The final phase, which will last 18 months, will include repair work to the inside and outside of the main mill and kiln, before services can be put in across the site and infrastructure work completed.

Once that is complete, the final fitting-out of the inside of the building will be carried out, before the opening in Summer 2021.

The restoration has been designed to create a 'learning and enterprise' quarter in the Ditherington area of the town.

When complete the building will include offices for "the regions growing creative industries and small business start-ups", as well as a visitor centre and a caf.

Councillor Alan Mosley, chairman of the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings, said it was wonderful that after 30 years of looking upon a derelict site, the community could look forward to the re-opening of one of Shrewsbury's landmark buildings.

He said: "It is fantastic to see the restoration of these historic buildings reach the final phase of construction.

"For 30 years, the community has become used to seeing the Main Mill and Kiln standing empty and in poor condition or shrouded in scaffolding but have been thrilled to see the progress in the last few years.

"It will be wonderful for local people to see these iconic buildings revealed and being fully restored, over the next 18 months, as we move towards their long-awaited opening in summer next year."

Councillor Steve Charmley, deputy leader and portfolio holder for assets, economic growth and regeneration for Shropshire Council, said the project would be a huge economic boost to the town and the county.

He said: "Were delighted with the progress of work to transform the historic Flaxmill site into a centre for learning, leisure and business.

"Work has now reached the stage where, as we promised back in 2010, we will now contribute 1m to help the project proceed to completion, and were happy to do so.

"The development and regeneration of the site will provide a huge boost not just to this area of Shrewsbury, but to the town as a whole, and to the Shropshire economy, and I look forward to welcoming businesses and visitors to the site in the not too distant future.

Construction work on the Grade I listed main mill and the Grade II listed kiln began in 2017 after a 20.7 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Site owners, Historic England, and project partners, the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings, also committed to contribute significantly towards the project, and a fundraising campaign run by Historic England has raised nearly 900,000 from charitable trusts, foundations, individuals and local companies, so far.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive at Historic England, said: The Flaxmill is one of the most extraordinary historic places in the world. Not only has it played a central role in Shrewsbury for hundreds of years, but its pioneering design preceded the modern day skyscraper and has influenced architecture worldwide.

"This partnership with Shropshire Council and the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings has been crucial in enabling this project to happen. It is a pleasure to see these unique buildings coming back to life as we enter the final stages of the restoration of the main mill.

Dating back to 1797, the building operated as a flax mill until 1886 and then as a maltings from 1897 to 1987.

It was also a temporary barracks and training centre during the Second World War.

Its iron frame was truly pioneering, the work of British engineers who were determined to overcome the problem of timber-framed mills and factories being destroyed when fires broke out. The design gave birth to the modern skyscraper.

Read the original here:
Final stage of Shrewsbury's Flaxmill restoration under way - shropshirestar.com

A remarkable extension that incorporated a dingy alley space into a home in Lambeth has been named London's best renovation project.

With flexible living areas plus a new double-height extension that connects the ground-floor living space and mezzanine study The Soffit House, by Proctor and Shaw Architects, won first prize at New London Architecture's Don't Move, Improve! awards this week.

More than 200 entries were whittled down by award judges last month, resulting in a 25-strong shortlist of clever home improvement projects each playing Tardis-like tricks to maximise space and light through the use of innovative design.

In addition to The Soffit House, six other projects were recognised as special prize winners for their response to challenges of living in London - a city where every inch of space must work harder than ever.

"Whether on a tiny triangular plot in the inner city, or out in the suburbs, the entries show the contribution that good design makes to our capital," says awards judge and London Festival of Architecture director Tamsie Thomson.

"We've seen an amazing diversity of approaches to colour, light and materiality - with some of the bolder designs totally reimagining the arrangement of the standard home," she adds.

The judges praised The Soffit House project for the simple addition of the extension, formerly a disused alley at the back of the property. It transforms the sense of space, connecting the areas of the house with each other and the garden.

The excavated ground floor in a limestone finish acts as a middle point between the garden and the basement, without compromising the ceiling heights, while a rich wooden soffit the underside of the ceiling sweeps upwards to reveal a frameless skylight that allows daylight into the centre of the transformed home.

A modern interpretation of a Georgian house, this project in Islington is centred around a striking new staircase in a triple-height space.

