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1935 Gas Station Resurrection

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andyaus

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Nothern Suburbs, Melbourne, Australia.
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Capstone

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Northern VA, DC Area
Such an awesome thread. It's the only one I'm currently subbed to. I was jones-ing after the Willy Cement House thread went cold.

I really wish more folks, even those with deep pockets, took more time to consider re-purposing spaces instead of wiping them out. Our area in Northern Virginia is growing so fast that all of these old funky buildings never have a chance due to overly arduous zoning and ordinance ****, because the municipalities want fresh spending to increase their tax base, not bootstrapped restorations that maintain neighborhood character. So kudos go to your town as well as to you for the upcycling.
 
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HD FLHX

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Location
Central Iowa
Capstone said:
Such an awesome thread. It's the only one I'm currently subbed to. I was jones-ing after the Willy Cement House thread went cold.

I really wish more folks, even those with deep pockets, took more time to consider re-purposing spaces instead of wiping them out. Our area in Northern Virginia is growing so fast that all of these old funky buildings never have a chance due to overly arduous zoning and ordinance ****, because the municipalities want fresh spending to increase their tax base, not bootstrapped restorations that maintain neighborhood character. So kudos go to your town as well as to you for the upcycling.
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Being close to the Des Moines metro area I see the same thing happening there also. Its a shame. Some of the suburbs are trying to replicate the look, but will never truly duplicate the feel and quality of life small town middle America offers. I purchased this property on a handshake deal. Not a single thing was signed or money exchanged till the day I closed and took possession. The seller done exactly what he said he would and I done the same and that's normal around here. Perry is very fortunate to have many beautifully restored downtown properties including the Hotel Pattee (built in 1913) our original Carnegie library is a museum and our old post office was renovated and turn into a banquet hall. I took a few screen shots from google showing area my property is located.

This is a block west where the hotel and library are








This is the old post office. (two building north of my building)



This building was recently redone. It was originally a JC Penny's

 
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HD FLHX

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Been a busy week at work so I didn't get as time at the building as I hoped, but being off Monday for the holiday I hope to make up for some lost time. I finished up the west wall and then got started framing, insulating and roughing in a couple outlets in the east exterior wall.









A look at the underside of the roof, back when real wood was used. No glued together scrap wood in sight.

 
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ct01r

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Jul 4, 2016
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Location
Eastern Pa
Joe, I love the way you're fixing up your shop, and agree with everyone else that it's an asset to town. Thanks for taking the time to show us all the pictures, not only of your place, but the rest of the town too! Keep up the great work! Curt
 
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IowaMercMan

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Hiawatha, IA
My grandma lived in Perry when I was a kid, she worked at the state hospital in Woodward... IIRC she lived on 6th street in a little yellow bungalow. We visited Perry often, I always made money doing chores for folks on her block. My great uncle worked at the John Deere implement dealer in Perry. Good times.


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L5wolvesf

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Dec 4, 2011
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Northern AZ
Great idea taking it back to it's original purpose. Great job on the work and how you are doing things. I love old gas stations, now you have me lusting after one in my town. I was a "pump jockey" in high school during the '73 "gas crisis". All I have left of that are a couple shirts and a Mobil jacket.

Since I deal some with governments . . . Does your town have any historic building regulations or did they make you do things in any particular way?

Also, was the old insulation asbestos? One of the pics made me think of that.

I'm subscribed.
 
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HD FLHX

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L5wolvesf said:
Since I deal some with governments . . . Does your town have any historic building regulations or did they make you do things in any particular way?

Also, was the old insulation asbestos? One of the pics made me think of that.

I'm subscribed.
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No regulations. Small town governments in this area are generally just happy to have a space occupied and kept up. They won't dictate any part of a renovation other than general zoning ordinances. I had concerns about that insulation board till I took a piece down and seen a celotex logo on the backside. I'm very familiar with that product since it's made in my hometown in Indiana. It's just a fiber board that had been painted. This is the only section that has anything on the ceilings, all the other sections are not insulated and the joists and underside of the roof deck is painted white.
 
