Coming soon… Historic Hotel Berry Bed and Breakfast. This is a lovely railroad hotel built in 1906 By Mr. Berry from Minot ND. Built before electricity and water came to town, my objective is to restore the hotel while bringing it up to code.
As for the age of this picture: That tree by my neighbor’s shed took over the sidewalk and is now a stump.
I have been wanting to restore the mural for years, but many other projects take priority. These past few years have seen a definite decrease in the visibility of the mural. She is fading fast. It is now, or never.
This picture brings back memories. In an earlier post, i showed how we had to repair the damaged floor nearly destroyed by a former remodeler, I mentioned that afterward, I brought 100 sheets of 5/8ths 4×12 and stored them on this floor. (Each sheet weighs 104 lbs.) . Here is where we use all but one sheet.
We have been working on three projects. I got close to finnishiing the second bath, then we went to the walls. then we the floor. This monsterous project keeps growning. let me show you some of what we have been doing.
I guess I do not have pictures of the second bath. Here is one where we are placing the tile I used the same pattern for the floor. and edged is with a four inch strip. More pictures coming when it is cleaned and completed.
Th original cast iron tub was a right handed tub. I built the enclave or a left handed tub. The tub isin storage and I baught a new metal tub. When I get a piture, I will insert it here.
The walls for the toilet and sink. Again no picture. We moved a lot of tuff into this room so getting a picture now is not … well, it is a constructions zone. I am aout towo good working days from finnihingthe bathroom. maybe a week. but we moved on to the walls.
Finally, I return to the second bath with a camera.
Not as fancy as the first bath, but this one has the stand up shower in the cove bathtub.
A little more work to do on the door trim and the shelves and towel racks.
The stairway is the focal point of the building stretching from the first floor to the third. It is fifty three inches wide with twelve inch tread and seven inch risers. There is a large landing between each floor. The handrail sports three spokes on each tread with matching railing around the south of the second floor, and opens to both the south and west on the third.
I should explain that although I have not seen the original architectural plans, the building’s designer divided the building into four quadrants. Each quadrant of this forty-five by seventy building is roughly twenty two by thirty-five feet.
Continue reading “The way it was.”The first bathroom on the second floor is nearly complete. Naturally, marrying the 1928 technology to today’s standards requires some ingenuity. Additionally, building the first floor bathroom taught us to be very careful reworking the walls. This becomes especially true because I am using 12×24 inch tile, A small curvature in the wall leads to a large error in tile placement. The tiles do not bend. Straight walls are essential since I want smooth walls. There is no forgiveness.
Having completed our living quarters, I again turned my attention to the second floor. Despite the -30 degree weather outside and the fact that I am not heating the upstairs, the temp was not too bad. It never did freeze on the second floor.
Cindy, now seeing that things are getting done, started explaining things that she would like to see. “Why don’t you remove that wall and make this a big room?” Good idea.
Continue reading “Back Upstairs”Winter came early last fall.
After we closed down the upstairs remodel, I turned my attention to the first floor “Manager’s apartment” or “Room one”.
At long last, we have completed this part of the project. Actually, this is the apartment in which Cindy and I will live. Here are some before and after pictures.
Continue reading “Manager’s Apt”July 28, 2018
The overall goal of this project is to restore the Hotel Berry, while bringing it up to code.
The specific project is to ready the west half of the second floor for occupancy. This means 5 insulated rooms for beds, two baths and a larger day room. Actually, all the plumbing, including the third floor is included in this first phase making two two-hole restrooms and two three shower rooms.
Continue reading “Historic Hotel Berry Bed and Breakfast”