The project involved a dramatic interiors revamp and a reconfiguration of the floor levels - taking the home from two to three storeys.

Judged were particularly impressed by the bold and playful personality of the home.

A terrazzo and marble chequerboard floor in the hallway leads to a new kitchen-dining space through a vibrant green-arched tunnel giving it an Alice in Wonderland vibe, says awards judge and property journalist Anna White.

This Victorian terrace house in Waltham Forest has been transformed into a bright and airy home through careful rearranging rather than extending.

Judges admired the cost-saving decision to work with an existing bathroom rather than relocate it.

Now, an open space seems to flow through the living and dining areas, through the galley kitchen to the bathroom cleverly hidden at one end and out to the back garden.

Double doors can separate the kitchen and the bathroom for privacy but, left open, they can also open in two parts to provide an unobstructed view to the garden.

In this project, three new zinc boxes were added to a Thirties house on a corner plot of Dartmouth Park conservation area to create top-floor accommodation and roof terraces.

Bedrooms sit in a lower zinc box, while the corner box has a living room which has been set back to create a corner balcony. The end block contains a kitchen, dining room and herb garden.

Living spaces open to a large private roof terrace on top of the lower zinc box.

Needed to adapt an open-plan layout for working from home and raising teenagers, this project saw a timber-frame terrace house transformed into a home that meets the needs of all four of its inhabitants.

A new roof was installed, with three rooms underneath all linked by a curving, white, steel staircase.

This two-storey apartment was designed as a solid piece of joinery inserted into a Victorian buildingwith a living space created from more than 30,000 individual oak cross-section blocks.

A narrow, cramped Victorian terrace house in Camberwell has been radically remodelled and extended to the rear and side.

The kitchen now has extra width, thanks to the side extension, and skylights to flood the dining space with daylight; while the rear extension cuts into the garden, allowing for a window bench where the owner can sit and read in the evening sun.

This year's 25 shortlisted projects ranged in cost significantly. The cheapest project cost 66,000 while the most expensive was 1.1 million. The shortlist average cost was 312,000.

Last year's winner was a once-ruined chapel in Camberwellwhich had been transformed into a dramatic family home, complete with vaulted geometric ceiling and mezzanine level housed in a 'tent' roof.

Previous winners include Sun Rain Rooms in Islington, an extension and restoration of a Georgian townhouse with a rainwater tank that floods the patio at the touch of a button, transforming it into a reflecting pool.

See the article here:
Don't Move, Improve! 2020 winners: London's best home extensions and renovations revealed - Homes and Property

Take a tour of this recently restored Phibsborough home, which will be featured on RT's The Great House Revival next Sunday night.

Following the success of its debut last year, RTs The Great House Revival is back for its second season, beginning next Sunday, February 16 at 9.30pm on RT One.

The first house on architect Hugh Wallace's list is a 200-year-old Georgian home in Phibsborough belonging to homeowner Fiona, which has been transformed from a crumbling home that was just a few years away from collapsing completely, into a bright and comfortable four-bedroom home.

The entrance floor is now made up of the dining room and living room

However, the journey was a long and winding one. Just back from a few years abroad, Fiona admits, I hadnt actually been looking for a house at all.

But, after walking past the for sale sign in the summer of 2017, she decided to check it out and fought off a number of other interested buyers to make it her own for a significant sum of 435,000.

Fiona selected a number of moody hues for the period part of the house

While looking deceptively large, the house is only one room deep, with two rooms on each floor dissected by a central staircase. As well as falling head over heels for the empty buildings light, high ceilings and black canvas appearance, she also saw a number of encouraging signs when it came to its practicalities.

The black limestone fireplaces were found in the house, covered in paint

It was the location, there was off-street parking, it was the orientation of east-west facing, the access to the back I thought would be good from a construction point of view, says Fiona, I am quite practical and logical so those things were definitely part of the decision making process."

As the house is listed, Fiona and her architect Maoliosa Molloy, set about applying for planning permission and waiting on their chosen contractor, Mark Flynn of Duffy & Sons, to finish a previous project, they were ready to get to work in June 2018.

In the extension are the kitchen, a stove and some comfortable seating

Admittedly being over-optimistic with her initial five-month timeline, Fionas home took 16 months to complete, eight of which were spent on tackling structural work.

