Two down, one to go!

Drumroll please……………………

It is official.  This past weekend we had our latest house project appraised and will be putting the For Rent sign up soon!  Yay!  If you felt that wild breeze yesterday blow past your face, that was me exhaling……  I am glad to have this second house under our feet and off of our books.  2010 will be the year we concentrate on our very own house.  I guess the good thing is, our rental property will be paying our house note.

Without further ado, here are the before and after pictures.  Enjoy!

Before and After pictures of 94 Bungalow

Or you can view them on Facebook

Here is a teaser:

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE living room/den

AFTER living room/den

BEFORE dining room/office

AFTER dining room/office

BEFORE kitchen

AFTER kitchen

AFTER kitchen 2

BEFORE master bedroom

AFTER masterbedroom

Andrea

Nottaway Plantation – Sunday, Sept 20th

Ceiling medallion freshly painted

An interesting light fixture

Dinner at Nottaway

Last week, Sunday, I had the privilege of joining likeminded preservationists at the Louisiana Trust’s unveiling of the properties that made their annual 10 Most Endangered List.  The Historical Association of Central Louisiana nominated the CLSH Dairy Barn in Pineville and the Armour Building on Lower Third.  The City of Alexandria Historic Preservation Commission, in short, Melinda Anderson, was responsible for the successful nomination of three other Cenla properties.   At first, I was excited that five of our properties made the list.  However, that excitement was short lived when I realized that it really is not an honor that we (Alexandria) have so many properties listed.  It is actually sad that we had so many buildings to nominate.  One preservationist at the event said “Alexandria, you need to get busy!”.  So true. 

Nottaway Plantation was beautiful.  I enjoyed touring the grounds and the restaurant.  Nottaway just underwent a “multi-million dollar renovation” by sprucing up the main house, building two pergolas, a pool and an assortment of out buildings which host parties, weddings and other events such as the one I attended.  Here are a few pictures I was able to take.  I found it hard to hold my program while juggling my evening bag and large SLR camera.  So, basically, they are what they are.

I had a great dinner and wonderful conversation with fellow HACL members Judge Rae Swent and Dr. Phillip Tapley and other preservationists from across the state. 

Alexandria:  We need to get busy!

Andrea

2 Local Buildings Make the Louisiana Trust’s 10 Most Endangered List

I could have danced when I received the email from the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s representative.  Due to the Historical Association’s, and mainly, Charles K. Charrier, President of HACL, diligent work nominating two CENLA buildings, the CLSH Dairy Barn in Pineville and the Armour Building on Lower Third in Alexandria, will receive local and national recognition by being placed on the Louisiana Trust’s 10 Most Endangered list.  The Louisiana Trust is part of the National Trust.  Each year, the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation recognizes the state’s ten most endangered historic properties to draw attention to the importance of historic preservation of our rich Louisiana heritage.  Previously, Central Louisiana has had seven properties placed on the 10 Most Endangered List.  We are proud to see that number grow to 9!

CLSH Dairy Barn 9-01-09

Armour Bldg, Lower Third 9-01-09

There will be a reception at Nottaway Plantation on September 20th, and at that time, there will be an unveiling of each structure that has made the 2009 list.  As of now, I do not have a list of the other properties.  This is exciting news for CENLA and for historic preservation!

“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us”.  Winston Churchill

Andrea

Save the Armour Building

Thank you Town Talk for spotlighting this historic building.

“Too-costly repair plan leaves Alexandria’s Armour building vulnerable”

The old Armour & Co. building in Alexandria is potentially facing the wrecking ball again. This time, local preservationists want to save it for good.  

“Enough is enough,” said Charles Charrier, president of the Historical Association of Central Louisiana. “So much of our past is gone. Much of our downtown is gone. Many of our commercial and warehouse buildings are gone. Our position is it’s time for the ‘just tear it down’ mentality to stop here in Alexandria.”

The former meat processing plant at 1901 Third St. is a good place to take that stand, Charrier thinks.

Built between 1909 and 1914, the building for decades housed a packing plant, which would receive meat via railroad and process it for sale locally. It has been vacant for about 20 years.

“It’s one of the last surviving industrial buildings that depended on rail transportation for its existence,” Charrier said. “That’s why it’s significant, along with the grand design and historic character.” …for the rest of the article, click here.

Same Drum, Different Beats

Like the crazed madwoman I am, last night I decided to have a garage sale this morning. So, I got up at 6:30, tossed everything outside on the tables, put out my signs and waited on customers.  I love to people watch.  If I could go back to school for leisure, I would study the human brain, psychology, sociology and why we do what we do.  I find it interesting that you can present a problem to two people and they would come up with completely diverse solutions to that same problem.

