CORONADO, Calif. -- Developers are proposing major changes for a Coronado landmark home marred by tragedy.

The investment group that owns the Sprekles Mansion has proposed a restoration project on its original 1907 design.

The oceanfront mansion made national headlines after Rebecca Zahou, girlfriend of millionaire Jonah Shacknai, was found naked, hanging from a balcony at the oceanfront property last summer.  Investigators ruled her death a suicide.

“It’d be nice to change the conversation, less sensationalism about the recent tragedies and more about what the house represents as far as a significant piece of architecture here in Coronado and a significant property in itself,” real estate broker Scott Aurich said.

Aurich is working with the firm that is selling the remodeled home. The group would like to replace the slanted tile roof with a flat roof for a sun deck.

The finished design would resemble the Glorietta Bay Inn, architect Harrison Albright’s famous design.

“It’s a significant historical asset.  It was built by John Sprekles, the guy who basically built the [Coronado] Island,” Aurich said. “Taking it back to that original architectural style preserves the integrity and the rich history of the house.”

It may be easier said than done. The sight is protected under the Mills Act, which means the city’s Historic Resource Commission has to approve any changes to the exterior.  It took the previous owner years to get approval for adding awnings to the windows and French doors to the living and dining rooms.

The plan will come up for discussion during a hearing March 7.

See original here:
Sprekles Mansion restoration underway

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — A fire destroyed a large century-old house Sunday morning on Bainbridge's south end.

A man thought to be in his 40s suffered smoke inhalation and was flown to Harborview Hospital in Seattle shortly after firefighters were called to the scene at 6:15 a.m., according to the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. No other injuries were reported.

Five people were staying overnight at the home's property, which is part of a large gated community at the end of Country Club Road on Restoration Point. The approximately 3,500-square-foot house's two occupants were able to escape. Three people were sleeping in a neighboring guesthouse, which suffered no significant damage.

Bainbridge Fire Chief Hank Teran said the main house is a total loss. It overlooks Seattle from a high bluff.

The smoke was visible across Puget Sound.

"We received a number of calls, including one from a ferry," Teran said.

Kate Jacobson was sleeping in the guesthouse when her dogs woke her.

"The dogs were doing something. I looked out, and I screamed over (at the main house) and ran outside," she said.

Her sister, Nancy Jacobson, was sleeping in the main house with her fiance, Matt Sullivan.

"I heard crackling and screaming," Nancy Jacobson said with tears in her eyes and a blanket around her shoulders. "It was mainly in the chimney. There was a lot of smoke."

Teran said it's too early to know what caused the fire.

That it might have been caused by a fireplace or chimney fire is "hearsay right now, but we're looking into it," he said.

About 20 firefighters from the Bainbridge, Poulsbo and North Kitsap fire departments were at the scene. The Leschi fire boat came from Seattle and floated on standby for several minutes. It was sent back after firefighters contained the blaze.

Nancy Jacobson, 29, of Seattle said the house is owned by her parents. She and her friends were staying over the weekend. The house is usually unoccupied.

She and Sullivan planned to marry at the house in a few months.

"We sent out the save-the-dates two days ago," Sullivan said.

Nancy Jacobson said the house was built by her "great-great-grandfather."

"And his great-great-grandchildren will rebuild it, right?" Kate Jacobson said to her sister.

Most of the fire was extinguished by 8 a.m.

Original post:
Fire destroys century-old home on Bainbridge's Restoration Point

Bulletin Board

Calendar of events relating to homes and gardens.

The Garden is for Lovers: Blooming tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and orchids steam up the conservatory daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Wednesday at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. Included in garden admission of $7-$11. (804) 262-9887.