Derelict for ten years, the house had serious damp and subsidence issues, with a leaky roof and one corner falling into the ground. To prevent the house from falling further, they had to underpin the entire house and the whole roof was eventually written off and replaced.

Fiona is looking forward to summer and being able to use the back garden more.

I wouldn't say much of [the work required] surprised me, says Fiona diplomatically, considering the house was built in the 1820s and had been a tenement for some time. It was kind of like yeah, well that makes sense.

In fact, the things that did surprise Fiona were the pleasant ones, like the chimney flues all in good working order and that most of the floorboards could be saved.

The new bathroom sits above the kitchen, with the original external brick left exposed

The new extension was a significantly more straightforward project, adding a kitchen onto the ground floor and a bathroom to the first. These are strikingly more contemporary than the period house but are linked by the same level of opulence.

The brass countertop and splashback of the kitchen tie in with the elements of the other living spaces, and the matt grey walls of the bathroom mirror with the exposed plasterwork thats been framed along the stairwell, framing the layers of history this house has lived through.

Much of the floorboards and staircase were able to be saved

Id do it all over again in a heartbeat, responds Fiona unequivocally when asked if she could go back and talk to herself three years ago. Throughout the whole project, the delays and the problems and mounting costs, she says she only had one moment where she questioned her decision to buy the place.

After completing the underpinning and beginning work on the roof (which, as expected was worse than first thought) they realised the wall plate in the upstairs bedroom had collapsed. Basically, you could see daylight through the corner where the two walls met. That was the point I was wondering if Id ever get this house back together again.

Fiona's master bedroom

Thankfully, the house did not suffer a Humpty Dumpty fate and Fiona officially moved in in November 2019. So what has she learned from this experience? Dont take no for answer, she says simply.

When contractors and guys on site say something cant be done, what they really mean is that it cant be done in the time I have allotted for this job.

Committing to doing her homework and a natural problem-solver, Fiona nearly always got her way and the result is a spectacular period home thats really a restoration triumph.

Watch the full story of Fiona's restoration project on Sunday, February 16, at 9.30pm on RT One.

Read more:Inside the delightful Cork farmhouse belonging to Rory O'Connell

Read more:3 fixer-uppers for less than 100,000 in Co Clare

Read more:I'm in love with the house in Netflix's Anne with an E

Continued here:
Inside the Phibsborough house that will feature on The Great House Revival - image.ie

ORNAMENTAL pillars crafted from Peterhead granite are making their way across the Atlantic for use in the restoration of a historic New York building after some detective work by Scottish stonemasons.

Natural stone specialist Fyfe Glenrock was able to identify the type of granite required for the multi-million-dollar restoration of the Big Apples oldest apartment block from a photograph of the existing columns.

The Oldmeldrum-based firm was contacted by counterparts in the US seeking a perfect match for three polished granite pillars at The Windermere, on the citys upmarket Upper West Side.

Original shipping and building records suggested that the stone for the pillars had been imported from Scotland, prompting Swenson Stone Consultants in New Hampshire to contact a firm with a worldwide reputation for granite quarrying and craftsmanship.

Fyfe Glenrock commercial manager Richard Collinson said: We have worked with this firm in the past so they were aware of our knowledge of Scottish granites and they emailed asking for confirmation of the identity of the granite used on the building which they believed to be from Aberdeenshire.

The photo they sent had sufficient detail for us to know that the pillars had been created from Peterhead granite. Its always very interesting when we get an unusual request like this, and were delighted to be able to help restore a building of such significant historical interest.

The Windermere was originally completed in around 1881 as a complex of three seven-storey red brick buildings. With his own daughters in mind, Superintendent Henry Sterling Goodale marketed the apartments as homes for the new woman a growing class of single and financially independent ladies and was among the first in the city to offer amenities such as hydraulic elevators and telephones.

Many decades later they were converted into single-occupancy residences and were marketed to New Yorkers struggling with sky-high rents, particularly the citys growing creative community. One of The Windermeres most famous past residents is actor Steve McQueen.

The building slowly fell into a state of decline and in 2007 was declared unsafe by the fire department. Two years later it was bought by a developer and the major refurbishment will see the building reopen its doors as a plush hotel, with retail space and a number of private apartments.