Before I start, I would like to say, like I have before, that I am white.  If you want to be technical about it, right now I am actually red (from the sun) and purple (bruises received from setting up tables).   You are probably wondering why in the world I am making this absurd declaration.  Read further and you will understand.  I live in a melting pot of a neighborhood.  There are a lot of African-American people, a few Asian and a few white.  Today, at my garage sale, I met a man who was well dressed, well spoken, classy and very polite.  He invited me to the Shriner’s parade and told me all that was going on.  Recently, I read that donations for the Shriner’s hospitals have been dwindling, so I perked up when he was speaking and told him what a great cause he supported and I wished him well.

I also met several ladies who were polite, considerate, thoughtful and conversational.  Some of them even invited me to church.  If I had not already had a church I attended, I might have been compelled to accept their invitation.  All of them were African-American.

Some had causes, some had families, some had churches….all of them were the wonderful diverse people I call neighbor.  I find it interesting that most of the people I refer to above who had beautiful manners and whom invited me to Shriner’s events were not your typical average joe white person.  Nope, they were ALL African-American.  To all the backwards racist people who live in Alexandria, I would like you to meet these people.  These are the faces of the African-American community.  They are not drug dealers, they are not con artists, they are not out to eat you for dinner.  These wonderful people march to the same drum of life, as do all of us, just with a different beat.  I find it a sad injustice to lump a whole race into a negative category, based on a few bad apples.

Incidentally, I find it nonsensical when reading the recent story the Town Talk did about the car vandalism wherein persons of low intelligence are commenting and using racial slurs and putting all the blame on a certain ethnicity in Alexandria.  Rubbish!  The persons behind all of the vandalism in Tennyson Oaks and West Point is probably some Momma’s precious little baby who is bored, spoiled rotten and thinks that daddy’s pockets are deep enough to take care of his little messes.  

I am so tired of racial profiling and all of the ignorant stuff I hear out of Alexandrian’s mouths.  It is time to grow up and stop using daddy’s opinion and get your own educated opinion from firsthand experience!  Further, I find it interesting that people have a whole lot to say about things they know nothing about.  The people who criticize me for living here go on and on about the crime…have never lived here.  What crime?  My car was not vandalized.  My house has never been broken into.  So, does that mean that all the people in Tennyson Oaks need to move because of the crime that happened there?  Crime is not a respecter of persons or race, nor is it a predisposition of one race over another.  Nor does it only happen in poor areas of town and skip over the well-to-do areas of town.  I just find it absolutely ridiculous the things people say to me.  I don’t know if it is steeped in ignorance, stupidity or if some people just lack tact.  Might be a combination of all.  

I find it so funny when the insurance inspector recently visited my house, his reaction, which was not completely different from other tradesmen and other people who visit, was to inform me of how bad an area I live in and how bad the crime is…blah blah blah.  What does he expect me to do?  Thank him profusely?  Sometimes when people start in on their speeches, you know — to “save” me, I want so bad to emphatically shake their hand and pat them on the back and say “Thank you so much for telling me that!  You know, I have lived here for three years now, but I needed YOU to tell me how bad it is here…you know what, I am going to go pack my bags now and move…thank you so much for your kindness and for telling me about my neighborhood.  Gosh, I just didn’t know!”   How absurd.  They don’t even live here!  It is just as annoying as people who don’t have kids who think it is their job to dole out parenting tips….oxymoron anyone?  I respect my neighbors for the different people that they are and respect that they have a different beat to play on their drum than I.  Their beat might not always make sense to me, but who am I to judge what is good or what is bad, what is right or what is wrong?  It is just different.

Anyway, off my soapbox and in to bed! 

Andrea

Warren Family Vacation 2009

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!  Whew, what a fast 7 days this past week has been!  I did not announce here on my blog that I was going on vacation due to security reasons.  You never know who is out there lurking….  All of my friends and family knew where I was though. 

We had a great time!  We camped in South Carolina, canoed in North Carolina, enjoyed the scenic beauty of the Tennessee mountains by staying outside of Gatlinburg for a night and then stopped in Arkansas last night on our way to get Taavi, the newest addition to our family.  For anyone interested, here are some photos from our week and a snippet of information on where we were and what we were doing.  I missed everyone!  I am glad I am back home!

Sunday

We left on Sunday.  On our way to Alabama for the night, we stopped in Jackson, Mississippi to eat at Keifer’s.  Keifer’s is the best doggone Greek food I have ever eaten.  It is a small business located downtown and people drive in from multiple states to eat there.  It is THAT good!  If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend this family owned, on top of its game, restaurant.  I also stopped in Birmingham to visit with a college friend, Consuela.  I haven’t seen her in six years…..good times, good times!  When we arrived at the hotel, Vivian wanted to swim.  So, even though it was 10:00 p.m., we donned our bathing suits and made a lap or two in the pool.  It never occurred to me that Vivian has not stayed in a hotel before.  Upon entering our room, she had many questions and was amazed that someone set up a little bedroom just for us!  Here she is after a full day of travel and an hour swimming.

