I feel like this delightful hole that just opened up next to the driveway. You pa dow in there and try to sew where it ends. The mounds of never ending paperwork, spread sheets lists, colors, materials. I think I can see where it stops but it’s just out if sight to be sure.
Oh and the hole?? That’s just likely a broken drainage tile that has been discovered thanks to the terential rains we get in Ohio as winter and spring battle over who’s day it is.
I feel like it has been a minute since I last wrote about this project. Well, come February things kind of exploded in a paperwork, red tape kind of way. The 3rd part of the historic tax credit application finally came out for the development department’s part. That part that has allllllllll the minute fiscal details down to the construction schedule, economic impact, return on investment, funding sources, business operations. So naturally I fixated. The first week of February I was fingers to the keyboard and nose to the screen. I turned everything I had into presentable tables and spread sheets. I answered more questions and repeated answers to redundant questions. And THENNNN, the permit part caught up to me. Ok no big deal I assumed I’d have to pull permits on this project, just hadn’t went down that road yet because nothing had started. But as I call the county to start getting all the lined up as some was necessary for the historic application, that opened another rabbit hold. This one I was not expecting. ZONING!!!
Fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to look at it, I have been to zoning council meetings before. But I was always the neighbor of and never the one applying for. So now it’s my turn. Thank goodness I’m not in town and don’t have a ton of neighbors to convince and come to find out I’m the only one currently on the schedule for the next meeting. So fingers crossed its a laid back causal discussion sharing my vision, to hopefully a board of supporters. But back to the blow up. On top of the historic applicant for development I then had to quickly apply for a conditional use rezoning or some semblance of those terms. And get all my documentation and justification ready to present by next months meeting. And while doing so check in with every other future potential department I may have to work with to see if there is anything they may require in the future. So I called inspectors, residational and commercial per the recommendation of the county, the county engineer who then called the Ohio Department of Transportation to see if there would be any driveway issues. I satellite mapped the driveway and calculated parking and traffic flow, screening and even future signage. I revisited my site plan and narrowed down some things I had not fully finished deciding on.
So although I’m still not completely done with the historic application, as that one had to be put on short but temporary hold, as I got the zoning application and documentation ready to go for that meeting in less than 2 weeks. I do feel like I’m on the down swing of the state historic application. Most of the meet is there. I need to clean it up a little bit more but my brain is fried. I have fallen asleep the moment my head hits the pillow and not even a single dream to speak about. But as soon as I open my eyes in the morning its like a rush of ideas or things I forgot come flooding in. So,like many mornings for weeks now, I pass my snoozing husband, hearing his audible sigh, as I race off to get things done before the the household starts stirring and needing me for non Tower House things.
There are a few parts of this project that are going to take a huge chunk of the budget and resources and so far the two biggest are not even the ones that are gong to be the show stoppers. They are the subtle deatials or the hidden necessities and they are adding up.
I hadn’t fully counted until recently but there are over 48 windows on this house. And only 7 are fixed and 5 that are not HUGE.
The windows kind of make me feel more bipolar than I likely already am. I mean typically I go int a house and just replace with vinyl and move on. It is a huge budget chunk but doesn’t require much mental stamina or decision making. Double or single hung is the toughest decision.
So when it comes to windows on a house to be restored not renovated there may be more factors to a window than the entire collective house. Sash, sill, jam, mutton, casing, glazing, header, trim, pull, sash cord, stile, weight, weight pocket, access to weight pocket, stop, stool, apron, rail, sill framing, blind stop, parting bead, I think I’ve made my point. If your head is not spinning then you must be a window specialist. Not to mention storm windows that carry an entirely different set of options and factors to consider.
I reached out to a window restoration company and scheduled my first meeting. I scheduled it for 9:30 thinking an hr would be plenty. OHHHH did I underestimate that! 2 hours later and my head spinning I ran back to home to the kids who were waiting to start school. (have I mentioned we homeschool?) But Laryn from Heritage Window Solutions was amazing. As overwhelmed as I was I left the meeting feeling like it was productive and we both had a better understanding. Him, understanding what I was attempting to accomplish and me well, everything I didn’t know, I didn’t know.. which was EVERYTHING!
So weeks later I get my quote back with my window key codes and details per 48 windows. I sit and ponder more decisions, operable, not operable, screens that slide or attach with clips. clips that attach for an interior or exterior removal. And just when I think I have it figured out… I realize I missed one major factor that I had hoped I maybe possibly wouldn’t have to face. So needless to say as I was about to sign the deposit check to get the storms ordered, after so much agonizing over the decision I ripped it up and ask them to hold. Because I had a date with the county zoning council. Which then very rapidly unraveled an entire slew of other agencies that I had not been formally acquainted who will now get the honor or sharing this journey with me.
Tower House Ohio 