Peterhead granite was used extensively throughout the UK and abroad during the 19th century and comes in red and blue varieties. The red variety is often used for ornamental construction its found in many buildings in London, Liverpool and Cambridge while the blue variety is used for decorative proposes, including the fountains in Trafalgar Square in London.

It is still quarried at Stirlinghill and Longhaven quarries, but these days it is mostly crushed for aggregate.

The pillars have been produced, polished and finished at Fyfe Glenrocks base in Aberdeenshire and are now being shipped to the USA where, said Mr Collinson, they will not look out of place.

He visited New York three years ago and was struck by the amount of Peterhead granite used in building and memorial bases. If you look at the history books, a lot of masons from the north east of Scotland migrated to and from America in the late 1800s, he said.

Due to the fact that they had a knowledge of indigenous Scottish granite and its properties, it is understandable that they would seek out Scottish materials to use there. So, it wasnt only the men, but the materials, that made the transatlantic journey.

Were talking about 120 years ago when stonemasonry would still have been a relatively young industry in the new world, and there would have been plenty of work opportunities.

There is some evidence to suggest that the parapet bases of the Brooklyn Bridge were made by Aberdeen masons so, given the fact that Peterhead granite was used at The Windermere, its likely that Scottish masons were involved in construction.

Fyfe Glenrock has more than 160 years experience in granite quarrying and craftmanship, and has supplied materials for many high-profile works, both at home and overseas.

It has provided indigenous Scottish granite for projects including The Scottish Parliament, the Millicent Fawcett Suffragist Memorial in Parliament Square, London and more recently The Silver Fin Building, Union Street, Aberdeen.

Fyfe Glenrock also supplies stonework and streetscape materials for many prestigious infrastructure developments across the UK in addition to materials for landscaping and building works, memorials and interiors.

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From the Blue Toon to the Big Apple as Peterhead granite used in restoration of historic New York building - HeraldScotland

EDITORS NOTE:This piecegrew out of a class at Smith College,Writing about Women and Gender,taught by the journalist and author Susan Faludi.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Gazebo is really customer-focused, so I do everything in relation to how its going to help and impact the people coming through my door each day. I come in, make sure the floor is clean, make sure there are enough pro-fitters on the sales floor... I really try to plan for when someone walks in the door they need a certain size, we have that size. A certain thing? We have it. Every day, theres a favorite story of somebody who comes in and leaves with a swimsuit they feel they can wear in public without feeling like theyll fall out of it or that its indecent. The gratitude that comes from the customers were so lucky to be in a position to do this.

Im from central Connecticut, but Ive lived herefor almost 30 years. I worked for the former owner (Judith Fine) for four years back in the 90s, and I left. I was in the corporate world for a good 25 years or so selling organic skin care, supplementsand herbal products for Dr. Hauschka in Hatfield and New Chapter in Brattleboro. When New Chapter restructured, Judith happened to need someone part-time, and I said, Well, wont that be fun?

Judith opened the store in 1978, and she is an amazing seamstress; she was making things out of vintage lace and had her own line in production. Gazebo (now at 14 Center St.) was originally in Thornes Marketplace. Judith loves to sew, and I think at first it was mostly wedding dressesand incorporating pieces of lace from grandmas gown into her customers gowns. That gradually led into having her own lingerie line, with silks, some antique lace, either trim or full pieces.

This was always my favorite job. I love helping women. I love helping in this environment. And I came back in 2016 and found out that she wanted to sell the store. It was just one of those miracles of the universe. Donna McNeight (a breast cancer survivor who came to Gazebo for its specialty in post-mastectomy fittings), also a former employee, and I partnered up and made it happen.

I dont have a business or marketing background, so thats one of the things Im learning as I go. The thing that I struggle with is that we try to have a really body positive attitude, and its hard when people put themselves down. We put little body positive things in the mirrors and tell people, Hey, be grateful for what you have. We really believe, from the bottom of our hearts, that every body is beautiful. Its true. We just need to see more of it in the media to see models of color, to see size inclusivity. Its also kind of a struggle when someone has a preconceived idea of what they want, like, I only like this kind of bra. Well, if that bra isnt the kind that fits your body best ... we try to guide people to what theyre going to be comfortable in, that will suit their body, that will last. Sometimes people are still like, Well, thats what I want, and thats OK, too.