Tired after a day full of travel and swimming

Monday-Tuesday

“Is Mississippi a road?”  Vivian asked from the back seat (I guess that is better than “Are we there yet?”).  “No, it is a state, baby” I replied.  “What state do we live in?” I asked.  “Alexandria!” was her triumphant answer.  So, did ya’ll know that Alexandria was a state?

Oconee State Park, SC - Vivian feeding the geese

The main purpose of our trip was for Vivian to meet her great grandmother and great grandfather.  On our way to see them, we stopped in downtown Greenville and visited the park. 

On street parking, downtown Greenville, SC

The downtown area was thriving and very hip.  We passed many restaurants and specialty stores on our way to Reedy Falls park, which is in the middle of downtown.  We even happened upon a conversation of young businessmen (and women) who talked about living in their loft in the downtown area and how much they enjoyed living and working there.  I thought that was very cool (All of my preservationist friends understand what I mean).  The great thing about most of the streets in Greenville was that they had storefront parking.  They never did widen the road or remove the parking spots from in front of the shops.  I think this was one of the main reasons the downtown thrives.  The other reason is the highly attractive park that has a creek/falls that runs smack through the middle of downtown.

Reedy Falls Park, Downtown Greenville SC

Greenville spiffed up one of their best assets by putting a bridge over the creek falls for people to bike over, or walk out on and admire the view.  The bridge, from what I understand from the sign, was financed through private persons and non-proft groups.  Greenville has also retained a good bit of green space in the downtown area despite development.  I call that good planning by the city administration.  Greenville also has bicycle lanes and has good walkability and bikeability (if that is a word).  You would not have to talk me in to living there.  It was beautiful.

The bridge across the falls/creek

Vivian at the park

Vivian at Reedy Falls

Vivian and Andrea at Reedy Falls

Wednesday

We got a wild hair and drove up to Rosman, North Carolina and took a four hour canoe trip.  We had a good time paddling down the quiet French Broad.  We saw a hawk catch a fish.  At the end of the day, you could clearly see the spots I missed putting sunscreen on!

On the French Broad, Rosman, NC

A bridge over the French Broad, Rosman NC

Thursday

We visited with my grandmother again and then went on to Easley, SC and visited with my grandfather and my cousins.  It rained ALL day.

Grandma Petrone and Vivian

Grandpa Petrone, Me and Steven

Friday

Our plans were to stay at the park (Oconee) and boat, fish, make a fire…you know, all the things you are supposed to do when you go camping.  The only problem was that the weather was not cooperating.  It rained Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

Vivian, singing in the rain, Oconee State Park

Steven was determined to cook out, so he grabbed a poncho out of the car and flipped hamburgers in the rain.  Our geese friends decided to come up and check us out again. 

Resident Geese, Oconee State Park, SC

Vivian and Steven feeding the geese (wow, no mistaking paternity here)

Lazy rainy afternoon on the porch at our cabin

 

Friday night we decided to head to Tennessee.  We left the park early, we were supposed to stay until Sunday.  We went to Sevierville, TN which is right outside of Gatlinburg, and stayed the night at the Wilderness at the Smokies, a waterpark/resort.  Poor Vivian had been drug across four states and had not had any fun yet, so we decided to let her play in the water park for a day.  This place was brand new and pretty cool.  Included with your room you get free passes to their two waterparks and free tickets to the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Aquarium (which was voted the #1 aquarium in the country).  We splashed for hours, rode down the slides, sat in the hot tub, went back to our room and then came back down and did it all over again! 

The bucket of water just dumped out on them...you better move when you hear the bell ring!

Vivian and Me

Eating dippin' dots at the park

Sunday-Monday

We packed up and drove to Little Rock and stayed the night Sunday and then today, we got up early and drove to Hot Springs to pick up Taavi.

Vivian and her new puppy, Taavi

We are now back home and I do believe that Taavi is adjusting well to living here in Alexandria.