Lewis Ginter Programs: Increase your gardening know-how with programs at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave.:

March 6: Ginter in the Morning, seasonal garden walk, 10 a.m., $15; members free. March 8: Organic Vegetable Gardening, 5-7 p.m., $20-$31. March 8 or 10: Freestyle Ikebana Workshop, 9:30 a.m.-noon, $45-$56. March 13: "Back to the Future — Designing Without Floral Foam," lunchtime lecture by designer David Pippin, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $40-$51; light lunch included. Begins March 15: Cut Flower Care and Handling, two sessions, 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 15 and 22, $55-$66. Begins March 15: Container Gardening, four sessions, 4-6 p.m. March 15, 22, 29 and April 5, $100-$111.

Registration required for all classes. To register or for course information, visit http://www.lewisginter.org or call (804) 262-9887, ext. 322.

2012 Orchid Show: Virginia Orchid Society spring show and sale, "Jewels of the Jungle," continues with displays, lectures, workshops and sale of orchids and supplies, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today at Strange's Garden Center, 12111 W. Broad St. Free. http://www.vaorchidsociety.com or (804) 360-2800.

Rose Society Meeting: Richmond Rose Society meets for a talk by Don Penzler and question-and-answer session by consulting rosarians, 2 p.m. today at Children's Hospital, 2924 Brook Road. http://www.richmondrosesociety.com or (804) 330-2404.

How to Grow Food from Seeds: Learn basic vegetable gardening techniques in a seminar sponsored by Chesterfield Historical Society's Heirloom Seed Exchange, 1 p.m. Tuesday or 10 a.m. Saturday at Castlewood, 10201 Iron Bridge Road. $25 (includes planting of seeds participants take home). 768-0616.

Ikebana of Richmond Meeting: "The History of Ikebana of Richmond," talk by Doris Roberts, at a meeting of the organization at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Garden Hall, Maymont, 1700 Hampton St. Free. (804) 285-3085.

Virginia Native Plant Society: The Pocahontas Chapter meets for a talk by Lou Verner on "Conservation Restoration in the 21st Century — Why Native Plants Hold the Keys to Success," 7 p.m. Thursday in the education building at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. Free. (804) 741-7838.

Richmond Home & Garden Show: Hundreds of exhibitors of home and garden goods and services plus garden displays, guest speakers, seminars and demonstrations from noon-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 4 at Richmond Raceway Complex, 600 E. Laburnum Ave. $9; 16 and younger free. Vendor and schedule info at http://www.RichmondHomeAndGardenShow.com or (804) 425-6556.

Crape Myrtle Pruning: Learn the proper way to prune the summer-blooming small trees in a hands-on workshop sponsored by the Chesterfield County Office of Cooperative Extension at 10 a.m. Saturday at Chesterfield Technical Center, 10101 Courthouse Road. Free; registration requested; bring pruners and dress for the weather. (804) 751-4401.

Richmond African Violet Society Meeting: Program features "Soil Recipes: What Works for You?" 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at Friends Meeting House, 4500 Kensington Ave. Free. (804) 740-5322.

Full Moon Hike: Nighttime tour of Maymont's grounds and gardens, featuring the Japanese Garden, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 9 at Maymont, 1700 Hampton St. $17-$22; register by March 8. (804) 358-7166.

"Japanese Gardens in North America": Lecture by Kendall Brown on the late-Victorian era rise in the popularity of Japanese gardens that was part of the time's fascination with all things Japanese, followed by reception, 6 p.m. March 13 in the Garden Hall, Maymont, 1700 Hampton St. $5-$10; reservation recommended. (804) 358-7166, ext. 329.

Pat Row

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Home and garden event calendar

HARFORD, Pa. — For more than a decade, Bronson Pinchot has spent much of his downtime in the picture-book Pennsylvania hamlet where he found a dream home far from the stressful clamor of New York or L.A.

Pinchot likely remains best known as the endearingly naive, quasi-Mediterranean immigrant Balki Bartokomous from the TV sitcom "Perfect Strangers."

But unlike Balki, Pinchot is by his own admission "fiercely private" and an "introvert that does a pretty convincing performance as an extrovert."

