Buffalo Bloviator

In response to very much  appreciated requests to post a progress report on the 153 Delaware Avenue restoration, I submit the following pictoral essay. A picture is worth a thousand bloviations. (The thousand bloviations shall be forthcoming.)

As the following pictures will attest, the early stages of a restoration are far from glamorous. Most of the early efforts go toward stabilizing the property and correcting structural issues. But hey, it doesn’t get any better than this. I even get to make lots of trips to Home Depot -I have found a state of happiness.

This is “Big Blue” way before it was painted blue. The years would not be easy on the big guy.

One of the things I learned while shopping for downtown property is that every old building is replete with an old safe, and that there are no longer any safe movers willing to take on those big old monsters. The safe in Big Blue was collapsing a room. I also learned that when Ellicott Development (the people who sold me Big Blue) have a “tough job”, they send this man. The “Man In Black” made good on their promise to remove the old 2100 pound safe.

The safe was too heavy for the stairs so they “peeled” it. Happy 4th of July!

Anybody want a slightly used safe?
These old safes are made of fireproof concrete sandwiched in a
thin steel skin. If you ever use a safe to protect valuables,
be sure to use the cast iron inner safe. The small inner safe accounts
for most of the weight and is not easily peeled. The small inner safe
had to be lowered down the fire escape with cables, using their biggest guy as a counter weight.

His men applied their finesse to this ice machine that was too big for the door.
Do you prefer your ice cubed, slivered, or crushed? How’bout your ice machine?

In order to keep the expensive fire sprinkler pipes from freezing, I had to set up emergency heating by patching together the inventory of furnace components in the building. Later I will relocate them. Luckily our winter was late this year. The basement had no heater, but I found an orphaned furnace in the back of the kitchen and set it up in the basement. That kept the basement at a nice safe 50 degrees. The mice were happy. This was the first time that I have ever actually used duct tape (Swiss Army knife) for its manufacturer’s intended purpose.

 

I tore out the kitchen ceiling and installed insulation. The 22 foot walk-in cooler is for the wife’s beer. It also serves as a  handy scaffold so that you can lie down and work on the ceiling like Michael Angelo.

I hired designer Paul LaMorticella and architect David Sutton to help me create a master plan. While the master plan is being developed, I am removing the paint from the exterior brick. The historic brick from 1865 has a very fragile fire skin. I am attempting to preserve the character that the years have provided. Commercial outfits would typically media blast the building. Gentle baking soda is the latest sand blasting material used to remove paint on historic brick because the rain carries away the spent media. This method would leave a clean, light orange color that you see on many restored buildings such as The Mansion on Delaware Avenue. I prefer the distressed, multi-colored effect because it reminds me of the last time I tried growing a beard.

Another new method is to apply caustic putty to the surface of the building and then cover it with a sheet of plastic like a bandage. The plastic sheet keeps the caustic material from drying out or being washed away by rain. Then you peel the bandage off, scrape the residue and repeat. This method is not easy for one person to apply, especially if tall ladders give him nosebleeds.

I formulated my own inexpensive paint-weakening caustic jelly that freezes below 55 degrees and looks like White-Out (which was invented by a family with links to Buffalo). It is environmentally neutral and creates no airborne residue. My custom “paint bloviator” clings to the paint for weeks when the temperature is cool. I applied it to the building during the deep freeze that we had in February. I pretended that I was Sam Wilkeson working in stubborn, frozen solitude. I devised several methods for applying it from the ground. One method involved equipment I purchased at Toys R Us. I got some pretty strange looks from passers by. Standing on Delaware Avenue wearing a Devo suit, a full visor, and shooting a blinking ray gun that turned a haunted looking house into a white frozen glob, I guess I must have appeard to be either a performance artist or a ghost buster.

The final removal method utilizes the 24 foot fiberglass and aluminum pressure washer extension shown leaning up against the wall. I wear a nylon harness that helps me support the weight. Mark Croce was driving by one day and noticed me working. He recommended that I try a special spinning water head for the pressure sprayer. It is somewhat like a shower message head, on steroids, that would remove your skin. It works great.