Vivian and Taavi playing in the front yard

Andrea

Thumbs up to HACL

Earlier this year, the Armour Building, on Lower Third, was donated to the Historical Association of Central Louisiana.  Along with the donation of the building, came a grant from the Coughlin-Saunders foundation to build a temporary roof for the purpose of stopping  rainwater from deteriorating the building further.  The Armour Building was built in the early 1900s as a meat packing plant.  According to Jonathan and Donna Fricker, previous directors of the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation located in Baton Rouge, there are railroad spurs that lead right up to the building and this building was an integral part of Alexandria’s economy early in the 20th century.  In their past role as directors of LDHP, Jonathan and Donna Fricker are most known for writing several National Register nominations for Louisiana properties most of which were subsequently accepted and listed on the National Register.  The Frickers were retained by HACL to write a National Register nomination  for the Armour Building.   Earlier this month, at their Bi-Annual meeting, the Louisiana National Register Review Committee accepted the nomination and sent to Washington for final disposition.  For more information regarding National Register status and criteria for historic properties, please click here.

The Armour building is currently for sale.  Anyone wishing to tour the property or has an interest in returning this building to commerce, please contact the Historical Association at: 318-448-3952.

Thumbs up to HACL for stepping up to the plate.

Andrea

10 Most Endangered Tour: Hotel Bentley

As part of the 30th Annual Preservation Conference, the Historical Association of Central Louisiana organized a Louisiana Trust 10 Most Endangered List Tour yesterday.  Even though I had a part in organizing the tour, I had yet to see the inside of half of the buildings on the tour.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing, for the first time, the lobby of the now closed Hotel Bentley.  I know a lot about the Bentley, but I had not yet had the opportunity to see the inside before its doors closed in 2005.  For a complete history on the Bentley, please click here.  Everything said about the Bentley is true.  It is oppulent, beautiful, a classic example of early 20th century architecture and definitely worth saving.  Upon entering the lobby, straight ahead is a beautiful double staircase which meets at a landing and then grandly sweeps down to the floor.

Grand Staircase, Hotel Bentley, Alexandria, La

A few of the persons joining us for the tour reminisced about being present at family weddings, proms and other events held here in the “good ole days”.  Their descriptions of the events transported me back and I could almost hear feet shuffling in time with music from the band, or the crisp whoosh of a wedding dress as a beautiful bride gracefully descended the stairs.  How exciting it must have been!

Original frieze pattern in dome

Gazing up at the inside of the dome, you will see a painted mural.  This is not original to the structure.  Originally a frieze type pattern decorated the inside of the dome and in the 1930’s-40’s, it was “modernized” by painting white over it with a black edge.  After renovating the Bentley in the 1980’s, the Tudor Construction company hired an artisan to paint this mural. (This information comes from the book “An Illustrated History: Rapides Parish” published by local author Sue Eakin).

Lobby Ceiling: Hotel Bentley

 Alas, not all of the Bentley is a beautiful sight.  Signs of peeling paint, wear and tear and rot are already being seen due to the hotel being defunct for four years.  Below is just a small glimpse of the wood damage outside the hotel. 

However, now that I am Central Louisianan….I will cling to the faith that other Central Louisianans have that this once glorious building will be returned to commerce and that it will lift its head proudly in our downtown once again. 

The other buildings we toured were Mt. Olivet chapel, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, Conerly House, the Thompson-Hargis mansion and the Cotton Bros. Bakery Building.  Bennettville Plantation house and store were listed on the Louisiana Trust’s 10 Most Endangered list, however it was not open for tour.  The Town Talk did a wonderful story on the tour and you can view that by clicking here. Don’t forget to look at the photo gallery to see more pictures of the tour.  Thank you RT Morgan for a wonderful story.

I would also like to thank TW Thompson for the wondeful picture of my daughter and I walking in the Hotel Bentley lobby.  I took a walk with Vivian because she was restless and also because I thought she was about to give the caretaker of the Bentley a heart attack.  The lady was very nervous and did not want Vivian injuring herself…which I completely understand.  So, when Vivian and I took a walk down the beautiful entryway, in between the columns, Mr. Thompson snapped a picture of us walking hand in hand and it is just beautiful!!!!  When he sends me the digital print, I will post it.   Thanks again, sir.

The Hotel Bentley 1907-08

Andrea

Oberia Price: Preservation Queen

Oberia Price at the recent Peggy Bolton Lecture Series

A letter from the President of the Historical Association of Central Louisiana:

Dear HACL Member:

 

It is with heavy heart that I inform you that our past HACL President and longstanding board member has passed away at 4 a.m. today.

 

Oberia, as you all know, was a workhorse in preservation and for years, she undertook projects such as the Military Museum, Fort Randolph, the Peggy Bolton Lecture Series and many others.  Her attention to detail and her drive for perfection marked everything that she touched. 

 

We will miss her greatly.   A person of that caliber cannot be replaced.  Please watch your paper for the arrangements.  HACL will be responding appropriately in this great loss.  Remember the family in your prayers.

 

Kindest Regards.

 

Charles K. Charrier
President, HACL

Dinner on the Bricks – Historic Downtown Alexandria, Louisiana