy sort of greasy dirt that exists in urban areas. The roller shades were brittle and came crashing down. The furniture was worn and soiled, the carpets dirty and the linoleum worn through. Cobwebs darkened the corners of the ceiling and left patterns on the walls.

And there sat Edna’s organ, pristine and dust-free in the corner of the living room – a feather duster discretely hidden behind the music stand. Her sewing machine, in the adjoining room, had also been recently dusted.

The house was so quiet. It was like the music ended the day Edna died. It broke my heart to see how this wonderful man had spent the last years of his life. It was so painfully clear that Edna was the love of his life and the day he lost her was the day his life no longer had meaning.

That Friday

Jessica moved in next door to Ray in 2004. She would see Ray sitting at the red picnic table drinking coffee in the morning when the weather was nice. From time to time, he would use his weed whacker to trim back weeds and what little grass was left growing in the yard. He would pull his car out of the garage and drive off to the Safeway store on Mondays. When Ray put his trash out, Jessica would remember it was garbage collection day. For two years, that had been Ray’s routine.

They became friends in 2006 when the 90-year-old neighbor offered to help her move a piece of furniture from her car into her house. She would help shovel his walks when it snowed; he would loan her tools and offer advice on how to fix things. They had a monthly commitment to drive to Longmont and have lunch together at the Country Buffet. They exchanged phone numbers and when she called him, Ray admitted that hers was the first call he had received in months. He came to dinner and shared stories of his life with Edna and Shep and gave her a picture of himself as a young man. She left him food baskets when she knew he was going to be alone for the holidays. He invited her to his home and showed her Edna’s organ and her prized sewing machine.

They walked the two blocks to Pearl Street to watch the Bolder Boulder 10k race Memorial Day weekend in 2007 and again in 2008 carried their chairs to the perfect, shaded spot to watch the race. Ray didn’t want to stay very long, so they made their way home after about an hour.

That following Friday I received a frantic call from Jessica saying that she was worried about Ray since she hadn’t seen him since the race. His car had been sitting in the driveway for several days, not put in the garage as was his habit. There was a package on his front porch and when she knocked, Ray did not answer. A welfare check was arranged with the Boulder Police Department and they broke down the door. Ray was found dead on the floor in his bedroom.

Ray did not want a funeral; few of his family members were alive and he didn’t have close friends.  Nevertheless, Jessica felt that he deserved to be put to rest in a way befitting someone who had served his country and was her friend. She contacted the Department of the Navy to arrange a military service, selected Clergy and invited the neighbors to attend the funeral. It was a beautiful ceremony held graveside on a rainy day.

Ray was 92 years old.

Ray

Raymond Paul Calabrese

Raymond Paul Calabrese was born on May 24, 1916. When World War II broke out, he enlisted in the Navy, was assigned to a supply ship and sent to the European Theatre. Speaking about his time in the Atlantic, he told of his ship being torpedoed and sunk. When the war in the Atlantic was winding down, Ray was reassigned to the Pacific Theatre, again on a supply ship. Before Japan surrendered, he would once again be faced with long days and dark nights in shark-infested waters while he waited to be rescued.

Returning from war, Ray moved in with his mother in her home on the corner of 18th Street and Canyon. When his mother passed away in 1962, Ray continued to live there with his sister, her husband and children until he married Edna in 1965.

Ray cherished Edna. At 49 years old, he was late to marry and said that the best things in life are worth waiting for. He knew something of Edna’s previous marriage and talked about how her first husband never took her out. He had vowed to change that. He said Edna was a good woman and she deserved an easy life.

Ray and Edna Calabrese
on the Front Porch

Ray and Edna worked hard to improve the property. When Boulder replaced the flagstone sidewalks with concrete, Ray salvaged the flagstone and built a backyard patio, a base for a pot-bellied stove in the dining room and lined walls behind the stove in a mosaic pattern. He set up a bench under the apple tree where he and Edna could catch the shade. They planted roses and Ray built a foundation for the back porch.

One day while out for a drive Edna spied a dog in an abandoned Chevy pickup truck. She made Ray pull over and, at that moment, Ray knew they had a dog. Shep was a welcome addition to the Whittier neighborhood and the children would stop by and say hello to him on their way to school. On occasion, Shep would escape and make his way to the schoolyard to play with the kids. Edna may have rescued Shep, but he was Ray’s dog. He sure loved that dog!

Ray and Shep on the Front Porch

The last few years prior to Edna’s death were difficult ones. A diabetic, Edna’s health was declining and she was bedridden. She had been admitted to Boulder Community Hospital and released with prescribed medication. Within a matter of days, Edna died. Ray suffered tremendous guilt for the rest of his life because he thought the hospital had given her the wrong medicine and he “had fed her those pills.”

With Edna gone, Ray continued to care for the roses, drive to the buffet in Longmont and, as was Edna’s habit, made daily entries on his calendar. The entries had little variation and, just like Edna’s entries, show what Ray’s life was like:

“water bill came”; “church”; “took out trash for Western”; “washed dishes”; “bundled papers”; “Safeway”; “partly sunny”; “went to bank”; “Country Buffet”; “mopped floors”; “no mail”; “cooked squash”; “washed hair”; “cut buds off roses”; “went to McGuckins”.