We sell pleasure objects, aka sex toys. Our customers wouldnt necessarily go to a sex shop, but they trust us with their bodies and their breasts. And we want to offer that because sexual health is important, too. We love Oh My (Sensuality Shop, at 122 Main St.), theyre so great they support us, we support them.

A lot of people just dread going bra shopping, and we take the guesswork out of it. Post-mastectomy fittings are harder and harder to find these days a lot of women choose to have reconstruction after breast surgery, but those who dont, they dont really have any place to go. Theres a couple of medical supply places that you can go to for breast forms and bras, but theyre not bra-fitting experts. Its not like going to a warehouse where somebodys just going to take a box and hand you your breast across the counter were here to fit, and we do insurance billing. Its a lot of work, but its certainly a labor of love. Especially after going through something like that, you want to take care of those women, especially.

We are your personal shoppers. You wont be left thinking, This isnt quite right, but I dont know why, and then wander back out on the sales floor. We are here to guide you every step, and we stand behind what we sell. We do repairs, we can fix things and make them fit better. Oh, yeah, and all of the money that we spend on advertising doesnt compare to word of mouth because so many people come in say, My mother told me, my sister told me, my coworker told me, everyone says this place is awesome, so I had to come down. Thats the best endorsement that I can think of.

We want to make sure that everyone who comes through the door feels welcome regardless of gender identity. We were one of the first stores, like brick and mortar storefronts, to sell binders a garment that is used to safely reduce the appearance of breasts. Most of them are made out of mesh. People take to the internet Im going by a measurement, but I dont know how its going to fit. If they come here, they can try them on, we can help them, we have a seamstress on staff who can alter them. A lot of times, a little nip or tuck can make a big difference. We really fit here its rare we pull out a measuring tape. Most of the time, well just look at a persons back and then bring a size. People think, Oh, its amazing you can do that! If you were here for a couple of weeks, youd be able to do it, too. We just give them the sizes we think are most appropriate and then adjust from there.

Weve expanded that a lot in the last couple of years since Donna and I bought Gazebo because this is a place where people come in, and they feel welcome, and they feel comfortable.

I dont ever want to be the kind of owner whos so far removed from the sales floor that she loses touch with the customers. Actually being here and waiting on people every day is important for me to do.

See the article here:
Amy Dickinson, co-owner of Gazebo: Finding the perfect fit - GazetteNET

A wedding planner gives newly engaged couples money-saving advice.

I was shaking I was nervous, all I got out was will you marry me. I couldn't get the ring on her finger, my hands were shaking her put it on, Kevina Gray describes the day he proposed to his girlfriend Kenyell Goodson.

When it comes to love stories, Kevin and Kenyell's is more than 10 years in the making.The two have been together since high school, dating long distance while Kevin played basketball overseas.I was excited, it was more like finally, he did it. Finally. It's been some time so, explains Kenyell.

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After she said yes, the two started planning a wedding, with the help of a professional.Like many couples, they wanted to stick a budget. We need all the cash we can save, says Kevin, since theyre trying to save to buy a home.

They sought the help of Lucretia Williams.Your venue takes 40 percent of your budget. you want to book that first. we have amazing venues in Columbus so they book up pretty fast, Williams says.

Williams has been planning events for more than 22 years.She says, we're lucky in Central Ohio because there are a lot of inexpensive venue options.Like the Gazebo at Goodale Park or the beautiful outdoor spaces at Park of Roses. Griggs Boat House in HIliard, its newer, very beautiful, lots of windows overlooks the Scioto Mile River and we have North Bank Park downtown, she says.

Couples should also consider the Metro Parks, state parks and other outdoor venues. Like Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island, Marbelhead lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie or Ash Cave at Hocking Hills state park.Some of those only cost a $40 event fee.

But Williams says other costs could add up, especially if you need to rent chairs tables or table clothes.Her advice to save money is to consider not having it on a Saturday. I love Friday Weddings! I love Sunday weddings. For me, people say, well they're not going to come. They love you, they're going to come. It doesn't matter if it's a Tuesday or a Friday, Williams says.