Still, he has decided to open his doors to America via "The Bronson Pinchot Project," which premiered Feb. 11 on the DIY Network. In all, eight episodes were shot over 13 weeks in Harford, a village founded in 1790 and nestled in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County near the New York state line.

Pinchot's filmography includes 1980s hits like "Risky Business" and "Beverly Hills Cop." Since "Perfect Strangers" ended in 1993 after eight seasons, the actor has performed on and Off-Broadway, appeared in touring theatrical productions and done voice-overs and audiobooks.

His new show, though, is different.

First, the designs are his own. "I get a kick out of it because I sit there with a sketchbook and say, 'This is what it should look like when it's done' and in the end it either looks like that or it's better," he said.

"My theater training helps; in theater, it doesn't matter where you're at with your performance; opening night is opening night."

Home base is Pinchot's circa 1840 mansion in the center of Harford, a town of about 1,300 people. It was the home of state Sen. Edward Jones in the early 1900s and had more recently served as office space. Pinchot bought the place in 2000.

"I wanted a Greek Revival house within five driving hours of New York City," Pinchot said. When he first walked in, he knew he would buy it.

When he arrived, the scene couldn't have been better staged by a Hollywood set designer: The house smelled of cinnamon toast, the air outside smelled of fresh manure, a woman pushing a baby carriage paused to admire a neighbor's fuchsia roses across the street.

"I was already sold, but that was like God was hitting me over the head with a sledgehammer," he said. "OK, I get it, I get it!"

He now owns six historic properties in Harford, including what was a burned-out home also from around 1840 and a sweet, blue-shingled building that houses the town's post office. Eventually, he hopes many of the properties will be places for visiting friends to stay.

The first season's architectural stars are his Ionic-columned mansion and Decker House, a smaller home rehabbed with salvaged wood from demolished old buildings, windows from an abandoned farmhouse and floors from a property formerly part of late heiress Doris Duke's estate.

Not only is "The Bronson Pinchot Project" a show about historic restoration, it's a love letter to his adopted hometown.

"Harford is to be seen through my lens, which is that it's heaven on Earth," he said. "None of this big fish in a little pond. No. We're not doing 'Green Acres.' "

Pinchot, 52, an antiques collector and enthusiast of classical art and architecture since childhood, is a hands-on renovator who employs local carpenters and craftspeople. Many are slated to appear in the show.

Years of trial and error have culminated into the current style viewers will see taking shape — a blend of English regency and American high country along with 19th-century plaster casts of ancient Greek sculpture and architectural flourishes. The goal is for rooms to look like they've taken shape over many decades.

Pinchot's earliest home rehab forays involved getting all the period details and furniture just right. But it felt wrong.

"I looked around and thought, 'Well, now all it's missing is a docent and a leaflet that says where the cafe is,' " he said. "I made a little museum, and that's not what I want."

Things you won't see in Bronson world: kitchen appliances. Refrigerators — which Pinchot calls "unacceptably, unforgivably ugly" — ovens, dishwashers and microwaves are cleverly concealed behind salvaged wainscoting, cupboards and cabinets mounted clandestinely on hinges, like a bookcase hiding a castle's secret passageway.

All of his properties will get the full "Bronsonian" treatment, shaped both by the availability of salvage materials and Pinchot's own improvisational approach.

"I hope we can do this for 10 seasons!" he said. "We could do an episode on every room."

Continue reading here:
Picture 'perfect': Bronson Pinchot back on TV — restoring old homes

Har-Bro, an emergency service and restoration/reconstruction provider, worked in conjunction with Home Depot to efficiently and effectively rehab and modernize a property for PIP; an organization that provides assistance to people struggling wth substance abuse and economic deprivation...

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 24, 2012

After receiving a $250,000 grant from the Home Depot Foundation, Los Angeles-based nonprofit People in Progress, which provides intervention and support to people struggling with substance abuse, economic deprivation, hunger and homelessness, asked Har-Bro to help repair and remodel its headquarters.