Today, in an exciting surprise development,  I began uncovering a painted sign on the side of the building. So far it says, “OF 25″ in 1920’s era font. You can see it in the second to the last picture.

The Buffalo Bloviator enjoyed the opportunity this weekend to “break ground” on our redevelopment project. First, I got all of the basic heat, water, and electrical systems up and running. Actually the house was working on me rather than the other way around. ”Big Blue” already knew how to do all of those things. So I guess you can say that the house got me up and running. The house also knew how to get me to run my rear end off. I haven’t worked this hard in years.

 

Buffalo Bloviator Publishing will be able to keep an eye on City Hall when this window is restored. Of course, eventually this view will be replaced with a new Federal Court House that will look like the giant container that the Statler came in. The charming brick building is the old Erlanger Theater.

Next, the house ordered me to get my Scout and run to Home Depot to lay in a basic inventory of lumber so that I could prepare for Tuesday’s insurance inspection. I have learned that there are different types of insurance carriers for different risk properties. My agent suggested starting with a less expensive, low risk carrier but he warned me that I may get dropped because of the major renovation issues. Hence the lumber. The people that sold me the property, Carl and Bill Paladino of Ellicott Development, had been using the building as a nightclub. When they removed their sound and lighting equipment mounting fixtures, there were dangerous holes left in the upstairs floors. There were also a couple of “windows” that required securing.

 

This is the same window after my handiwork. This gives new meaning to the term, “room and board”.

The extensive WNYmedia.net revitalization coverage has caused
the Buffalo Bloviator to get swept up in the downtown redevelopment
excitement. I decided to call some of the phone numbers on those
“for sale” signs and talk turkey. Perhaps it is time for the Buffalo
Bloviator to take its publishing operations downtown where the action is.

Here is my short list thus far. Which one should I buy? Comments,
suggestions, and advice are solicited!

1) “Big Blue” 153 Delaware Avenue.

Great location three doors from Niagara Square and one block from Chip. 6000 square foot 1865 brick house that as Father Dunn wrote in his book “Delaware Avenue Mansions and Families,” “…amazingly still stands”. Surrounded by parking lots. Formerly the venerable Round Table restaurant. I toured the inside. The building is not as bad as it looks at first glance. Perhaps not the best traditional investment income selection, but for my own personal/business occupancy, I see great potential. Hmmmmm.

2) “Rose Nails” 535 Main Street at the corner of Genesee.

 

 

Amazing future location when Main Street is opened to traffic and alive.
Directly across from the Hyatt. Formerly Howard’s Jewelers. 4 stories,
7000+ feet, great investment income potential. Great view of Main Street
from the windows. Pretty brick facade. Total rehab required. The interior
is completely gutted. Roof is shot. Windows need energy upgrading.
No parking. Charming little Main Street building. I would occupy a floor
or two and rent out the other two floors as lofts or office. Special rehab
incentives are available specifically for this stalled 500 block of Main Street.
Asking price $265,000.00.

3) “Werner Photography”  Foot of Chip at Genesee.

   

Nice location with a nice view of the old Washington Market area.
Very nice facade with skylights and lots of copper work. I have not been able to get inside of the building to have a look. There seems to be an issue with either the owner or listing agent. Word among the professionals is that they are “difficult”.
This could be an asset to me since I am willing to be persistent.   Here is a post and comment I made in Buffalo Rising to a man who identified
himself as the listing agent: 

 http://www.buffalorising.com/city/archives/2006/09/my_favorite_buildings_85.php

Biniszkiewicz wrote:  

As for the properties to the left of Eddie Brady’s: These properties have been owned for a couple decades by an investor with a vision but not faith. They are for sale. Why don’t you buy them? We have the listing. Call me if you are serioius. 

“I saw above that you mentioned that the Werner building was your listing.
I called the phone number on the building almost every day for two weeks last
month and nobody would call me back about the building. Is it for sale or not?
No wonder the buildings are sitting idle. Please contact me. I am going to buy
something before the end of the year.  I even asked agents I have been working with to try and contact the seller and they told me not to bother. Word is, the seller is non-responsive. What gives?? 
Please contact me at Bloviate@BuffaloBloviator.com ”