Couples can also have a smaller guest count, which is becoming more popular. A lot of couples want more intimate weddings, you feel the energy and love in the room when it's less people, she says.For this couple, that's not an option, with a big family they plan to have 300 guests.But Williams found them a reasonably priced venue, the Ohio School for the Deaf Alumni Association building.

You don't have to have a grand budget to make a room look fabulous, Williams explains.

And really at the end of the day, it's witnessing true love that people will remember most.I'm a lucky guy, I've realized that from day 1. She stuck by my side through everything, Kevin explains. That's the emotional part of it, we made it through, Kenyell adds.

Continue reading here:
Wedding planner gives advice on budgeting for the big day - 10TV

Destination weddings can be difficult to plan but are worth it for the breathtakingly romantic scenery. With a variety of locations, The Excellence Collection will help you plan the perfect destination wedding with two types of resorts for a wedding: Excellence Resorts and Finest Resorts.

Excellence Resorts are for adults-only Caribbean weddings. Any of the five Excellence Resorts will provide an intimate destination wedding with endless beaches and luxury pampering. The options include Excellence Punta Cana, Excellence El Carmen, Excellence Riviera Cancun, Excellence Oyster Bay and Excellence Playa Mujeres.

These properties offer three wedding packages for engaged couples to choose from: the Excellence Wedding Package, the Excellence of Love Wedding Package or the Gold Excellence Wedding Package.

Finest Resorts are for larger, family-oriented weddings located at the brands all-inclusive luxury resorts. Finest Resorts are perfect for couples who an extravagant beach wedding surrounded by loved ones.

These resorts include Finest Playa Mujeres and an upcoming resort in Punta Cana. Finest Resorts offers the same three wedding packages as Excellence Resorts.

All packages offer couples who book their wedding at any of the aforementioned Excellence Collection resorts the choice of exchanging their vows on a romantic beach venue or in a lovely gazebo overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

The beautiful Caribbean scenery and luxurious amenities offered by The Excellence Collection will make it hard for a newly wedded couple to leave, so the company welcomes couples to spend their honeymoons at any of their luxury resorts right after they say I do.

Whats more romantic than a gorgeous destination wedding? Waking up to breakfast in bed, enjoying a couples massage and toasting over a romantic dinner on the beach in that same magical resort where you exchanged vows.

The Excellence Collection resorts include honeymoon suites that come equipped with secluded hammocks and a private jacuzzi to enjoy when not soaking up the sun on a tranquil Caribbean beach or by one of the resorts pools.

Excellence Resorts are perfect for newlyweds who want an intimate getaway in an adults-only resort. Finest Playa Mujeres, however, still provides that same luxury, service and gourmet dining, but with added activities for guests of all ages to enjoy.

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Weddings and Honeymoons the Excellence Way - TravelPulse

Theyre tickled pink!

Pink architecture may be more associated with the Art Deco facades of Miami Beach, but New York City has a handful of bubble gum-hued buildings of her own.

Across downtown Manhattan, amid the brownstones and tenement buildings, sit a handful of rosy structures beloved by neighbors and passersby.

Some, like the townhouse at 114 Waverly Place, have been pink for decades, while others, like the West Villages quirky Palazzo Chupi, are more recent additions to the skyline.

A few, highlighted here, have fascinating backstories. Other blushing beauties, like 210 W. 15th St., remain a mystery.

But they all inject a little joy and love into the streetscape.

Pink is our favorite color, says Robert Novogratz, 57, who, with his wife Cortney, 48, became the fourth owners of coral-colored 114 Waverly Place last summer when they bought it for $8.5 million from the estate of late neighborhood fixture Celeste Martin.

The nearly 200-year-old home hadnt been touched in decades, and The Novogratz, as the design duo is known, have embarked on a gut renovation to turn the 5,410-square-foot structure into their family home. (The famed facade is currently hidden under scaffolding.)

Inside, the couple, who have seven kids, found rooms just as whimsical as the facade, cloaked in emerald and mint greens, teal and blush and even red Scalamandre zebra wallpaper. They intend to honor that history. Robert describes their vision as Gucci meets Royal Tenenbaums classic, cool, colorful. Its a very happy house, he adds.

This is our ninth townhouse [renovation] in Manhattan, and its the most special townhouse youve ever seen, says Robert. It also happens to be the couples first project that is landmarked, and, as a result, theyve run into an unexpected complication: the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) wants to do away with the beloved pink and see it painted brown, the original color when the home was built in 1826.