Har-Bro, a restoration and reconstruction provider, worked in conjunction with Home Depot Restoration Services to efficiently and effectively rehab and modernize the property, located at 8140 Sunland Blvd., Sun Valley, Calif.. Prior to the building’s renaming and rededication ceremony in honor of its recently deceased founder, Dennis O’Sullivan, Har-Bro was able to paint the building and provide a facelift.

“This is an incredible organization that transforms people’s lives and never turns anyone away, so we were honored to be asked to help them with their recent building project,” said Jeff Swenson, project manager for Har-Bro. “I’ve been so impressed with People in Progress that I’ve started to invest my own time working at their facility and enjoyed building relationships and contributing to such a terrific nonprofit.”

The work on the People in Progress building, which accounts for about $160,000 of the Home Depot Foundation grant, is expected to be completed in March 2012.

“We were pleased to work with both the amazing team at People in Progress and the generous donors at the Home Depot Foundation, and appreciate the opportunity to make a difference in our local community through this work,” Swenson added.

About People in Progress

For 35 years, People In Progress (P.I.P.) has provided intervention and support to individuals and families in crisis with services addressing substance abuse, economic deprivation, hunger and homelessness. The organization is dedicated to creating self-reliance and building addiction-free lives. Each year, P.I.P. provides services to more 25,000 individuals. It is our aim to help those we serve transition back into the community as productive citizens. 100 percent of our participants are living well below poverty level. Our services are designed to provide disadvantaged individuals with access - whether directly or through referral - to the resources they need to reach self-sufficiency. For more information, please visit http://www.peopleinprogress.org/

About The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 2002 to further the community building goals of The Home Depot by providing additional resources to assist nonprofit organizations. The mission of The Home Depot Foundation is to improve homes and improve lives. For more information, please visit http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/index.html.

About Har-Bro

Har-Bro is a full-service mitigation, restoration and reconstruction provider for properties damaged by water, fire, flood and other disasters. Leading the industry since 1961, Har-Bro has offices throughout California, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix and Las Vegas. For more information on handling property damages or to learn more about Har-Bro, please visit http://www.harbro.com or call (800) 266-5677.

# # #

Lisa Tran
lisa.tran@harbro.com
5625285201
Email Information

Read the original post:
People In Progress (P.I.P.) Selects Har-Bro to Restore Building with Home Depot Grant

HARFORD, Pennsylvania (AP) — For more than a decade, former "Perfect Strangers" star Bronson Pinchot has spent much of his downtime in the picture-book Pennsylvania hamlet where he found a dream home far from the stressful clamor of New York or L.A.

Pinchot likely remains best known as the endearingly naive, quasi-Mediterranean immigrant Balki Bartokomous from the TV sitcom. But unlike Balki, Pinchot is by his own admission "fiercely private."

Still, he has decided to open his doors to America via "The Bronson Pinchot Project," which premiered Feb. 11 on the DIY Network. In all, eight episodes were shot over 13 weeks at the end of last year in Harford, a village founded in 1790 and nestled in the Endless Mountains near the New York state line.

His filmography includes 1980s hits like "Risky Business" and "Beverly Hills Cop," but since "Perfect Strangers" ended in 1993 after eight seasons, Pinchot has performed on and off-Broadway, appeared in touring theatrical productions and done voiceovers and audiobooks.

His new show, though, is altogether different.

First, the designs are his own. "I get a kick out of it because I sit there with a sketchbook and say, 'This is what it should look like when it's done' and in the end it either looks like that or it's better," he said.

Home base is Pinchot's circa 1840 mansion in the center of Harford, a town of about 1,300 people. Pinchot bought the place in 2000.

