November 30, 2011
The roof and beyond
The crew from Skinner Roofing checked out the Stone Bank roof on Wednesday.
Away with the ancient, leaking roof! And on with a new top for the Stone Bank.
The roofers arrived today to pull up the old roof.
After structural repairs are made, they will lay down and attach 6 inches of insulating foam and put a rubber T.O.P. membrane up there.
The seams of the membrane are heat-sealed — and thus, when the back 20 feet of the Stone Bank building are rebuilt — the rebuilt section’s roof can be attached to the new roof.
At right, behind the pallet, is the section of the roof that will NOT be repaired. Note the blue tarps on the far right, a makeshift effort to keep some water out of the building.
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Fixing the Stone Bank’s roof
Even to the untrained eye, the water damage to the Stone Bank's parapets is obvious.
This part of the bank is going to be dismantled — but this photo shows what can happen when water does its thing with a roof … and stone … and mortar.
Today, Skinner Roofing is going to take the old roof off the front 60 feet of the Stone Bank and install insulation and a rubber membrane to keep the water out.
And that roof membrane is going to be wrapped up around the top of the parapet to keep the moisture out.
We are pleased, pleased, pleased to report this progress.
November 28, 2011
Roof woes
Do you think it's time for a new roof? The answer seems obvious
Racing the weather, we are going to get the roof on the front 60 feet of the Stone Bank replaced this week.
Seriously, this isn’t happening a minute too soon. Water, snow, rain — whatever — is causing serious damage to the building’s interior and it is causing damage inside the stone walls.
So, this week, Skinner Roofing of Grand Forks will tear off the old asphalt roofing and install six inches of insulation (foam) and put a rubber roof over the top.
That means much better energy efficiency and no more leaks. Whoo-eee.
The rubber membrane will be pulled up over the parapet to hold out moisture. Eventually, we will have a new concrete cap installed along the parapet — but that’s for another time. Right now, our goal is to stop moisture from causing more damage.
This picture is what happened inside the back of the building from a leaking roof. That part of the structure is being dismantled.
Funny, we are dismantling and repairing simultaneously.
November 26, 2011
Hard as a rock
- Imagine Mike Dorsher’s surprise when a medium-size rock tumbled from outside the building and grazed his shoulder. Mike was removing insulation near an opening in the roof when he was hit. He wasn’t injured, but it was a good warning to all of us about safety on this worksite.
Stone Bank volunteer Mike Dorsher demonstrated how a stone falling from outside grazed his shoulder inside the Stone Bank.
Mike was on a ladder removing the last of the insulation in the ceiling joists when the stone fell.
“There were some small stones falling — like gravel,” he said. “So, I put my head down so the stones would hit the brim of my cap and I wouldn’t get dust in my eyes.”
Now, it’s clear that was a good choice. Because then a much larger stone fell and hit the back side of his right shoulder.
“It was kind of a glancing blow,” Dorsher said. “It kind of hurt, but what was really scary was when it hit the floor and made a thud.”
Not one to be deterred, Dorsher was back in the building on Saturday removing the insulation along the north wall.
That means the “volunteer” portion of the this stage of the dismantling is done. Now, the contractors will do the dangerous work in the dismantling project.
The next big step is to drop and remove the 20 feet of roof at the back of the building, so the stone mason can continue his work. We’ll keep you posted.
From inside the Stone Bank, it doesn't seem to be much of an opening, but it's enough for a one-stone avalanche.
November 25, 2011
Under the ceiling tiles
Some tin ceiling tiles were hidden under a dropped ceiling and discovered in the dismantling process.
Really cool ceiling tiles! The dropped ceiling was hiding what looks to be a section of an original tin ceiling.
Ah, the joy of discovery for Stone Bank’s stalwart volunteers after pulling down old acoustic tiles and and nasty fiberglass insulation.
The frame of the dropped ceiling makes it hard to get a good look, but there is about a 12-foot by 15-foot section of the ceiling that has a drop-down opening. Wonder what that was? We’ll certainly try to find out.
And, YES, our contractor is going to carefully remove the tin ceiling tiles for possible reuse.
This is in the part of the building that is being dismantled, and we will take lots of pictures once that frame is down. It was a good find! And it’s not always “fun” work — but the goal makes it worthy.
Tin ceiling found under the dropped ceiling. The frame of the dropped ceiling makes it hard to see much detail at this time.
