After weeks of ripping the interior of our new building to shreds, we’re finally starting to put the pieces back together in an 1890 fashion.
Last month we ripped out 30 cubic yards of “improvements” to the Lost Art Press headquarters, including miles of wiring (that we completely recycled), rotted, black and crumbling subfloor (to the landfill) and ridiculous stud walls and 1995-era bar construction (mixed – we recycled what we could).
Today the plastering started.
We’re using a secret late-Victorian recipe that uses Plaster of Versailles (Versailles, Ky., not that cheap crap from Paris, Ky.) and Boba Fett tears. Plus a bit of Seattle Cement (Portland Cement is for weenies).
Lucky for us we managed to salvage about 95 percent of the original plaster on the walls. We had a small section that had to be drywalled because there was no lath. (And no money for lath.) So we expect to restore the interior as close as possible to the 1890 interior.
Meanwhile, I’m designing the entry door and transom windows that will replace gaping holes now filled with plywood and a cheap window AC unit. Because we are in an historic district, all my designs have to be approved by the city’s historic preservation staff and appointees.
Tomorrow we meet with window contractors to do some work that I don’t have the time for. I’m bringing my wife, Lucy, because buying windows is like buying used cars. I’ve had to chase off a few vinyl salesmen with a broom during the last 20 years. If you sell vinyl windows, I’m sorry (sorry that you sell vinyl windows).
I also need to meet with a kidney salesman. We need traditional solid-wood oak floors and I have an extra kidney.
And now back to editing and growing that third kidney.
— Christopher Schwarz