But its been pink for 50 years, and The Novogratz want it to stay that way. Were fighting them to keep it pink, Robert says. Throughout the entire city, its known as the pink house. Were petitioning to keep the pink.

On the Lower East Side, theres another landmarked structure with a pink facade: a five-story loft building with a rounded corner and partial cast-iron facade at the corner of Orchard and Grand streets.

Constructed in 1886 as the Ridley & Sons Department Store, it was occupied by garment manufacturers during the 1930s.

Today, the upper-level lofts are home to artists like Egon Zippel, who lives in a 2,800-square-foot apartment on the fourth floor with his wife Johanna Schwarzbeck.

The pink was a 1990s upgrade, suggested by the previous owners wife.

As Alfred Goldman told The New York Times in 2011, it was just an ugly building, and his wife, feeling inspired from a recent trip to Florida, felt a fresh coat of paint would cheer up the dreary neighborhood.

And while the LPC will likely require the color to change if the building is ever renovated, its safe for now.

In fact, after a fire damaged part of the facade in 2014, that portion was repainted a slightly different shade.

I like the pink, says Zippel, 53, who has enjoyed his live/work space in the building since 2003. I wish they would repaint the whole thing.

The pink facade was an immediate draw when Georgia Nixon, 29, and Jason Kodym, 38, first viewed their apartment at 218 E. Fifth St.

I told all my friends it was a Barbie princess house in New York, says Nixon. The couple moved into a one-bedroom garden unit two years ago, and have only become more enamored with their cotton candy-colored home. I have a ton of photos on my phone of every person who has visited who wants their photo out on our stoop, she says, adding that they often hear passersby exclaiming over the facade. People just love being near the pink house.

218 E. Fifth first got its pink facade in the 1980s, when then-owner Noel Tursi took a cue from his longtime companion Celeste Martin, who had, by that point, already bathed 114 Waverly Place (now owned by The Novogratz, as above) in a rosy hue.

People just love being near the pink house.

And to Joel Gillman and Lindsey Testolin, both 34, who have lived in two different apartments at 218 E. Fifth St. over four years. Ideally, we die in this building, hopefully a long time from now, jokes Gillman.

The couple started in a one-bedroom on the third floor, and moved to a similar unit on the top floor for a better kitchen and more light. The facade does attract Instagrammers, Testolin notes, and even the occasional prom photo shoot. We love hanging out on our stoop, and weve come to realize its a constant situation, she says. But its a small burden. Gillman adds, I kind of like it. It makes me feel fancy.

Both couples agree: The unusual hue makes the building easy to find for cab drivers and visitors. None of my friends know the address, says Kodym. They just look for the pink house.

The signature hue that residents love, though, might be in danger. We currently have an application with the NYC Landmarks Preservation committee to repaint the same pink color in the spring, Leahy tells The Post, but expect to be denied keeping the building pink if we repaint.

New Yorks most famous pink building, perhaps, is its newest. Built in 2008 by artist Julian Schnabel, the peculiar condo at 360 W. 11th St. looks like arched Venetian palace was plopped on top of a 20th-century factory building.

Construction was met with protests when it began in 2005, but ultimately Schnabel was able to bring what he as as a 50,000-square-foot piece of art to life.

I built it because I wanted more space, and because I thought I could sell two or three apartments to pay for that space, and I built it because I could, Schnabel told the Times in 2008.

The original three-story warehouse at the base of the Palazzo holds Schnabels studio, as well as a pool, a garage and exhibition space. The palazzo holds five giant units two duplexes, a triplex and two floor-through units. One is occupied by Schnabel himself, another by his art dealer son Vito.

The other apartments sold for between $10.7 million and $12.2 million each, per StreetEasy.

Residents must like it: There have been no resales in the last decade.

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Damage to the Lucharitos location in Moriches. (Credit: Carl Corry/Greater Moriches)

One of the newest additions to the Lucharitos business empire, a taqueria and tequila bar not yet fully open in Center Moriches, caught fire Saturday night.

According to an Instagram post on the Lucharitos page, owner Marc LaMaina was alerted at 10 p.m. that night to a building fire.