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SkywalkerCR

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Dec 20, 2011
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53
Location
Great Midwest - River City
Hi Joe,

Great job! I have been following your thread. One thing you might want to consider if you think the OSB walls absorb too much light is to cover them in a white Masonite paneling. I covered the interior walls of my garage with this and it really brightened things up. I am not sure if Menards carries it, but you can get 4 x 8 panels of it at Home Depot. They even have the plastic "T" channels to join it together at the seams.

" A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

Skywalker
 
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HD FLHX

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Central Iowa
SkywalkerCR said:
Hi Joe,

Great job! I have been following your thread. One thing you might want to consider if you think the OSB walls absorb too much light is to cover them in a white Masonite paneling. I covered the interior walls of my garage with this and it really brightened things up. I am not sure if Menards carries it, but you can get 4 x 8 panels of it at Home Depot. They even have the plastic "T" channels to join it together at the seams.

" A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

Skywalker
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I'm familiar with it. I used it inside my paint room at the shop I have at my house. I was also thinking of using it inside the new restroom in this building. Its good stuff :thumbup:

 
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HD FLHX

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Central Iowa
I forgot to post these earlier today. A couple new display items. I picked up a 1950 Sinclair Farm guide in near mint condition. I figured it was fitting considering I live in the heart of the corn belt.





Since I found the Nourse Oil badge in the attic I decided to start looking for some Nourse Oil cans to display. This is the first one I've been able to purchase. It is a small 1/2 pint can of Prime Neatsfoot oil.



The east wall is starting to come together. I plan on starting on the final demo in the last two stalls tomorrow. I'm looking forward to getting the wall down and the south end of the building opened up.


 
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rmalkow2

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Brighton, MI
Love the new/old vintage display items and the whole place is looking great. You have accomplished a lot in a short time.
 
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bluestripe67

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Close enough to Wash. DC
I've been stumbling in and out on the thread for a couple of weeks and really like your purpose and intent for the building. Looking forward to the "Grand Opening". I see the same thing happening as Capstone referred too in my area that's not far from him. :thumbup: Dennis
 
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Toolfool

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Tallahassee, FL
Love your project and the pictures of your town. I'm thinking about doing a road trip to Ohio to bring back some of late FIL's tools and belongings this spring. Might have to stop in Perry.
 
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HD FLHX

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The day I have been looking forward to for quite a while finally came yesterday. I started taking the last wall down opening up the last bay to the rest of the shop.








And of course this wall supports both dropped ceilings in each section. I originally had planned on leaving the lower ceilings, but it looks like they will be removed and opened back up to full height now.



I had some suspicions that the overhead door in the end was not original to the building because of how the outside of the door is trimmed out. Turns out those suspicions were correct. You can see where a lintel was added.



Full view of what will be the shop area.




Pic from the day I took possession and its current state. Only took 3 months and 5 trailer loads and counting of debris to get here.

 
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GLTHFJ60

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Durham, NC
I think it'll be better with the drop ceilings gone, even though you'll lose some of the insulation. Can you sprayfoam the ceiling or maybe hang lightweight rigid insulation to gain some of that back?
 
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pennsylvaniaboy

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Just curious, why the undersized doors? I think I would want as big of a door as the opening would fit.
 
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HD FLHX

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Central Iowa
A quick update this morning on some of the work that is going on in the southend of the building. We had some mild weather move in this week (as far as January in Iowa is concerned) which presented a good opportunity to open up and frame in another overhead door opening. The wall, dividing the old garage from the retail side, and dropped ceiling had to be removed to allow room for the 4th door to be installed. With forecasts showing highs in the mid 40's for Saturday I worked to get enough of the wall and ceiling removed to allow for the new door to be installed.





The weather forecast held out so yesterday I began tearing out the old framing and resizing the opening to fit the new door.







A few sheets of OSB to close up the opening till the new door is installed. The pockets above the door insulated, vapor barrier installed and then completely covered with 5/8ths plywood





The east wall showing all 4 door opening.



A sign I had been waiting on for a couple weeks arrived. Its a new raised letter porcelain restroom sign. It will go on the outside restroom door. Finding a restroom sign with the right look was way harder than I expected. This one came all the way from Bulgaria.



A Auto-Lite battery service tote I bought also showed up this week.


 
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