When he arrived, the scene couldn't have been better staged by a Hollywood set designer: The house smelled of cinnamon toast, the air outside smelled of fresh manure, a woman pushing a baby carriage paused to admire a neighbor's fuchsia roses across the street.

"I was already sold, but that was like God was hitting me over the head with a sledgehammer," he said. "OK, I get it, I get it!"

He now owns six historic properties in Harford, including what was a burned-out vacant home also from around 1840 and a sweet blue-shingled building that houses the town's post office.

The first season's architectural stars are his Ionic-columned mansion and Decker House, a smaller home rehabbed with salvaged wood from demolished old buildings, windows from an abandoned farmhouse and floors from a property formerly part of late heiress Doris Duke's estate.

Not only is "The Bronson Pinchot Project" a show about historic restoration, it's a love letter to his adopted hometown.

"Harford is to be seen through my lens, which is that that it's heaven on earth," he said. "None of this 'big fish in a little pond.'"

___

Online:

"The Bronson Pinchot Project": http://www.diynetwork.com/the-bronson-pinchot-project/show/index.html

More:
Balki's back! Bronson Pinchot has new show

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Bill Dake, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Saratoga Performig Arts Center, speaks about the demolition of the amphitheater's deteriorated exterior walls Monday. (Erica Miller/Special to The Record)

By Michael Cignoli
Special to The Record
@MCSaratogian

John Whipple, left, and Joe Moore, right, both of Old Saratoga Restorations, work to demolish a section of the deteriorated exterior amphitheater wall at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Monday. (Erica Miller/Special to The Record)

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center is getting a facelift.

Renovation work on the amphitheater’s deteriorating, 46-year-old façade began Monday morning and officials say it will be completed before the start of the 2012 season.

The project will replace the structure’s warped, faded and rotted siding with weather-resistant material. SPAC President and Executive Director Marcia White said the upgrades will create a more contemporary version of the structure’s existing exterior, which was unchanged since the venue opened in 1966.

“It’s beyond time for the façade to be addressed,” White said. “You can’t just renovate your programs; you have to renovate your facility as well.”

The state, which owns SPAC, has invested more than $4.5 million into the facility since 2005.

It has installed new, padded seats in the sheltered portion of the venue while upgrading pedestrian bridges, walkways and sewage and drainage systems.

SPAC unveiled plans for a new façade in May 2008, but critics blasted the proposal because of its resemblance to a stack of pancakes.

When the recession hit, White said, putting capital plans — including those for a new façade — on hold.

The renovations were made possible by a gift from Bill Dake, chairman of Stewart’s Shops and the SPAC Board of Directors, and his wife, Susan.

Continued...

The Dake family was instrumental in getting SPAC in its initial building, White said, and the venue has now evolved into an “economic engine” that generates “close to $100 million” in economic benefits to the immediate community.

The new panels will resemble the current shield-like ones that currently adorn the building, White said, but will include an element of depth. The building itself is structurally sound, White said, but the upgraded material will make the panels more weather-resistant.

Bill Dake said the upgrades are long overdue.

“Susan and I are doing it simply because I think people underestimate the impact SPAC has on this area,” Bill Dake said. “I don’t mean just economically, but sociologically.”

The venue is home to several Live Nation concerts throughout the summer, as well as a jazz festival. It serves as the summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra and hosts local high school graduations.

“The role that it plays in the area is much broader than people realize,” Bill Dake said. “I think it does a lot for the quality of life in the area.”

Bonacio Construction won the contract for the work and began tearing down the panels Monday morning. The renovations are scheduled to be completed in May at a cost of approximately $500,000.

The venue’s first concerts of 2012 are scheduled for the second week of June.

“An iconic, world-class home for the performing arts should have an outward appearance that projects that image,” White said. “By the time our 2012 season opens, we’ll have one.”

Those who buy lawn seats to future SPAC shows will not only be looking at a more aesthetic building, White said, but they may be able to hear the concerts better as well. Continued...