November 24, 2011
Thanks and GIVING
Dale Thompson, Mike Dorsher, Larry Larson and John Gregg worked up a sweat for the Stone Bank.
The Stone Bank project is deeply indebted to a core group of volunteers who have really helped get this project rolling. From our CPA and lawyer to friends of the Stone Bank family who have done the dirty work of getting the bank cleared out. We thank you for your giving.
Mike Dorsher gave Larry Larson a little light as they removed fixtures from inside the Stone Bank.
Mike, Larry and your Stone Bank blogger took down all the ceiling tiles in the room, at left, on the day before Thanksgiving. And a whole lot of fiberglass insulation – aw-choo.
But, there was a nice surprise under the false ceiling — some intact tin ceiling tiles. Pictures of that tomorrow.
Our contractor will remove those tiles for reuse before that section of roof is demolished.
Again, thanks to all of our donors and our volunteers for giving the Stone Bank project a boost. We appreciate it.
November 22, 2011
Stone by Stone
Work began Tuesday, Nov. 22, to dismantle the back of the Stone Bank-Bottineau. It was 12 degrees when the Whetter Masonry crew, but they warmed up in a hurry.
Dismantle not demolish!
That’s what started today at the Stone Bank-Bottineau.
Stone mason Joe Whetter and his crew popped the cap off the parapet and began removing “courses” of stone. (A course is stone worker’s parlance for a horizontal row of stones.)
The stones are being numbered and stacked — so Joe can put this all back together in 2012.
Stone mason Joe Whetter loosened the mortar holding one of the brownstone corners in place.
The face stones weigh between 100 and 300 pounds — and they are moved by hand to the scaffold, then stacked on a pallet and lowered to the ground with a loader.
Once the face stone is loosened from the wall, it is stacked with others from its row, then the stones are lowered to the ground and kept together on a pallet.
Joe’s goal today is revealing the roof, so our general contractor can get a look at it — because at some point that leaking, rotten roof will also be removed. Planning is hour by hour — because they don’t know how this cookie crumbles.
Let’s hope it doesn’t crumble. More later. Watch this space for more updates.
November 21, 2011
Scaffold Is UP
With the external steps removed, the scaffold went up Monday on the south side of the Stone Bank in Bottineau.
The south side of the building has been photographed and the stone marked — and soon the real action begins.
Stone mason Joe Whetter said Monday that the first thing he will do is remove the concrete cap from the top of the south wall. Then he will very carefully remove the brownstone corner stones, because they are “fragile.”
Apprentice Brendan, left, and stone mason Joe Whetter sized up the task Nov. 21 from atop the scaffold.
Whetter used a sledge hammer to test how tight the cap is on the parapet and he said it will come off easily.
As they say in these parts — it should be interesting. Watch this space for updates on the dismantling project.
November 20, 2011
View from City Hall
Hark! That building could use a hand. Don't forget the Stone Bank in your holiday giving.
Look! Bottineau has new holiday decorations — the first went up Friday outside City Hall. And there, right across the street is our “fine stone building.”
That was the phrase used to describe the building in “Bottineau Illustrated, 1901-1902,” by Henry T. McPhillips.
This picture was taken from the warmth of the city auditor’s office — a prime spot for keeping an eye on our progress.
And we will be making some progress this week. Check back here for updates.
November 17, 2011
Out, out damned asbestos
Long ago, your Stone Bank blogger took an ethics class in which we studied the story of asbestos. And it was really irritating to learn that the U.S. government allowed the continued production and sale of products made with asbestos for YEARS after it was shown to be a carcinogen. Really. REALLY?
This all came thundering back to the Stone Bank blogger when we learned that in order to proceed with work on the Stone Bank, tests for asbestos and other carcinogens must be done.
Well, the Stone Bank flunked that test. So, the asbestos had to go.
At left are the floor tiles that were installed at some time in the distant past and are carcinogenic. The certified asbestos guy scraped them up and hauled them away over the past weekend. Whew.
And he took the bad, bad, bad asbestos-laden pipe wrap from around the furnace and vacuumed up the dust. Gone and done.
Report mailed to the State Health Department.
No asbestos here.
At right — and thousands of dollars later — what the floors look like now. Much, much better. Cleaner and a NOT toxic. The black stuff with the tile impressions is only glue.
And now we can proceed with our work on the building.
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