Finishing Sheetrock on Randolph St

The Atrium / Entryway... We are big fans of this little overhang. It's strange how little details like this make the space 10x more interesting...

We've had this trouble where it's so difficult to convey space with 2d pictures. Perhaps a 3d video tour will be in the works. But for now, here's a cut and paste vertical panoramic:

I think you can click this pic and it will get bigger in your browser. If not... oh well. Gotto come visit!

Multi Leveled Spaces

Dig the multi-levels... I'm taking a picture from about 36' off the ground.

When it's all done, painted, and windows replaced, this place will be downright sexy.

Here's the current state of the Common Kitchen. Lights need to be hung, etc but you can kind of get the feel.

One Tall Wall

This is a difficult one...

A Quick History of The Past Couple Months

Matt Dimon, helping build a wall and loft on the 2nd Floor.

It is quite cool to see out of these windows at 40+ feet off the ground.

We tore out quite a bit of old electrical cables and tons of dust. Tons. 2 shop vacs full. Black boogers days later.

Teofolo and José Luis, putting our Iron Shop stairs together in the front.

Finally... after months and months of stapling up heating tubes, running electrical wires, etc. We put up the ceiling. Particle Board. Will and Brandt did most of it. The worst was the reflective insulation. You have to create an air space and have it close to - but not touching the heating tubes. How many techniques were tried, curses evoked, staplers flung in frustration... before we finally got it done right?

And... Sheetrock. Hot Damn.

Work Crew Holiday Party

The only thing we're missing is the jerseys... Ben, Will, Michael, Nicole, Brandt, Chris. Catherine took the picture. A fun night at Lucky Strikes. Brandt is a closet bowling professional.

When You Have Friends Over For Brunch And They Don't Eat Any Construction Material, It Means Your Kitchen Is Done

We recently met this Argentinian guy, Martin (in the yellow shirt), who is building a house out of metal shipping containers up 5th Street a few blocks.

On another note, doesn't Eugenia look like she wants to kill Alonso?

Neighborhood Photos

The corner of 4th and Girard, 2 blocks away.

And this is 1 block away from us. Are you gentrifying when you make rats relocate?

Little by Little, Heat in Winter

Paul came in and figured out what was wrong with the boiler. The manual had the hot and cold water reversed!

So now our kitchen floor has warm, toasty hot water pumping through it.

A cat always lies on the warmest place in the house.

Kitchen Progress

Putting in a Boiler

I think this picture kind of tells it all.

But if you're not into the whole brevity thing:

Captain's Log: As of Monday, Dec 7th, the boiler hasn't been able to stay on. It turns on and then shuts down with some red light that indicates some gas issue illuminated. We had it ready to go this past Friday - We were minutes away from having the warm touch of heat pumping through our house... or so we thought. And not a moment too soon. Snow and Icy Rain were coming over the weekend. But it kept... shutting itself off....! Argh ! No! Nooooo!

So this past weekend, we braved another weekend of extreme cold in the house. By now, we're used to it. It used to phase me, but I've been learning the ancient art of patience and how to suffer gracefully. Perhaps we are characters in some sort of historical re-enactment. Titled... the first residents of Philadelphia. People wore wool coats, and generally suffered during winter, burning wood in drafty brick buildings. I imagine meals of thin potato soup with the occasional side of boiled shoe or wool coat.

So, you know... we're kickin' it old school.