BUILDING NEWS: Renovation Update November 2013 - Planning with Plans for Plans
It's amazing how much work goes into renovating a building! We knew that there would be architect's drawings and plans but had never heard of a "site plan." Since we're using the existing building, and the fact that much of the surrounding land is protected nature preserve, we'll have to jump through a lot more hoops before we remove one piece of wood from the old horse barn!
Of course 10 Horse Art Center will need water (even though the clear, cool waters of Black Creek are only 100 feet away). There are many old hand pumps on the property that the ranch hands used to keep themselves and the horsed hydrated but this just won't do for our purposes. So we've had to come up with a plan for both getting water into the building and well as a plan for where it's going to go when it's down the drains. Drawings, drawings, drawings!
Architect Austin Sied's plans have arrived! He's done a wonderful job of converting the horse stables into artist's studios and has kept the main "thoroughfare," which the horses used to walk through, open for gallery space. What an ingenious idea!
Of course the original windows were good enough for the the original residents, but not so today. Artists need a lot of light to work so Austin has filled the walls with windows. The new windows don't overpower the structure but fit right in.
It's arrived! The Building Permit is here! Although it took months of planning, assuring and convincing 10 Horse is officially on it's way. The Building Department of the Town of Lloyd has been extraordinarily helpful and guided us through many different tangled webs, that were not of their making, but simply exist as part of the bureaucracy of building...well...anything.
We were so relieved that they and the community at large (yes there was even an official hearing) are embracing the goals of 10 Horse Art Center. One of the community's great desires is to "reuse and repurpose" existing buildings and our project here couldn't fit the bill any better! Also, we discovered the pitch of the new roof will be perfect for installing for solar panels. One, long side of the building faces South! In an effort to be as a "green" as possible when renovating, we're always excited to hear good news like this. |