Currently, the venue’s speakers sit too low in their enclosure, creating audio gaps in some areas of the lawn. The renovations will reposition upgraded speakers within the façade, which should provide better sound coverage and quality.

“Every time we have an opportunity for new technology,” White said, “we’re grateful for that.”

The public can track the renovation process through SPAC’s website, SPAC.org, as photos and videos of the renovation will be uploaded to the site.

Editor’s Note: Saratogian photographer Erica Miller contributed to this report.

Read more:
VIDEO: Facade restoration gets underway at Saratoga Performing Arts Center

ROCKFORD (LHF) -- The Laurent House Foundation closed on the Laurent House and its original Frank Lloyd Wright furnishings on Thursday, Feb. 16.

“Now that the Foundation has official ownership of the home, we are able to move forward with the necessary preservation and restoration work that will return the house to its original condition and ensure it can be enjoyed by the public for years to come,” said Jerry Heinzeroth, president of the foundation’s board of directors.

The Foundation will continue with its planned steps for converting the residence into a museum and visitor attraction. To help determine what features need to be restored and preserved, the Foundation and its partners are reviewing original plans and drawings with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, an advocacy group focused on saving and preserving Wright-designed structures. Structurally, minor masonry and roof repairs are needed. To bring the home back to its original state, some interior modifications will be made to fabrics and upholstery.

The Foundation is also in the process of applying for federal 501(c) 3 status, as well as federal and local historic status for the home.

The Laurent House was secured by the Foundation at a public auction on December 15, 2011. Called the Laurent House, this one-of-a-kind residence was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1949 for Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent, and is the first and only home he ever created for a disabled person’s use and comfort.

Gifts to the Laurent House Foundation can be made at http://www.cfnil.org. Information about the house is available by calling 815.489.1678 or by emailing info@laurenthouse.com.

Read this article:
Laurent House Foundation Becomes Official Owner of Rockford’s Frank Lloyd Wright Home

Published: Feb. 20, 2012 at 4:29 PM

DENVER, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A Denver couple preparing to move from their rented home said they are trying to find a temporary abode for the 30,000-book "library" in their basement.

Jeffrey Lee and Ann Martin said they just don't have enough room in their new home right now to keep their collection of books about "the land and people's connection to the land," which they call the Rocky Mountain Land Library.

The couple said they would only need temporary storage for the thousands of books until they can complete their planned restoration of a ranch house in the Buffalo Peaks wilderness, The Denver Post reported Monday.

John Calderazzo, who sits on the board for the non-profit Rocky Mountain Land Library, said the books represent "the best nature library I know of anywhere."

"There are so many beautiful books. Piles and piles and piles," he said. "There's a thin line between collecting and hoarding."

He pleaded for the public to help the Martins find a temporary home for the books, which fill about 600 boxes.

"Help us, please," Calderazzo said. "This is really a wonderful resource. And they're great people."

See the original post:
Temporary home needed for 30,000 books

Ernest Hemingway's boyhood home in Oak Park, Ill., is for sale for $525,000. The Hemingway family moved to the house in 1906, when Hemingway was 7, and when he returned from World War I he spent time recuperating there. The large home is now a triplex.

The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, which has owned the home since 2002, put it up for sale with hopes that it can find a buyer who appreciates its literary legacy. The foundation is located in another Oak Park house, where Hemingway was born. That house underwent a restoration to honor his centenary in 1999.

The Hemingway house that's for sale was designed by architect Henry G. Fiddelke in collaboration with Grace Hall Hemingway. Each of the restored apartments has two bedrooms; together they rent for about $3,700 per month.

RELATED:

Happy birthday, Ernest Hemingway!

A farewell to Hemingway's Wyoming cabin?

Home repair, the Hemingway way

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Photo: Ernest Hemingway's boyhood home in Oak Park, Ill. Credit: Baird & Warner Real Estate

Originally posted here:
Ernest Hemingway's childhood home is for sale