Everyone is safe, the post said. We will be closed at Center Moriches indefinitely as we assess the situation and prepare to move forward.

The business had been operating a food truck on weekends at the site as it waited for permits to restore the restaurant building. The food truck will be on hold indefinitely.

LaMaina said the fire happened in the storage garage behind the main restaurant and was likely caused by an equipment malfunction.

The interior contents were all destroyed, he said. The structure is fine, so we just have to rebuild it.

LaMaina was hoping to turn the storage garage into a prep kitchen.

We had hoped to begin renovations this week. It has been a very long and emotional road for us even before this happened, his post said. Just know we worked really really hard to get the property and product to where it was and are still so excited about whats to come when the actual restaurant opens.

LaMaina said on Tuesday that he is still hoping to have the location open by summer.

The restaurant, with locations in Greenport and Aquebogue, is expected to soon open another location in Mattituck and formally announced plans for a Melville spot last week.

Image Courtesy of Greater Moriches

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Eat Lucharitos Center Moriches location caught fire this weekend One of the newest additions to the - Northforker

A healthy economy and the strengths of Upper Arlington's location and community are being credited for driving one-year local construction above $400 million for the first time in the city's history.

In April 2019, Upper Arlington Schools launched $235 million in projects to rebuild and renovate the district's high school and five elementary buildings.

In June, Crawford Hoying broke ground on a 119-room hotel at 1640 W. Lane Ave. and started construction at the end of the year on eight townhomes at 1690 W. Lane Ave., as well as 133 rental units, a 395-space public-parking garage, a 110-space public-parking lot and an additional 32,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space as a mixed-use project that will feature condominiums, professional offices and restaurants.

Two months after that work began, First Community Village broke ground on the largest expansion in its 56-year history.

The estimated $37 million project will yield the construction of a 4-story, 143,622-square-foot apartment complex for independent living.

Those are just three of the projects that brought more than $407 million in construction to Upper Arlington in 2019.

The investments topped the the city's previous high-water mark in one-year construction -- 2016 -- by nearly $300 million. In that year, the city had $111.6 million in building projects, which bested investments of $100.6 million in 2017 and $100.7 million in 2018.

"Year after year, construction values have been impressive -- typically just shy of the $100 million mark -- but 2019 blew away previous years away, at over $407 million," said Steve Schoeny, city manager. "This unprecedented level of investment reflects the major projects for the Upper Arlington Schools, the Lane II hotel and mixed-use project and the Fairfax at First Community Village."

Schoeny noted the record level of construction in Upper Arlington last year included $81 million in new homes and home renovations.

Those projects resulted in the city generating more than $2.24 million in building permit and registration fees.

With the continuation of the projects for Upper Arlington Schools, Crawford Hoying and FCV, as well as the expected redevelopment of the Golden Bear Shopping Center and the planned August groundbreaking of a $100 million, 11-story Arlington Gateway mixed-use development at 1325-97 W. Lane Ave. and 2376 North Star Road, Schoeny said, Upper Arlington's 2020 construction outlook also is positive.

"I am confident that we will continue to see new opportunities, if we continue to plan well and aggressively pursue revenue producing projects," he said.

According to Emma Speight, the city's community-affairs director, the ongoing activity signals the residents' support of the local school district and the appeal of the community to families and businesses.

"Upper Arlington's strong demographics, proximity to downtown and OSU, etc., the healthy economy both nationally and in the region, services, schools and safety, etc. all contribute to making Upper Arlington a viable community in which to do business," she said. "Home renovations and additions continue to comprise much of the construction value in the residential arena as residents bring their older homes up to today's standards.

"We continue to see a handful of older homes razed and replaced with new homes each year, both by professional builders who know there is a market for new builds in Upper Arlington but also by some homeowners who have concluded that starting from scratch allows them to reap the benefits of designing a new home to best meet their needs."

Speight said officials don't anticipate the city duplicating 2019 levels of construction.

"There are still two significant economic-development projects approved by (the Board of Zoning and Planning) that are yet to begin, namely the Arlington Gateway project on Lane Avenue and the Golden Bear redevelopment, and there's a potential for additional projects to emerge in the coming months," she said.

nellis@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNate

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Upper Arlington enjoys record year of construction; project top $400M in 2019 - ThisWeek Community News